Chapter 2, Item 85a
Stamps and coins
In this respect we are now come to speak of Stamps and Coins: I hold it not impertinent (by the way) to give some little touch of the names of several pieces of coins, now and in former times, together with their value, that the Reader upon sight or hearing thereof, may be able to judge of them.
Jews Silver Coin...
Jews Gold Coin...
Greek Silver Coin...
Greek Brass Coin...
Greek Gold Coin...
Roman Brass Coin...
Roman Silver Coin...
Roman Gold Coin...
[Reading list]
Francis Holyoke, at the end of his English Dictionary;
The Travels of the Patriarch by Sir Hen. Bunting, p. 375, &c;
Observations Natural and Moral by Jo Weemse, pag. 141, &c;
Goodwyn on the Jews, Antiquities, pag.260.
Back to Text & Pictures
Chapter 2, Item 85b
English brass coin
A Farthing, it is of Copper at this time, which in weight is the ---- [sic] part of an Ounce, having on one side the Kings head, with a Laurel about his Temples, and this Inscription Carolus a Carolo; on the other side the Emblem of Britannia, being a Woman with a Shield and Spear, holding a Star in her right hand, and written about Britannia, 1673.
An Halfpenny, it containeth 2 Farthings, having the same Images and Superscriptions; these are all the Brass Moneys used in England.
Back to Text & Pictures
Chapter 2, Item 85c
English silver coin
A Half penny Silver hath the Rose on one side, and the Thistle, or a Portcullis on the other.
A Penny in Silver Car.1. Coin, was the same to his Royal Father, Jac.1. viz. their heads on one side, with an I and the Arms of England, Scotland, France and Ireland on the other, it containeth half an Inch, half a quarter in diameter. Car.2. Coin hath his head on one side, and a Cressant on the other for a Penny.
A Two Pence of Queen Elizabeth, King James, King Charles the first, have their Pictures on one side, and the English Arms on the other, with this II. in diameter is half an Inch, and two thirds of a quarter; Charles the 2. hath two Cressants Braced as numb.74.
A Threepence in all respects answereth the Twopence having the Token III. and in Charles the Seconds Coin three Cressants Braced or Fretted Triangular; the diameter directly 3 quarters of an Inch.
A Four pence, or Groat, or an Old Groat, hath the English and French Arms quartered on one side, and -------------------------------- [sic] but the Four Pences of the foresaid Kings have their heads on one side, with the mark IIII, with the English Coats in a Compartment; but Charles the Second Mill'd Groat hath his head after the Roman manner on one side; and four Cressants Fretted in form of a Cross crowned between a Flower de lis, a Rose, a Thistle and Harp, with this Inscription, Carolus D.G. Mag. Br. Fr. & Hib. Rex. 1672.
A Sixpence, or Tester, answereth the Kings Four pence in all respects, having this mark VI. or a Rose; if it have neither, it is a half Faced Groat, and goeth for no more. It is an Inch in Diameter.
A Shilling or Twelve Pence, it containeth is weight, the fifth part of an Ounce Troy; stamped on one side with the Kings head Crowned, with this mark XII. Inscription Carolus D.G. Mag. Br. Fr. & Hib. Rex. with the English Quarterings in a Compartment, with this about it, Christo Auspice Regno: in Diameter it is an Inch and a quarter.
A Mill'd Shilling of Charles the Second, is in all respects like the Mill'd Half Crown, only less.
A Philip and Mary shilling, hath a Man and a Womans head respecting each other, with a Royal Crown over them; on the other side the Arms of Spain and England impaled.
Queen Elizabeths shilling, had her Effigies and Title on one side, and the Arms of England in a plain Escochion, viz, France and England quarterly, with a Cross throughout the Diameter of the Coin, ragged or raised at the end, with this Inscription, Posui Deum Adjutorem meum; the like Cross was in her Six Pence and Groats.
An Half Crown, or a George, so called, because it hath on the one side a George on Horse-back, or a Man Armed Cap-a-Pee, brandishing his Sword, and his Scarf flourishing behind him, with this writing about Carolus D.G. Mag. Brit. Fr. & Hib. Rex. on the other side the English Quartered Coats in a Compartment, with the foresaid Inscription, Christo Auspice Regno; it weigheth about half an Ounce, and passeth for 2s. 6d.
The Mill'd Half Crown of Charles the Second, hath his Head in the Roman Garb, with this Inscription Carolus II. Dei Gratia; and on the other side four Escochions Crowned in Cross, between so many times two C. brased; on the Escochions is 1. the Arms of England. 2. of Scotland. 3. of France. 4. of Ireland. The Inscription Mag. Br. Fr. & Hib. Rex. 1676.
A Crown piece, or Five shilling piece, is the largest Coin we have in Silver, it is an Ounce Troy, having the like Stamps as the Half Crown, some call them a Double George or Horse-Man.
The Mill'd Crown pieces, or Five shilling pieces, in all respects do answer the Mill'd Half Crowns; they are called Mill'd Pieces, because Coined round and Mill'd with Letters on the Rim or edges of them, on the out side is * * Decus & Tutamen Anno Regni Vicessimo Octavo.
