[1579/10/48]¹

Concerning our sovereign lord's coin

Forasmuch as the king's majesty, with advice of his three estates of this present parliament, has thought it good, statute and ordained that there shall be one penny or piece of gold printed and coined of 21 carat fine, and the same to have course and passage for 40s money of this realm, containing ten in the ounce and to be called the Scottish crown, having on the one side the crown, sceptre and sword, making in the middle the form of St Andrew's cross, the one half of the date of the year in this form '15', and on the other side the other half of the date of the year in this form '79', with this circumscription, 'Hactenus invicta miserunt', and on the other side of the piece, in the middle thereof, one 'J' and one 'R', laced with the figure of '6' under them and written about 'Ad te centum et quinque proavi'. And likewise that there be printed and coined one penny of silver of the fines of eleven deniers, in whole and half pieces, the whole piece to have course and passage for 26s 8d, weighing 27 deniers and 11 grains, and to be called the two merk piece, and the half piece to have course for 13s 4d, and to be called the merk piece, the said whole piece having on the one side a thistle with one 'J' on the one side of the thistle and one 'R' on the other side of the thistle, with this circumscription, 'Nemo me impune lacesset', and on the other side of the said penny the king's arms and this circumscription, 'Jacobus 6 dei gratia rex Scotorum', the said merk piece bearing the same print, weight and fines in all things according to rate; wherefore our said sovereign lord, with advice of his said estates, ordains publication to be made of the premises by open proclamation at the market crosses of the head burghs of this realm, and to command and charge all and sundry his majesty's lieges to receive the said gold and money in ready and thankful payment, and in no way to presume or take upon hand to refuse the same upon whatsoever colour or pretence, under the pain of treason; and likewise to certify all his highness's lieges of the prices of gold and silver to be brought in to his majesty's coin-house, that is to say the ounce of utter-fine gold to be bought for £21 money of this realm, and all other gold of whatsoever fines to be agreeable in price according to the fine, the deficiency of coarser gold than is appointed to be coined being modified, and the ounce of utter-fine silver to be brought for 36s, and all other silver of whatsoever fines to be agreeable in price according to the fines, the deficiency of coarser silver than is appointed to be coined being likewise modified; and that it shall be lawful to all his majesty's subjects to bring in to our sovereign lord's coin-house and deliver to his highness's master coiner all sorts of gold and silver, either in plate work or coin, upon the prices above-specified; and ordains and commands the general master coiner, wardens, assayers, sinkers, smelters, forgerers and printers of the coin-house present and to come, each one in their own offices, to do their diligence in smelting, forging and printing of the said pieces of gold and silver as they shall be commanded by the said general and master coiner thereto according to the weight and fines above-mentioned, as they, and each one of them, will answer to our sovereign lord upon the execution of their offices.