a discourse of coin and coinage-第12章

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credible　if　the　author　could　produce　one　piece　of　Silver　or　Gold
made　in　the　Mill　counterfeited　since　the　Introduction　thereof
brought　into　France；　and　there　is　nothing　that　the　counterfeiters
of　Money　and　their　foster　Fathers　the　Alchymists；　do　more　fear
and　apprehend；　knowing　that　they　cannot　suborn　base　and　abject
mettals；　as　Copper；　Lead；　Tinn；　（the　materials　of　Counterfeiters）
for　Gold　and　Silver；　but　that　the　piece　will　instantly　be
discovered；　because　the　Moneys　made　in　the　Mill　will　always　be
equal　and　of　like　volume；　greatness　and　thickness；　because　it　all
passeth　by　the　same　Coupier　which　cutteth　equally；　which　cannot
be　the　case　with　the　Moneys　made　with　the　Hammer；　（the　Hammer　not
being　governed　with　an　equal　force　and　measure；　as　in　the　Mill。）
Neither　can　they　be　clipped；　but　that　the　exposer　thereof　will　be
discovered；　taken　and　punished。　And　it　may　be　avowed　that　the
Teston　made　in　the　Mill　hath　not　been　seen　clipped　in　France；　the
perfect　representation　of　the　King's　Image　seeming　to　have　been
retained；　and　terrified　the　Clippers。
　　　　5。　As　for　the　last　Objection；　That　no　man　will　undertake　to
make　Money　in　the　Mill；　but　at　the　rate　which　is　paid　for　the
mark　of　the　Silver　Counters：　This　objection　proceeds　out　of
Ignorance；　because；　the　matter　of　Silver　Counters　is　Argent　le
Roy；　and　therefore　of　greater　fineness　than　the　Money；　and
requires　a　greater　charge　to　refine　it　to　that　title　and　degree。
Besides　the　maker　of　Silver　Counters　must　have　a　great　diversity
of　Chisels；　and　Prints　of　a　different　sort　from　those　of　Moneys；
and　almost　as　many　as　there　be　different　Noble　men；　Corporations；
and　Townhouses；　that　take　pleasure　to　have　their　Arms　or　Devises
engraven　in　Silver　or　Copper　Counters；　whereof　sometimes　the　very
square　will　cost　20　Livres；　which　shall　serve　only　for　one　purse
of　two　marks　of　Counters；　and　for　proof　thereof　let　the　Masters
of　the　Mills　for　coining　of　Doubles　be　called；　and　he　will
undertake　for　the　same　wages　and　fees　that　the　Moniers　have；　to
make　the　Moneys　in　the　Mill。　Thus　far　this　Author：　but　as　I　said
before；　I　undertook　this　Discourse　of　the　Mechanical　part　of
Money　with　Scruple；　so　I　do　leave　it　with　Alacritie。

Chapter　11

Of　the　great　increase　of　the　Proportion　between　Gold　and　Silver；
and　the　things　valued　by　them；　by　which　there　is　grown　a　greater
want　of　Money　in　England　than　was　in　Antient　times；　and　of　the
Causes　thereof；　and　of　the　Remedies　which　may　be　applied。

