IT is not needfull to make a long relation what inconve­niences and mischiefe other Countries and Kingdomes have sustained by copper coyne, which was current for more then its just value or worth: especially of late in Spaine, which many of our Merchants, trading in those parts, can justifie. That practice of bringing up cop­per coyne was also projected here in England, and if it had gone for­ward, it would have been the greatest mischief that ever was contrived to undoe this Kingdome: For, in a few yeares all our good Gold and Silver coyne would have been transported out of the Kingdome, and copper coyne would have been brought in out of all parts of Chri­stendome, and so all our Gold and Silver would have been turned into copper: but thorow Gods mercy, and the care of wise understanding Statesmen, it proved abortive.

Now to come to our Farthing-tokens: the very name of them is not the name of any lawfull coyne or money, but onely a token, or an ac­knowledgment, that the partie which payes it out, gives it onely as a token (because he cannot otherwise change his money, for want of small money or coyne) to be ready and willing at all times to take it a­gaine: and therefore in former times, when small coyne began to fail, divers retailing Tradesmen, to accommodate their Customers in chan­ging their money, did make Tokens of tin and lead, and gave them for change, and were alwayes ready, and obliged to take them againe whensoever they were brought to them: In this there was no great hurt, nor was it any wayes oppressing to the Subject; onely now and then there were some of these Tokens lost, and that produced some ad­vantage to the makers. Now this was soone espied by our Projectors, (otherwayes the very Caterpillers of this Kingdome) who upon pre­tence [Page 2]for the good of the Subject, and the good of the poore (a plea­sing Rhetorick in the eares of many) did soon obtain a Patent to make Farthing-tokens by Authority, with the Kings Stamp, no more of tin or lead, but of copper; and no more a shillings worth, as others for­merly had done, onely for change, but hundred pounds, nay thousand pounds worth: and to presse them upon the people, many wayes were used: some Merchants would sell unvendable commodities to the Pa­tentees, to be paid in Farthing-tokens: and then the Merchant, or buyer of these Tokens, to rid his hands of them, must presse them up­on his Workmen, Labourers, and others whom he deales withall, and so in a short time every Chandler, Baker, Victualler, and other such re­tailing people, had their hands full of them. The profit for the ma­kers of them was so great, as never was known the like: they could make out of an ounce of copper, which cost them not a full penny, the quantity of twenty pence in Tokens. This extraordinary pressing, extorting profit could not hold long, but other more eminent Persons must have a share, and so the first makers were dismist, and their Patent disanulled, and then all the Tokens were left upon the Subjects hands, and so the poore Subjects were meerly cheated with their Tokens, and were forced to sell them to Brasiers at 10. pence, or 12. pence the pound weight: no redresse against those Tokens could be had; for, they had a Patent to make and distribute them, but the poore Subject had no Patent to force the Makers to take them againe. Was not this for the good of the Subject?

The next Token-makers we all know who they were, the publike Farthing-token Offices in London do witnesse it: and this was done with a more large Patent, and more regulated for the profit of the Ma­kers: they had their Officers to attend the sale of them daily, and had a pretty way to vent them, in giving one shilling over in twenty to those who came to buy them: this was so inticing to many covetous wretches, who made a common practice to fetch them daily, and force them upon all sorts of people whom they had any dealing withall, and so presse 5, 10, yea 20. sh. at a time away: which was the cause that in a short time there was an infinite quantity of Farthing-tokens made [Page 3]and dispersed abroad, to the excessive profit of the makers, but the ex­cessive losse of the takers, as very shortly after did appeare: for, this ex­cessive profit did intice many who had no Patent to be also Farthing-makers: but these poore sneakes were soon brought to the Pillorie for cheating the Kings Subjects, although they made their Tokens of as good metall, and as weighty as the Patentees did: these poor fellowes cheated by retaile, but the Patentees sold by whole sale, therefore no cheating. But when in a short time not onely the City of London was mightily pestered with them, but also the whole Kingdome, and espe­cially the adjacent Counties of Kent, Essex, Suffolke, and Norfolke, who were so burdened with them, that in many townes and places there was almost no Silver or Gold coyne left, but all was Farthing-tokens. And whereas the Patentees Officers were daily attending in the Office to sell [...]arthings, so they would also take in Farthings from those who brought them, at the same rate as they sold them: the re­tailers, Bakers, Butchers, Chandlers, Victuallers, and other such sort of people were they who brought them in, to their great losse: but at last the poore must pay for all: for, the Victualler, Baker, &c. must sell the dearer, to get up his losse by the Tokens. But when Farthings be­gan to come in more then went out, the Patentees did not like it, but a remedy was soon devised, and that was, that none were theirs but double-ringed Farthings, and so would take in none but double rings; a pretty device to draw their necks out of the collar: for very few Tokens were found with double rings, most did prove single rings, and none of theirs: who could prove the contrary? and so upon a sudden all Farthings, both double and single rings (only a few excep­ted) were left upon the Subjects hands: this was the second cheat, and a very grievous one; for it prest very sore upon many, it caused many teares to be shed by many poore women, and children, who l [...]st all they had, as by many examples then were seen: for many poore wo­men who got their living with selling of Fruit, Herbs, Fish, and other commodities, had all their stock in Farthings; some 6, 8, 10, to 20. shil­lings: this poor stock did maintaine them and their children, but up­on a sudden this was all lost, to their utter undoing: Tradesmen of a [Page 4]higher degree in many places had at that time 10, 20, 40. yea some had 60. pounds worth of tokens in their hands, and almost all proved cleer losse, for the tenth part did not prove double rings: it was conceived that at that time there was no lesse then the value of one hundred thou­sand pound in Farthings disperst throughout the whole Kingdom, and that was all lost (the copper excepted) and no remedy could be had a­gainst the Farthing-makers, who in conscience, equity, and justice were obliged to take them againe. This was the lamentable issue of making Farthing-tokens for the good of the Subject.

