Part of a Letter from Mr Ralph Thoresby, F. R. S. concerning Pewter Money, Coyn'd in Ireland, by the Late King James

II. Part of a Letter from Mr Ralph Thoresby, F. R. S. concerning Pewter Money, Coyn'd in Ireland, by the late King James. Leeds, June 7. 1704. Honoured Sir, This brings you an account of a Curiosity that relates to the late King James's Irish Moneys, which I am apt to think you never heard of, viz. a Crown piece of Pewter, inscribed Melioris tessera fata. 'Twas sent me by the Gentleman who found them in the Treasury at Dublin; whose account is so particular and curious, that I will choose to give it you in his own words. "That King James, having turned all the Brass Guns of Ireland, and all the Brass and Copper Vessels of Protestants that he could seize, into Coyn, viz. Half-Crowns somewhat bigger than an English Half-penny, Shillings broader, but not so thick as a Farthing, and Six-pences in proportion; it was order'd to pass current in all Payments, even in Bonds, and discharge of Judgments and Statutes; (insomuch that if Ages to come knew not the reason, they would admire to be told, that there was a time when men absconded, to avoid receiving their Debts, as many here did;) But these stocks of Metal being all spent (which he began to Coyn in June 1689.) and no Circulation to bring them back into his Treasury, he call'd in all that he had Coyned, and the Half-Crowns, which before were stamped with a Face, were re-stamped with his Effigies on Horseback, and then paid out to those who brought them in, as Crowns; and the smaller Coyns were melted down, and re-coyned again under the same Denominations, but with less Metal. After the turn was served by this Stratagem, he had not where-withal to import Copper and Brass; but, for want of it, fell foul on the Pewter Dishes, &c.—And the piece I sent you of that Metal was Coyned for five Shillings; and the Proclamation to make it passable was as ready as the Stamps, for it was prepared: But King William passing the Boyne, prevented their Proclaiming it. There was very little of it Coyned, for our Government could meet with none of it; until one day, rummaging all their Tinkerly Treasure, that they had left behind them in Dublin when they were routed, by accident I met with one Bag of 150 of those Pieces. So that the Piece I sent you, although it's of no Intrinsick Value, it's a Rarity; and had I thought it would have been acceptable, I would have sent you a Specimen of every sort that he had Coyned and Re-coyned here. I am, Sir, Your very Humble Servant, Dublin, Novemb. the 27th, 1696. Tho. Putland. This Valuable Curiosity has the same Inscription on both sides, as the common Brass Crowns; but there is this Legend added upon the Rim of it, MELIORIS TESSERA FATI ANNO REGNI SEXTO.