[1598/10/5]¹

Act anent the course of forrayne coyne

The kingis majestie, his nobilitie, counsall and estaitis presentlie convenit, considering the grit confusioun and inconvenient presentlie within this realme throw the multitude of diverse sortis of forayne gold and silver of variant wecht, prentis and pryces current without ony certane stand bot at the appetyte of the gevear out and ressavear, to the grit trouble, faschrie and hinder of his hienes subjectis of all estaitis and degries; for remeid quhairof, albeit thair hes bene diverse actis maid be his majestie, his nobilitie, counsall and estaitis heirtofoir dischargeing the course of all forayne gold and silver within his realme and upoun quhat pryces the samyn suld be imbrocht to serve as bulyeoun to his majesties cunyiehous, yit the samyn actis hes tane na effect nor executioun bot ar and hes bene planelie violate and contravenit be grit numberis of his hienes leigis, and the rysing and intertenying of the derth of forayn cunyie sua fosterit and avowit that the samyn is far abone the pryces of his majesties proper money, albeit in all utheris weill governit commoun wealthis and republickis all forayne cunyie licenced to haif course is ever upoun inferior pryces to thair awin proper cunyie. And now his majestie, his nobilitie, counsall and estaitis presentlie convenit, considering the present estait and conditioun of his hienes subjectis quha ar not able to underly the extremitie of the saidis actis, and his majestie, being alwyis cairfull to moderate the samyn for thair ease and releif and for the commoun weill and benefeit of the haill realme, his majestie thairfoir, with advyse foirsaid, hes concludit, statute and ordanit that the unce of forayne silver of the fynenes of ellevin denneir salhaif course heirefter within this realme for fourtie aucht schillingis allanerlie, and the unce of forayne gold of tuentie tua carret fyne for tuentie aucht pundis xvj schillingis, and that the particular spaces and peces of forayne gold and silver salhaif course and pas upoun the pryces following agreable alwyis to the particular pryces of the unce: that is to say the Inglis testane, weyand four denneiris and auchtene granis, at ix s. vj d., the fyftein sous pece, weyand sevin denneiris and xij granis, at fyftein schillingis, the Spanische ryell, weyand xxj denneiris and sex granis, at xliij s. iiij d., the croce dolour, weyand xxij denneiris and ten granis, at xlij s.,² and all his hienes awin money to haif course conforme to the former proclamatioun; the Spanische pistolet, weyand tua denneiris and xiiij granis, at iij lib. ij s., the crown of the sone, weyand tua denneiris and xiiij granis, at iij lib. iij s. iiij d., the Harie doucat of France, weyand fyve denneiris, tuelf granis, at vj lib. xviij s., the gun holl angell, weyand four denneiris, at v lib., the doubill doucat, weyand fyve denneiris, ten granis, at vij lib., the Ghentis nobill, weyand sex denneiris, vij lib. xiij s. iiij d., the Portingall doucate, weyand ane unce and four denneiris, at xxxv lib., the angell noble, weyand four denneiris, at v lib. iij s. iiij d., the Harie noble, weyand fyve denneiris, ten granis, at vij lib., and the auld roisnoble, weyand sex denneiris, at vij lib. xv s. And with thir his majesties thirsell noble to geve heirefter vij lib. xvj s., the hat pece iiij lib. ix s., the lyoun pece v lib., and the remanent of his majesties gold cunyie nawyis to be brokin down bot to haif course and pryce according to the rait of the unce of xxij carret fyne at xxx lib., as the act of parliament appointis. And ordanis lettres to be direct to mak publicatioun heirof be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat crocis of the heid burrowis of this realme, quhairthrow nane pretend ignorance of the samyn; and to command and charge all his hienes subjectis to conforme thame selfis to the premises and on nawyis tak upoun hand to ressave or outgeve in exchange ony of the particular spaces abonewrittin of gold and silver upoun hier pryces nor is particularlie abonexpremit under the pane of escheiting thair haill movable guidis and geir to be imbrocht and upliftit to³ majesties use, and ordanis lettres of publicatioun to be direct heirupoun.