　　　　Because　this　Title　is　of　a　very　curious　and　perplexed　Search；
I　am　inforced　contrary　to　a　Logical　Method；　to　set　down　my
Conclusion　first；　and　to　explain　by　the　cleerest　Expressions　I
can　think　of；　what　it　is　I　intend　to　prove；　and　by　what　ways；　and
then　to　prove　that　the　price　of　all　things；　which　is　the
Proportion　between　Money　and　the　things；　which　is　the　Proportion
between　Money　and　the　things　valued　by　Money；　at　this　present　is
much　encreased　from　what　it　was　in　antient　times：　and　because　I
will　set　down　a　time　certain　of　Antiquity；　I　will　take　the　25th
year　of　Edward　the　Third；　when　a　pound　of　Gold　of　sterling
standard　made　15　l。　sterling；　and　a　pound　of　Silver　of　the　same；
made　25s。　sterling。　I　intend　to　prove　that　this　increase　of　price
and　Proportion　is　not　meerly　according　to　the　raising　of　the
Money；　which　hath　bin　since　that；　and　is　about　the　rate　of　three
for　one；　as　the　Money　hath　been　raised；　for　then　the　price　and
proportion　should　be　only　nominally；　and　not　really　encreased；
for　that　if　we　pay　now　3s。　for　that　which　in　the　25th　year　of
Edward　the　Third　cost　but　1s。　and　if　we　pay　now　3　Crowns　for　that
which　cost　then　but　one；　yet　if　then　there　was　as　much　fine　Gold
in　one　Crown　as　now　there　is　in　3；　the　price　should　only　be
increased　in　name；　but　the　proportion　between　gold　and　silver；
and　the　things　valued　by　them；　would　remain　the　same。　But　I
intend　to　prove　that　this　increase　of　Proportion　hath　bin　real；
and　that　the　price　of　things　in　general　is　now　grown　six　times　as
much　or　eight　times　as　much　as　then　they　cost；　in　name　of
Shillings；　Crowns　and　Pounds　and　in　reality　of　fine　Gold　and
Silver；　to　double；　and　almost　treble　the　Proportion　of　all
things；　valued　by　Gold　and　Silver；　in　respect　of　what　it　was　in
the　25th　year　of　Edward　the　Third。　Then　I　intend　to　prove　that
this　real　increase　of　Proportion；　by　which　all　things　valued　by
Money；　are　valued　at　more　than　double；　almost　treble；　the
quantity　of　fine　Silver　and　Gold；　than　then　they　were；　is　grown
principally；　and　in　a　manner　solely；　out　of　the　great　quantities
of　Gold　and　Silver　come　into　the　Kingdom　of　Spain　out　of　the　West
and　East…Indies；　within　this　Hundred　years　or　thereabouts；　and
thence　dispersed　into　other　parts　of　the　World；　whereby　it　is
come　to　pass　that　the　value　of　Gold　and　Silver　is　become　more
vile　and　cheap；　and　generally　all　things　valued　by　them；　are
rated　higher；　at　double　and　almost　treble　as　much　Gold　and　silver
as　they　were　rated　at　in　the　25th　year　of　Edward　III　or
thereabouts；　as　one　Scale　pres't　down　doth　necessarily　make　the
other　rise　higher：　From　those　Proportions　it　will　necessarily
follow　that　if　the　Kingdom　of　England　should　have　at　this　day　as
much　Gold　and　Silver　in　fineness　and　weight；　or　peradventure　half
as　much　more；　as　it　had　in　the　25th　year　of　Edward　the　Third；　yet
because　the　increase　of　the　Proportion　between　Gold　and　Silver
and　the　things　valued　by　them　is　so　much　greater　than　it　was
then；　to　wit；　above　double　and　almost　treble；　that　the　Kingdom　of
England　is　so　much　poorer　and　more　disabled　than　it　was　then；　by
how　much　it　wants　of　that　quantity　of　Gold　and　Silver；　which　may；
in　Proportion　to　things　valued　by　them；　countervail　the　quantity
which　then　was　in　England；　and　this　great　Mischief　and　Disability
doth　not　only　hold　in　the　present　Stock；　but　in　the　Fruit　and
growing　Wealth　of　the　Kingdom。
　　　　Lastly；　Having　discovered　this　great　Evil；　the　Danger　whereof
is　not　apprehended　as　it　deserves；　together　with　the　Causes　of
it；　I　intend　to　set　down　what　Remedies　are　propounded　unto　it。
　　　　Now　when　I　shall　compare　the　Prices　of　things　at　this　day
with　those　of　antient　times；　if　I　should　go　to　set　down　all
things　particularly　the　Labour　and　Search　were　beyond　measure；
and　the　variety　of　the　Proportions　of　prices　would　not　be　very
great　between　several　things；　but　the　same　things　in　several
seasons　would　exceedingly　differ　in　price；　and　the　proofs；　would
be　very　disputable　so　as　no　certain　conclusion　would　be　drawn
from　them：　as　for　Example；　of　Corn；　Cattel；　and　Fish；　the
Proportions　of　price　would　not　hold　the　same；　and　every　of　these
would　differ　in　several　seasons　for　several　causes；　as　Corn
through　unseasonable　weather；　Cattle　through　murraign；　Fish
through　Warr；　and　every　one　of　these　through　many　other　accidents
are　able　to　raise　or　draw　down　the　price　again：　Cloth；　Linnen；
Leather；　and　such　like；　would　have　the　like　variety　of　prices
through　the　same；　and　through　other　causes；　as　through
Impositions　laid　upon　them；　new　Inventions；　whereby　the
Manufactures　may　be　the　more　easily　and　speedily　made；　engrossing
of　them；　false　making　of　them；　want　of　work…men。
　　　　And　if　these　things；　which　are　most　necessary　for　man's　life；
are　subject　to　so　many　varieties　of　Prices　through　several
causes；　how　much　more　uncertain　would　those　Materials　prove；
which　serve　only　to　delights　and　magnificence；　as　precious
Stones；　Pearls；　Hangings；　Pictures；　Embroideries；　and　such　like；
which　are　subject　to　so　many　causes　of　varieties　of　price；　as
things　necessarie；　and　are　moreover　subject　to　the　Humours　and
Fancies　of　the　Times；　by　which　their　price　is　raised　or　abased。
　　　　But　there　is　only　one　thing；　from　whence　we　may　certainly
track　out　the　prices；　and　which　carries　with　it　a　constant
resultance　of　the　Prices　of　all　other　things　which　are　necessary
for　a　Mans　life；　and　that　is　the　price　of　Labourers　and　Servants
Wages；　especially　those　of　the　meaner　sort。　And　as　there　is　to　be
found　no　other　certain　and　constant　Cause　of　the　raising　of　the
Prices　of　all　things；　but　two；　viz。　the　one　the　raising　of　the
values　of　Moneys；　the　other　the　great　abundance　of　Gold　and
silver　coming　into　these　parts；