Back to Text & Pictures
Chapter 2, Item 85d
English gold coin
A Crown or five Shilling Gold is the least peece we have in England: It hath the Kings head on one side with his Royal Crown, and this mark V. the Inscription; Carolus Mag. BR. Fr. Et Hib. REX. on the other side the English Arms in a Compartment with a C and an R. Crowned, with this Inscription, Cultores Sui ---- [sic] Rotegit: It weigheth about two Penny Weight.
Henry the Eight, his first Crown was two Penny weight, and nine Grains: was worth seven shillings.
Q. Elizabeth, and K. James Crowns; was two Penny weight: and worth five shillings, six pence.
The Double Brittain Crown, is four penny weight and is in value eleven shillings, three pence.
The ten Shilling Peece of Charles the first in all respects answered the five shilling peece for the Coinage, it had this X set on the Head side.
The Angel, or the Noble Angel: so called because St. Michael the Archangel slaying the Dragon, is on one side with the Inscription Henricus Viii. D.D. Ang. Et fr. and on the other side a Ship with one Mast and Tackles, and an Escochion with France and England quarterly, and this writing about, Per Cruce Tua Salva Nos: It is three penny weight, seven Grains, and a quarter: and worth eleven shillings.
The Half Angel, hath the same Impresses, and is worth five shillings, six pence.
The Old Angel Noble of England, hath the same impression, but on the Ship side, it hath this writing A. Dno. Factum Est Istud Et Est Mirabili: it was four penny weight ten Grains: and passed for fourteen shillings six pence.
The Half of that Angel, was so stamped, it contained two penny weight, four Grains, and is worth seven shillings six pence.
The George Noble, was three penny weight, and one Grain: it was worth nine shillings.
The Rose Noble, or Rose Royal of England: was four penny weight, thirteen Grains; worth fourteen shillings six pence: It hath a Rose with the Arms of France in the middle of it, with this writing about, IHE: Autem Transiens Per Mediu: Illorum Ibat: and on the other side, out of the Hul of a Ship, a Demy King holding a Sword in his right hand, and a Shield with the Arms of France and England quarterly: Crowned with a Ducal Crown, in the left hand; and written about Henricus D.G. Rex Ang. Fr. Dns: Hib. This peece is also termed, the Rose Royal, or the Royal of England.
The Double Rose Noble, Coined by King Henry hath a King enthroned, in his right hand a Scepter, and left an Mound; with this writing Henricus D.G. Rex Ang. Fr. Dns: Hib: on the other side the Arms of France and England quarterly in the middle of a double Rose, with this Inscription about: Ihesus Autem Transients Per Medium Illorum Ibat. This is --- [sic] penny weight, and passes for thirty nine or Forty shillings.
The Spare Royal, or Spare Royal of England, it is four penny weight, twenty three Grains, and is worth sixteen shillings six pence.
The Half Spare Royal, is worth sixteen shillings threepence.
The Salute of England, worth six shillings ten pence.
The Soveraign, Coined by Henry the Eighth, Edward the Sixth, Queen Elizabeth, King James, they all weighed between three and four penny weight, and passed for eleven shillings, they had their images and Superscriptions on one side: and the Arms Crowned on the other.
The Great Double Soveraign of King James, weighed six penny, six Grains: and passed for two and twenty shillings, had the figure of the King to the middle in Armour Crowned holding a Sword and Mound: on the other side the English, Scotch, French, and Irish Arms: with Faciam Eos in Gentem Unam. The Great Trible Soveraign, was ten penny weight, and passed for three and thirty shillings.
The Half Soveraign of King Henry the Eight, had a double Rose Crowned, with an H.R. Crowned on one side and his Arms Crowned, all with Ducal Crowns, and this Inscription; Henricus Viii Rutilans Rossin: Spp: Di.G. Ang: fr: Et Hib: Rex.
Note that what Coin soever was stamped in Wales, it ever had on one side, or in some part of the side, the three Feathers in the Crown impressed.
We Sum up our Money seven ways: as
By Pounds which is twenty shillings.
By Marks which is thirteen shillings, four pence.
By Angels which is ten shillings.
By Nobles which is six shillings, eight pence.
By Crowns which is five shillings.
By Shillings which is twelve pence.
By Groats which is four pence.
Back to Text & Pictures
Chapter 2, Item 85e
Scottish brass coin
A Penny Scotch, twelve of these is worth one penny English.
An Atchison, is a Mettle peece, neither Silver, Copper, Brass, Lead or Tin, it is like Masline and is valued to be four Bodels, six of them is a Penny English.
A Bodel, three of them makes an half penny English.
A Placke, three of them makes a penny English.
A Babee, is an half penny English.
A Shilling of Scotland, is a penny English.
Back to Text & Pictures
Chapter 2, Item 85f
Scottish silver coin
A Scotch twenty pence, it hath a Rose on one side, and Thistle on the other; it is marked with XX. and is worth in English, two pence. Some call it a two shilling peece.