But these pretenders, who doe all for the good of the Subject, would by no meanes forsake that excessive profit, but contrived ano­ther sort of Tokens that none should bee able to counterfeit, as they pretended; and that was with a little yellow spot in the copper, a good marke to know their owne, but a better marke to make another cheat of one hundred thousand pounds more, upon the poore Subject, but all for their good, as is pretended: this hath gone on certain years; but at first, because that great losse did lie yet so heavy upon many, and so fresh in memorie of all; they could not vent so many as they had expected: In the meane time this now sitting Parliament began, and presently all Patents were put downe, because they were illegall, and pressing to the Subject: But (to the great admiration of many) this so illegall, and pressing a Patent, did stand upright in its full power: when they perceived they were not questioned, they went on cheer­fully, and began to use severall meanes to vent their Tokens, and a­mongst other devices, they used many poore women, as their Factors, to goe about the Citie, and Suburbs, and all other places, where any resort of people was, and there would by intreaty, and importunate begging, get and perswade many to change them six pence in To­kens for Silver, which of late hath dispersed an infinite quantity of Tokens; by which meanes the Tokens are become so plenty, that e­very retailing Tradesman is so pestered therewith, that almost half of what they receive is Farthing-Tokens; and all adjacent Counties are become so full of them, nay more then ever they were before: so that of necessity these Tokens must goe downe againe, which will prove a [Page 5]greater losse then those formerly; except the Authority of this [...] nourable Parliament doth compel the Token-makers to attend at their Office, with ready money, to take in and exchange to the Subject all their Tokens for good current money, as in conscience and equity the Token-makers ought to doe, or else it will prove a very great losse to the Subject.

Now to come to the necessity of them; it is very true that Farthings are usefull and necessarie, both for rich and poore, we cannot well bee without them; and for to make them of Silver it would bee too small a coyne, and very unserviceable, as by experience we find of our half­pence, who are so small and thin, that many cannot feele them be­tween their fingers: therefore we ought to have Farthings either of copper, or else some metall mixt with copper, and ought to bee so much in value as may be worth a Farthing, in the same nature of other lawfull coyne: all copper without any mixture is like to be best, to prevent counterfeiting of them: for it is certaine, if Farthings be so weighty and so big, that with the coyning and other charges they cost a Farthing, we are sure none shall be counterfeited, nor brought in from forraigne parts: for it was the great profit that made the increase. In France they have copper coyne, they call Deniers, they have twelve to a Sous, or a penny, sterling, they are very neat and handsome, and very usefull, and are as heavy as three of our Tokens, or thereabout: and in Holland they have copper coyne eight to a Stiver or Penny sterling; they are as big as four of our Farthing-Tokens, and so it is in all parts of Germany, Denmarke, Swedeland, &c. where they have copper coyne, but all as valuable as Silver or Gold coyne, and is as good to the people as either Silver or Gold coyne, and is no wayes oppressing, nor burthensome to the people; but to the contrarie, very commodious: therefore we ought to make our Farthings worth a Far­thing, that the Subject may be no more deceived with unlawfull To­kens, but may have lawfull Farthings; which will be very usefull and beneficiall to all Tradesmen, and especially retailers of all sorts, and very comfortable to the poore people. But if we goe on in making Farthings or Tokens of lesse value then a Farthing, and if there can be [Page 6]any thing gotten by counterfeiting them, let us be as carefull as possi­ble we may, there will be alwayes found some or other that will ven­ture to make them either here at home, or els in forraigne parts, and will bring them in by stealth, although there be never so strict search­ing; and it will prove at last very hurtfull to the Subject: also it is the Subjects due to have their money the full worth they receive it for, and so a Farthing must be as well worth a Farthing, as a Shilling is worth a Shilling: it is also the honour of a Kingdome to have it so: there will need no extraordinary quantity to be coyned, but only now and then, when there is little work at the Mint, to make or coyne some, and to let all have them who will come for them, for changing money. And thus much concerning Farthings.

Another, of no lesse, but more danger, there is of forraigne coyne, but it concernes most our Sea-coast of Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, and generally all the West Countrey, and this is divers sorts of forraigne coyne, which the people thorow ignorance take, much above its value: as divers sorts of Dollers, which are two pence a piece worse then the right sort of Rixdollers: also a sort of Spanish money commonly cal­led Peeces of Eight, which go current at foure shillings and four pence amongst them: it is true, the right sort, or the Sivill coyne, are worth so much: but amongst these are very many which are very light, and want much of their weight: also a sort of coyne which is much worse then the Sivill coyne, at least foure pence a piece, and of all this no notice taken by the Subject; which if not timely prevented, we shall have a multitude of them brought in, and instead of bringing them to the Mint to reduce them to our owne coyne and value, they will bee prest upon the Subject, to their great prejudice. Also there is already a multitude of French Sous, and daily more come in, and goe current at a penny, and are worth little more then three Farthings, which also ought to bee prevented: that every one may receive his money to the full value; as it is every one his duty to give weight and measure in o­ther commodities, so it is the like in all money and coyne.