'Experiments and Observations about the value of forreign coyns' [in fact entirely about French ones]: notes on denominations, French Mint practice, and rate of wear of coin

<134r>

Experiments & Observations about the values of forregin coyns.

Of French coyns.

The French money is Lewidors double, single half & quarter & the silver Lewis Ecu Doller or Crown, the half crown the quarter crown or Cardecu the 12th part of the crown or Reau & the piece of 3$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ sous or         . By many assays of Pistoles they were found some $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$ legr. worse then standard more of them $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$ legr. worse, none standard most of them $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ legr. worse. One with another they were about $\frac{\mathrm{4}}{\mathrm{9}}$ legr. worse & weight 4dwt 7$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{8}}$gr. Double Pistoles new out of the Mint weight 8dwt 16gr, & single ones 4dwt. 8gr. In round recconing we may put Pistoles $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ legr. wors & weight 4dwt 8gr new coynd, 4dwt 7gr commonly current & lightned by wearing. When new coyned they are equally sized & assayed but in 20 or 25 years lose a grain by wearing. Some weigh but 4dwt 6gr some few 4dwt 5gr or less. The double French Pistoles are generally heavier then two single ones, being less worse

Silver Lewises new out of the Mint weigh one with another 17dwt 13$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$gr or thereabouts, but in every six or seven years wearing lose a grain more or less. They are less equally sized & allayed then the gold. They size the Lewidors to half a grain their silver Lewises to 1$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ grains. The assays of tenn pieces were as follows. One coyned 1651 worse 2$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$dwt, another 1675 better 1$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$dwt, another 1680 standard another 1682 better 2dwt. another 1687 standard another coynd 1690, restampt 1694 worse 1dwt. A 7th 8th 9th & 10thstandard better 1dwt, worse 8dwt. One with another they were worse $\frac{\mathrm{7}}{\mathrm{10}}$dwt. But if the last be omitted they were one with another better $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{9}}$dwt. These tenn pieces & two others weighed one with another 17dwt 10gr. The eight heaviest of them weighed one with another 17dwt 12gr, The two heaviest 17dwt 13$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$gr, The three next 17dwt 12$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$gr. The three next 17dwt 10$\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$. The two next 17dwt 7$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$gr & the two lightest 17dwt 3$\frac{\mathrm{5}}{\mathrm{8}}$, being lightned by wearing. Of the eight heaviest five were coyned 1651, 1679, 1680, 1682, 1687. The other seven were coyned before 1694 & then restampt.

The French standard is 11 ounces fine & one ounce of Allay for both gold & silver. And they cut a Mark into 36$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$ Lewidors & 8$\frac{\mathrm{11}}{\mathrm{12}}$ silver Lewises A Mark is 8 ounces & an ounce is 8 Gross, 24 Deniers, 20 Esterlings, 40 Mailles 80 Felins & 576 grains, & a Denier is 24 grains. A Mark French is 7 ounces 17 penny weight & 9 grains Troy & an ounce is 472$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{8}}$ grains Troy & an ounce French is to an ounce Troy & a Mark French to eight ounces Troy as 60 to 61. The remedy in weight for gold monies in France is two Felins or 11$\frac{\mathrm{4}}{\mathrm{5}}$ grains English & the remedy for silver monies is the twelft part of a silver Lewis or 35$\frac{\mathrm{32}}{\mathrm{107}}$gr english. And they make their money lighter in the Mark then the just weight by above half the remedy, vist by about $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{5}}$ts of the Remedy that is by about 7 grains Troy of gold & 21 grains Troy of silver in the Mark. So that 36$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$ Lewidors + 7gr & 8$\frac{\mathrm{11}}{\mathrm{12}}$ Lewises + 21 grains is the Mark French. The Remedy of Allay is in gold monies $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$th of a carat, or One grain or $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{96}}$ of the whole weight, that is one grain, & in silver monies two deniers per ounce or the 144th part of the whole, that is $\frac{\mathrm{2}}{\mathrm{3}}$ds of the remedy for gold. Their Remedy is only in defect of weight & fineness. If their money be too heavy or finer then the standard the Masters of their Mints lose the excess, if lighter or coarser & yet within the Remedy they are at the Kings mercy. They make their gold coarser then standard by about $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ or $\frac{\mathrm{2}}{\mathrm{3}}$ of the Remedy: but their silver Assays being less certain & yet the Remedy scanter they make their silver money one piece with another finer then their standard chusing rather to lose by the fineness then hazzard being without the Remedy. And its observable aslo that our Assays in the Tower make the gold & silver of Importers <134v> which is worse then standard to be at least $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$dwt better then they are.

Lewidors new coyned are in value to Guineas of due weight & allay as 4 to 5 & for every half grain that a Lewidor is lighter then 4dwt 8gr a penny must be deducted from its value.

Ecus new coyned are worth 4s 6d$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{5}}$ of good standard money, & for every two grains by which the Ecu is by wearing grown lighter then 17dwt 13$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$gr must be abated one farthing.

In French Flanders are coyned pieces of 4 Livers, 2 Livres, one Livre, half Livres & quarter livres. A two livre piece coyned 1687 with this inscription about the head Lud. XIIII D.G. Fr. et Narav. Rex & on the Reverse about the French arms quartered with a crown on the Escutcheon, Sit normen domini benedictum 1687 & edged with Domine salvum fac Regem Christianissimum, weighed 12dwt 0$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{6}}$gr. Another of the same date a little more worn weighed 12dwt –$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$gr.

In exchange a Pistole & two pence is to a guinea as 4 to 5.

The assays of 15 Lewid'ors were as follows. worse $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$, $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$, $\frac{\mathrm{5}}{\mathrm{8}}$, $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$ full, 1$\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$ scant, $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$, $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$, 1$\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$, $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$, $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$ full, $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ scant, $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$, $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$, $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$legr Which is one with another $\frac{\mathrm{2}}{\mathrm{3}}$ legr. worse. In the books of the Mint Ingots melted out of Pistoles generally run $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$legr worse. Some few Ingots (scarce one in twelve) are $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$ or $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$legr worse & more are $\frac{\mathrm{3}}{\mathrm{4}}$ worse $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{4}}$ worse: so that they may be recconed $\frac{\mathrm{51}}{\mathrm{100}}$legr worse.