Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 4.djvu/376

 324- C. 30. Anno fexto Ann^e Reglnze. A.D. 1707. proclamation for afceriaining the Currency of fo- reign Coins in Araeiica. For infovcirg the due Executi- on of Proclama- tion, Perfons after t May 1709, pay- ing or receiving any foreign Sil- ver Coins at^ higher Rate than is regulaiedi To fuffer 6 Months Impri- fonment, and forfeit lol, C A P. XXX. « An Ad for afcertaining the Rates of foreign Coins in her Majefty's Plantations in America. WHEREAS for remedying the Inconvenlencies which had arifen from the different Rates at which the fame Species of foreign Silver Coins did pafs in her Majefty's feveral Colonies and Plantations in America^ her moft Excellent Majefty has thought fit by her Royal Proclamation, bearing Date the eighteenth Day oi June one thoufand feven hundred and four, and in theihird Year of her Reign, to fettle and afcertain the Currency of foreign Coins in herfaid Colonies and Plantations, in the Manner and Words following.' WE having had under our Confideration the different Rates at which the fame Species of foreign Coins do pafs in our feveral Colonies and Plantations in America, and the Inconveniences there- of, by the indirect Practice of drawing the Money from one Plantation to another, to the great Preju- dice of the Trade of our Subjefts ; and being fenfible that the fame cannot be otherwife remedied, than by reducing of all foreign Coins to the fame current Rate within all our Dominions in yfwwvVi?; and the principal Officers of our Mint having laid before us a Table of the Value of the feveral foreign Coins which ufually pafs in Payments in our faid Plantations, according to their Weight, and the Af- fays made of them in our Mint, thereby {hewing the juft Proportion which each Coin ought to have to the other, which is as followeth, vl%. Sevil Pieces of eight, old Plate, feventeen Penny-weight twelve Grains, four Shillings and fix Pence; 5,?7^// Pieces of eight, new Plate, fourteen Penny-weight, three Shillings feven Pence one Farthing ; Mexico Pieces of eight, feventeen Penny-weight twelve Grains four Shillings and fix Pence ; Pillar Peices of eight, feventeen Penny-weight twelve Grains, four Shil- lings and fix Pence three Farthings ; Per'u Pieces of eight, old Plate, feventeen Penny- weight twelve Grains four Shillings and five Pence or thereabouts ; Crofs Dollars, eighteen Penny-weight, four Shillings and four Pence three Farthings ; Ducatoons oi Flanders, twenty Penny-weight and twenty-one Grains, five Shillings and fix Pence ; Ecu's of France, or Silver Lewis, feventeen Penny-weight twelve Grains ' four Shillings and fix Pence; Crufadoes of P«r/;/^ff/, eleven Penny-weight four Grains, two Shillings and ten Pence one Farthing ; three Gilder Pieces of Holland, twenty Penny-weight and feven Grains five Shillings and two Pence one Farthing ; old Rix Dollars of the Empire, eighteen Penny- weight and ten Grains, four Shillings and fix Pence ; the Halfs, Quarters, and other Parts in Proportion to their Denominations, and light Pieces in Proportion to their Weight : We have therefore thought f^t for re- medying the faid Inconvenlencies, by the Advice of our Council, to publifh and declare. That from and after the firft Day oi January next enfuing the Date hereof, no Sevil, Pillar, or Mexico Pieces of eight, though of the full Weight of feventeen Penny-weight and an Half, fhall be account d, received,- taken, or paid within any of our faid Colonies or Plantations, as well thofe under Pro proprietors and Charters, as under our immediate CommiiTion and Government, at above the Rate of fix Shillings /i«- Piece current Money, for the Difcharge of any Contrafts or Bargains to be made after the faid firft Day oi January next, the Halfs, Quarters, and other lefTer Pieces of the fame Coins to be accounted, re- ceived, taken, or paid in the fame Proportion ; and the Currency of all Pieces of eight o^ Peru, Dollars and other foreign Species of Silver Coins, whether of the fame or bafer Alloy, fhall; after the faid firft Day oi January next, ftand regulated, according to their Weight and Finenefs, according and in Pro- portion to the Rate before limited and fet for the Pieces of eight of Sevil, Pillar, and Mexico; fo that no foreig.i Silver Coin of any Sort be permitted to exceed the fame Proportion upon any Account what- foever ; and we do hereby require and command all our Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Magiftrates, Officers, and all other our good Subjects, within our faid Colonies and Plantations, to obferve and obey our Directions herein, as they tender our Difpleafure.' ' II. And whereas notwithftanding the faid Proclamation, the fame indiredl Praftices as are therein ' mentioned, are ftill carried on within fome of the faid Colonies or Plantations, and the Money thereby ' drawn from one Plantation to another, in Prejudice of the Trade of her Majefty's Subjefts ;' Where- fore for the better enforcing the due Execution of her Majefty's faid Proclamation throughout all the faid Colonies and Plantations, and for the more eftedtual remedying the faid Inconveniences thereby intended to be remedied. Be it enafted by the Queen's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Con- fent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament aflembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That if any Perfon within any of the faid Colonies or Plantations, as well thofe under Propietors and Charters, as under her Majefty's immediate Commiffion and Government fhall after the fiift Day of May which fhall be in the Year of our Lord one thoufand {even hundred and nine, for the Difcharge of any Contra61:s or Bargains to bs thereafter made, account, receive, take, or pay any of the feveral Species of foreign Silver Coins mentioned in the before recited Proclarhation, at any greater or higher Rate than at which the fame is thereby regulated, fettled, and allowed, to be accounted, received, taken, or paid, every fuch Perfon fo accounting, receiving, taking, or paying the fame contrary to the Direftions therein contained, fhall fuft'er fix Monrhs Imprifonment, without -Bail orMainprize; any Law, Cuftom, or Ufage in any of the faid Colonies or Plantations to the contrary hereof in any wife notwithftanding; and Ihall jikewife forfeit the Sum of ten Pounds for every fuch Offence; one Moiety thereof to her Majefty, her Heirs and Succeflbrs ; the other Moiety to fuch Perfon or Perfons as fhall fue for the fame, to be recovered with full Cofts of Suit, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information,