A Babee of Scotland, is an half penny English. These peeces are Coined both in Copper, and Silver.
A Forty pence peece Scotch, ----- [sic] which is worth three pence half penny farthing English: It is called a quarter peece because it is the fourth part of a thirteen pence half penny peece, which the Scotch call a Mark peece.
A Four Shilling and a Babe peece, which in our Money is four pence half penny. It hath the Harp and Crown on one side, and this writing, Tueatur Unit Deus, on the other side a Kings head looking to the sinister side; and Inscription, Jacobus D.G. Ang. Sco. Fran. Et Hib. Rex.
A 6 Shilling peece and a Babee, or a half Mark Scotch, or half a thirteen pence halfpenny: It is called an Half peece, it passeth with us for six pence, half penny farthing. It is Coined in all respects answerable to the Mark peece of Scotland, or thirteen pence half penny.
A Nine Shilling peece Scotch, ---- [sic] in our Money nine pence: it hath the Harp crowned on one side with this Inscription Exurgat Deus Dissipentur Inimici: on the other side the Kings head with a Royal Crown, Inscribed Jacobus D.G. Ang. Sco. Fra. Et Hib. Rex.
A Ten Shilling peece, and a Babee ---- [sic] of some called a Baldpate, it is in English Money ten pence half penny.
A Mark or Scotch Mark, in our Money worth thirteen pence half penny, on one side it hath a Thistle slipt with two Leaves, and Crowned: with this writing, Regem Jova Protegit, on the other side the Scotch Arms with a Royal Crown on it, and this Inscription, Jacobus Vi. D.G. R. Scotorum.
A 12 Shilling Scotch, or Shilling English, that is twelve pence: It is in all things like to our English Coin, but that on the Arms side, the Scotch coat is set in the first and fourth Quarters: and so they do in all their other Coins, whether six pence, half Crowns or Crowns, &c. that are Coined amongst them in Scotland.
A pound Scotch, is 1s. 8d. or 5 Groats English.
A three Pound peece in Scotland, is in English sterling just five shillings.
Back to Text & Pictures
Chapter 2, Item 85g
Scottish gold coin
The Scotch Crown, is worth five shilling six pence English. They call it five Mark peece.
A Scotch Rider, or Horseman; is worth eleven shillings, on one side a Man and Horse Cap a Pee, on the other side the Scotch Arms Crowned viz. a Lion Rampantin a double Tressure flurt: with this Inscription Spero Meliora. They call it also a Ten Mark peece.
The Half Thistle Crown, worth two shillings nine pence.
A Scotch Angel, it is worth ten shillings ten pence, having on one side the Scotch Arms Crowned, with Jacobus Vi. D.G. R. Scotorum, on the other side a Sword and Scepter in Salter between two Thistles, and a Crown in chief; in base 1601. Inscribed Salus Populi Suprema Lex.
The Twenty Mark peece of Scotland, it is worth two shillings English.
The Five Mark peece, is worth with us five shillings six pence.
The Ten Mark peece, is worth eleven shillings.
The Twelve pound Scotish peece, is our twenty shillings.
The Rix Pound peece, is ten shilling English.
The Unite, a Coin peece of Gold, is worth six shilling eight pence.
Back to Text & Pictures
Chapter 2, Item 85h
Irish coin
An Half penny hath the Kings Effigies in the Roman Garb half Faced to the Sinister side with a Laurel about his Head and this Inscription Carolus II. Dei Gratia, and on the other side an Harp Crowned with this, Mag. Br. Fra. Et Hib. Rex, 1680.
A Patrick of Ireland, was worth an half penny. It was Coined in the time of King Charles the Second Excile, and is yet in use with us for small change and passeth but for a farthing, it hath King David Crowned supporting his Harp with this Inscription, ------- [sic] Rex, and on the other side, St. Patrick in a Bishops Pontiffical habit, a Church behind him and written about Quiescat Plebs.
An Half Crown peece, hath on one side II. s VI. d.
A Crown peece hath on one side, V. and a small s. in the middle of the V.
Back to Text & Pictures
Chapter 2, Item 85j
Alphabetical list of coins
The Names of Severall Coins used in the Neighbouring Kingdoms above us: Alphabetical. Brass ...
Silver ...
Gold ...
[Reading list]
Beeldenear, or a Book of Impresses of Coins, set forth by Hillebrant Jacobssz, Ordinary and Sworn Printer to the States of Holland. Printed at Graven-Hague, 1619.
John Speeds Chronicle of England, at the beginning of each Kings Reign.
Observations, or a Comment on C‘sars Commentaries. By Clement Edmunds. 1655.
Johannes Hemelarius Canonicus Cathedralis Ecclesi‘ Antuerp, his Comment or the Table of Roman Coins. printed at Antwerp, 1622.
Jacobus Guthery de Veteri Jure Pontificio Urbis Rom‘. Printed at Paris 1616.
Back to Text & Pictures
