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The king's majesty, his nobility, council and estates presently convened, considering the present scarcity of coined money now current within this realm and the great dearth and exorbitant prices to which all sorts of gold and silver, as well as foreign as of his highness's own coin, are presently reduced by the liberty which all sorts and degrees of persons takes at their own hands in raising of the prices of all gold and silver at their pleasure, far above the just value prescribed in his highness's laws, acts and proclamations made relating thereto, by the which form of doing, and by the unlawful transporting of coin at all times out of this realm, great disorder and confusion has been maintained and is likely daily to increase, to the hurt of the commonwealth and great contempt of his highness and his authority if the laws already made relating thereto shall not be put to due execution in all points according to the tenor thereof with all convenient expedition. And therefore his majesty, with advice of his nobility, council and estates foresaid, has thought fit, concluded and ordained and by this act concludes and ordains that the laws already made regarding the discharging of the daily raising of the prices of gold and silver shall be of new intimated to all and sundry his highness's lieges by open proclamation at the market crosses of the head burghs of this realm and all other places needful, through which none pretend ignorance thereof, and that all and sundry persons, transgressors of the said laws in raising of the said prices, shall be called, tried and punished for that with all extremity. And further, that his highness, with advice of his nobility, council and estates foresaid, has thought fit to declare and make it manifest that from 17 May instant the ounce of silver coined in 10 shilling pieces and other smaller pieces of 11 denier fine coined according to the last act of parliament shall stand at 50s; and the old 30 shilling pieces, being of the same weight and fines, at the same price; and the new 30 shilling pieces, being three quarters of an ounce, at 37s 6d; and the old and new 20 shilling and 10 shilling pieces according thereto proportionally; and the ounce of gold of 22 carat fine, being his highness's own coin of £5 and 50 shilling pieces, shall also stand at £30 the ounce. And further, that the species of money and fines thereof, namely: of 11 denier fine in silver and 22 carat fine in gold, shall be coined and have course hereafter according to the act of parliament made relating thereto. And that all merchants or other persons, transporters of the same out of this realm, be tried and punished according to the said laws and acts foresaid; and likewise that no foreign coin of gold or silver shall have course amongst his highness's lieges hereafter, but wholly imported to serve as bullion to his majesty's mint-house. And that all gold, silver or other coin which shall be brought within this realm hereafter, to which his highness's subjects are astricted to bring in by his majesty's laws as bullion, the ounce thereof being of 12 deniers, or, being debased, being supplied by account and quantity to be worth 12 deniers, the merchants, importers thereof, shall have one ounce of his highness's own coin of 11 deniers for every ounce of bullion brought in manner foresaid, and of all other foreign coin that they shall voluntarily bring in to the mint-house of the said ordinary bullion, that there be only the 30d thereof retained to his majesty's profit. And that letters be directed charging officers of arms to pass and make publication of all and sundry the premises to all his highness's lieges in manner foresaid; as also to command and charge all the said lieges to conform themselves in this matter of the coin to the will, declaration and determination of his majesty, his nobility, council and estates foresaid and in no way take upon hand to infringe, break or contravene the same in any point as they will answer to his highness upon their obedience at their utmost charge and peril and under the pains prescribed in his highness's laws, acts and proclamations foresaid to be executed upon them without favour. And to this effect, that the treasurer or his deputes insist and seek the execution of the pains and punishments prescribed in the said laws against the contraveners thereof with all rigour and extremity as they will answer to his highness upon their office and obedience, and that the general master coiner, warden, counter warden, assayer, sinker, smelter, forger and all other officers of his highness's mint-house proceed to the coining, striking and forging of new coin according to the laws already made and this present act and ordinance as they will answer to his highness upon their office, and to the effect his majesty's subjects may be resolved of the prices of all gold and silver to be brought by them within this realm and which the master coiner shall be astricted to pay to them according to the tenor of this act, he shall be astricted to have openly affixed in the house of exchange an authentic table to be made by his highness's commissioners appointed to that effect, containing the particular prices of all species of foreign gold and silver usually imported within this country according to the value, weight and fines thereof; and that the clerk of his highness's register cause imprint this act and all other acts made concerning the coin, customs and bullion, through which his highness's subjects pretend no ignorance thereof.