[A1597/5/10]¹

Act anent the cunyie

The kingis majestie, with advise of his nobilitie, counsale and esteatis presentlie convenit, considdering how that be the grite scairsitie off small penneyis presentlie current within this realme, not onlie is the exchange of gold and silver and of all uther sortis of wairis and marcheandice quhilkis commounlie hes bene entertenyit amangis his hienes subjectis gritlie impedit and hinderit, bot the puir commoun people quhais indigence and miserie hes bene relevit be the supporte and confort quhilk oftymes thai ressave be the liberalitie of sic as wer movit to pitie thair estate, hurte and prejugeit, and the said exchange liklie with tyme altogidder to decay, to the grite hurte of the commoun wele giff tymous remeid be not providit. And thairfoir his majestie, being movit of pitie and commiseratioun towardis the puir, without respect to ony proffeit or commoditie to redound to his hienes, as indeid his majestie nather seikis nor gettis na kynd of commoditie be the cunyie following, hes, with avise of his nobilitie, counsaill and esteatis, thocht meit, concludit and resolvit that thair salbe ane hundreth stane wecht of copper (unmixt with ony uther kynd of mettale) wrocht and forgeit in ane miln, and be the said miln maid reddy to the prenting eftir the accustumat forme of his majesties cunyiehouse, with pyle and cursell quhairthrou the same be not counterfute, for making of the said exchange and releiff of the indigence and miserie of the puir in penny and twa penny peceis, ilk twa penny pece weyand three deneir and ilk penny pece weyand ane deneir, tuelff granes, quhairof threescoir foure peceis of the saidis tua penny peceis tobe in the mark wecht, with twa of the saidis twa penny peceis of remeid of wecht, alswele havy as licht, on the mark wecht thairof, and saxscoir aucht peceis of the saidis penny peceis to be in the mark wecht, with foure of the saidis penny peceis of remeid of weight, alswele havie as licht, on the mark wecht of the samyn, haveing on the ane syde the kingis face, bair heidit, with this circumscriptioun: 'Jacobus 6 D. G. Rex Scotorum', and on the uther syde, three thrissillis distinct, with this circumscriptioun: 'Oppidum Edinburgi'; and the saidis spaceis to have course amangis his hienes liegis for twa pennyis and ane penny ilk pece. Be it alwayes undirstand that nane of his majesties subjectis sall be astricted to ressave the said kynd of copper money in payment of debtis or utheris bloikis, wairis or marcheandice above the valu of tuelff pennyis ilk pund, and swa furth pro rata of all soumes grite and small. And ordanis lettres tobe direct chargeing officiaris of armes to pas and mak publicatioun heirof be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat croceis of the heid burrowis of this realme and uthiris placeis neidfull, quhairthrou nane pretend ignorance of the sam; and to command and charge all his hienes liegis to ressave the saidis copper peceis in payment of all blokis, debtis, wairis and marcheandice in maner foirsaid, and on nawayes to refuis the samin undir quhatsumevir cullour or pretense under the pane of tressoun. And that the maister cunyeour, wardane, counter wardane and sinkair proceid to the workeing, forgeing and printing of the said copper cunyie in maner foirsaid as thay will answer to his majestie thairupoun.