A Discourse of Coin and Coinage [21]
exact enough, but for the weight it may fall out that the
pieces taken out of the several Proportions of Money coined,
being melted together may hold the weight required within the
Remedies, and yet the pieces of those several Proportions may
differ in weight from one another, more than the Remedy allowed.
The Remedies that are propounded for this inequality are divers:
Some think that it may be redressed by a strict and severe
Course to be held with all those, through whose hands the work
doth pass for the perfection of their works.
Others are much pleased with belief of some invented Engines,
which have been by some work-men offered for a more perfect and
exact coining of Moneys, than can be performed by the stamp, and
the ways that are now practised.
Others find no so good way as by the Mill, whereof divers
experiments have been made both in this Kingdom and in other
parts. Of which, because I dare in my self deliver no Opinion, I
will only translate what I find written by a French Author, a man
of great practice and experience in these Mysteries, but because
in some places he hath words of Art which admit of no
translation, I must be fain use the original Terms: He saith,
That against the Establishment of the Mill it is objected, that
after the Invention of it, by reason of the great clipping that
belongs to it; the Conductor of it was of Necessity to have an
Augmentation for the Workmanship.
2. That the Ressorts, and Wheels, and Squares and Pieces, by
which it is governed, are very subject to break and bruise one
another.
3. That it wants Expedition, and dispatches but a little
work.
4. That makers of false Money will easily counterfeit it.
5. That no man will undertake to make Money with the Mill,
but at the same price which is paid for the marks for Silver
Counters made with a Mill.
To which fie objections I answer.
1. That the quantity of Clipping Mill Money, is no loss to
the Farmer nor to the Workman, and is done without pain, charge
or travel; besides the Charge of the wasting is taken away, which
is both an expence to the Master and to the Farmer: That the
augmentation for the workmanship was not allowed for the new
melting of the Clippings, but because there was no reason that
the Masters of the Mill should without recompence give those
several fashions to the work, which the work-man is paid for, and
hath 3 sols allowed him upon the mark, and besides furnish great
Cizers, three sorts of Hammers, Anvil and other Instruments. Now
the Money being made in the Mill by the industry of the Master
who doth give other like fashions to the work, as the Minters now
do, it was but reason to attribute the same right unto him. And
in those places where Mill-Money hath remained in use, as at Pau
and at Bearne, the fee of the work-man is attributed to the
Master of the Mill, as likewise of the Carver and Graver, and
that very justly.
2. For the Second Objection, that the Ressorts, Wheels,
Squares, etc. are subject to breaking; It may be answered that at
the new setting up of the first Mills, the Artisans were not so
perfect and expert as they have shewed themselves since by
Practice, since the Mills are grown common as now they are: There
is nothing harder than to invent, nor more easie than to adde to
things invented. There are Mills set up not only at Paris, but at
Lyons, Tholouse, Aix, Amiens, Nants, Bordeaux, Poitiers, so that
the use of them is now universal, for the Coinage doubles base
and abject Money.
3. For the third Objection, That there is no Expedition in
Mills, and that the work is not so soon dispatched as with the
Hammer: It shall suffice to answer, That it proceeds from a Man
that hath no experience in this Subject of Money, because that
four Men bred and used to the making of Money in a Mill will do
more work than twelve work-men or Moneyers with the Hammer.
4. For the fourth Objection, That the Counterfeiter of Money
will imitate the Money made in a Mill: this objection were
credible if the
pieces taken out of the several Proportions of Money coined,
being melted together may hold the weight required within the
Remedies, and yet the pieces of those several Proportions may
differ in weight from one another, more than the Remedy allowed.
The Remedies that are propounded for this inequality are divers:
Some think that it may be redressed by a strict and severe
Course to be held with all those, through whose hands the work
doth pass for the perfection of their works.
Others are much pleased with belief of some invented Engines,
which have been by some work-men offered for a more perfect and
exact coining of Moneys, than can be performed by the stamp, and
the ways that are now practised.
Others find no so good way as by the Mill, whereof divers
experiments have been made both in this Kingdom and in other
parts. Of which, because I dare in my self deliver no Opinion, I
will only translate what I find written by a French Author, a man
of great practice and experience in these Mysteries, but because
in some places he hath words of Art which admit of no
translation, I must be fain use the original Terms: He saith,
That against the Establishment of the Mill it is objected, that
after the Invention of it, by reason of the great clipping that
belongs to it; the Conductor of it was of Necessity to have an
Augmentation for the Workmanship.
2. That the Ressorts, and Wheels, and Squares and Pieces, by
which it is governed, are very subject to break and bruise one
another.
3. That it wants Expedition, and dispatches but a little
work.
4. That makers of false Money will easily counterfeit it.
5. That no man will undertake to make Money with the Mill,
but at the same price which is paid for the marks for Silver
Counters made with a Mill.
To which fie objections I answer.
1. That the quantity of Clipping Mill Money, is no loss to
the Farmer nor to the Workman, and is done without pain, charge
or travel; besides the Charge of the wasting is taken away, which
is both an expence to the Master and to the Farmer: That the
augmentation for the workmanship was not allowed for the new
melting of the Clippings, but because there was no reason that
the Masters of the Mill should without recompence give those
several fashions to the work, which the work-man is paid for, and
hath 3 sols allowed him upon the mark, and besides furnish great
Cizers, three sorts of Hammers, Anvil and other Instruments. Now
the Money being made in the Mill by the industry of the Master
who doth give other like fashions to the work, as the Minters now
do, it was but reason to attribute the same right unto him. And
in those places where Mill-Money hath remained in use, as at Pau
and at Bearne, the fee of the work-man is attributed to the
Master of the Mill, as likewise of the Carver and Graver, and
that very justly.
2. For the Second Objection, that the Ressorts, Wheels,
Squares, etc. are subject to breaking; It may be answered that at
the new setting up of the first Mills, the Artisans were not so
perfect and expert as they have shewed themselves since by
Practice, since the Mills are grown common as now they are: There
is nothing harder than to invent, nor more easie than to adde to
things invented. There are Mills set up not only at Paris, but at
Lyons, Tholouse, Aix, Amiens, Nants, Bordeaux, Poitiers, so that
the use of them is now universal, for the Coinage doubles base
and abject Money.
3. For the third Objection, That there is no Expedition in
Mills, and that the work is not so soon dispatched as with the
Hammer: It shall suffice to answer, That it proceeds from a Man
that hath no experience in this Subject of Money, because that
four Men bred and used to the making of Money in a Mill will do
more work than twelve work-men or Moneyers with the Hammer.
4. For the fourth Objection, That the Counterfeiter of Money
will imitate the Money made in a Mill: this objection were
credible if the