September xxvij. Anno xviij. Reginae Elizabethae.
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The orders appointed for the gouernment and order of the Eschaunge, that the same may be vsed and kept accordyng to the lawes and statutes of the Realme, which are nowe ordeyned to be obserued by the Queenes Maiesties Proclamation.
FIrste, all Merchantes, Englishe and Straungers, and all other her Maiesties subiectes, are to vnderstande, that by the Lawes and statutes of this Realme, no man ought to make any eschaunge, or rechaunge of money, but suche as her Maiestie shall aucthorise, or their leefull Deputies, to keepe, make, and answere for such eschaunges and rechaunges, vpon paynes conteyned in the same Statutes.
And to the intent the same may be vsed for the necessarye vses of leefull eschaunge and rechaunge in cases requisite, it is at this present tyme ordered for the vsage thereof, that Edmonde Calthrop, Thomas Dalton[?], of the Citie of London Haberdashers, and Iohn Wanton, of the same Citie Grocer, men well acquaynted with the manner of eschaunges and rechanges, from and to the Citie of London, and to from forra [...]gne partes, shall and may make and geue sufficient warrant to all persons for eschaunge and reeschaunge, in suche sorte as shall be agreeable to the obseruation of the lawes for that purpose ordeyned. And therefore from henceforth al billes of eschaunge or reeschaunge, endorced or subscribed with the name and hand wrytyng of them, or any one of them, shall be sufficient warrant both for the deliuerer and taker. And whensoeuer any others shalbe appointed to occupie and exercise the same roomes, for the keeping of the sayde eschaunge, there shalbe thereof from tyme to tyme notice publiquely geuen in places thereto requisite.
Item, It is to be regarded, that none goe about by any fraudulent colour or deuice, to alter, or to discontinue the auncient manner of delyueryng or taking of money by eschaunge, whereby eyther the intention of the lawes prouided therefore, or her Maiesties prerogatiue for her fynes and dueties answerable for the same, be abused or defrauded.
Item, though there haue ben alwayes answered in former tymes to her Maiesties progenitours, and to the Maisters and keepers of the eschange, from tyme to tyme, as by many recordes is verye manyfest to be seene, vpon euery Englishe Noble, of the deliuerer one penye, and the lyke of the taker, whiche was vpon euery pounde syxe pence: yet for the more ease, and lesse burden, of such as shal haue necessarie cause to delyuer and take by eschaunge, there shall not be for this tyme, nor vntill greater cause shall moue for her Maiesties seruice, and more be taken but one farthyng of the said Noble, or the value thereof for the deliuerer, and one other farthyng of the taker, whiche shalbe vpon the pound, but penie halfpenie.
Item, It is to be consydered, that the eschaunge and reeschaunge shall be so ordered, that as neare as possibly may be, and as tymes of trade may suffer, the moneyes of this Realme may not be deliuered vnder the iust values of theyr standerd, neither that any eschaunges of money to be vsed, but for the vse of knowen Marchauntes, or for such as otherwise by the Queenes Maiesties licence, or leefully by the lawes and vsages of the Realme, haue or hereafter shal haue cause for theyr needful businesse, to make theyr eschaunges of moneys of this Realme, for moneys in forraigne places.
Finally, yf there shall hereafter appeare any further matter needfull to be ordeyned or declared for the better and more perfect vsage of the eschaunge, or for the auoyding or explaning of any doubtes that may aryse: the same shalbe with aduise of wyse and expert men in the trade of marchandize, and of eschaunge, notified in lyke tables from tyme to tyme, to be seene and read in this place.
God saue the Queene.