CAREW MSS. JAMES I. 1603. April 18. Vol. 605, p. 219. 1. LORD DEPUTY MOUNTJOY to [CAREW] LORD PRESIDENT of I have written to you by Sir Henry Davers, who I fear has gone to the King. We made account here that his Majesty would either have been at London or very near London before his return, and that my letters should have found Mr. Secretary and yourself with him. I am sorry my fortune was not so good, for I desired Sir Henry to be directed in all things by Mr. Secretary, whether he were secretary or no. My despatch containeth nothing but a letter from the Council and me to the King, and another to the Lords and Council, and one to the King from myself, only recommending my loyalty unto him and readiness to attend his commandments, with no suit but to have leave to kiss his hands, and referring the present estate of all things to Sir Henry Davers, whom I had instructed with my whole proceedings with the Earl of Tyrone, and what had passed since the advertisement of the Queen's death. If I shall stay here till all things be so settled that they will never break out again, God knoweth when I shall come over, but all are in, or would be in and may be if it be the King's pleasure. And if I may come over, I presume I shall bring any with me that should be most suspected to be left behind, so that if I cannot get leave to come over now I shall despair for ever to be rid of this miserable country, for a better time can hardly be chosen. I have now an extreme cold, with the which I was never troubled in all my miserable journeys, but have got it with writing in a warm chamber, so that I cannot write to you so much as willingly I would. I have entreated Sir William Godolphin to write to you my whole proceedings with the Earl of Tyrone, who, you know, I resolved to employ in that business, and note my Lo. for their selves. God knoweth what advantage or disadvantage we shall find by this change. part I do still prepare myself for the worst, and resolve, in all fortunes to be an honest man to my friends; and the same profession that I made to you when we parted of For my the noble Secretary and yourself, I will ever make good with the utmost powers of my life. I know not wherein precisely to employ the love of my friends at this time, but I know, by circumstances they shall better than myself discern what, may be done for me and what is fit to be done for me. At the least I desire to be in England. this parliament for many just respects. If the King will command me back again I will obey him, but I will never desire it. My mistress shall know the favour you have done her in safely sending her letter. I pray let not the King see my last letter to our late Queen, for it is full of fustian. Since the writing hereof I hear that some of your towns in Munster are out of order, but I hope to make them better advised. Dublin, 18th April 1603. Signed. P. 1. Endorsed by Carew: "Received the 24th of April 1603." CHANTRY LANDS. his heirs and Form of Letter or Warrant in blank from the King. We are pleased to grant to *-. assigns, for ever, without fine either in his own name or in the name of any other person or persons which he by his writing under his hand and seal shall nominate and appoint to have and receive the same, so much of our manors, castles, lands, tenements, rectories, impropriate tythes, advowsons of churches, and other hereditaments spiritual or temporal, which have been parcel, belonging, or given to any dissolved or suppressed religious houses, chauntries, guilds, corporations, or fraternities, or to any like or other superstitious uses, or which have been given or aliened by any person or persons contrary to the Statute of Mortmain, or which by any other right or title belonging to us or our Crown, for which there is no rent now answered unto us at our exchequer there, as by survey thereof to be made, shall amount unto the clear year value of a hundred pounds ster. current money in England, or thereabout, above all charges and reprises. To be holden of us, our heirs, and successors, as of the castle of Dublin, in free and common socage, and not in capite nor by knights service. Wherefore we will and command you that when and so often as the said or his assigns, shall make request unto you for any commission or commissions to entitle us to any the lands or hereditaments passable by this our warrant, that you give order for issuing the same accordingly. And upon return of them, or presenting any notes unto you, that from time to time you give warrant to have the particulars * The name is entirely obliterated with ink. 1603. Vol. 607, p. 238. thereof from our surveyor general or other our officers, there and thereupon, with the advice of our learned counsel or some of them, you do cause one or more book or books to be passed to him, his heirs or assigns, in due form of law under our great seal of that realm, either in his own name or in the name of such other person or persons as he shall alien or dispose any part of this book of fee farm or warrant unto, rateably and proportionably as he shall alienate any part or parcel thereof, without making any repetition of this our warrant in any the said letters patent. Endorsed. Pp. 2. Copy. 3. A PROJECT for a ROYAL MINT in IRELAND.* 1. A mint will be an ornament and grace to the kingdom of Ireland, wherein that nation would take great glory to show themselves able to maintain a mint for coinage of good moneys as well as other kingdoms, So should it be for his Majesty greater honour and profits to possess rich kingdoms, than countries reputed beggarly and unprofitable. 2. It would encourage the Irish who have more grace in Spain than English merchants have to bring greater plenty of gold and silver from thence, and be a means to retain the same within their kingdom. For whatsoever is imported, while it is remaining in pistoles and rials of plate, it is fit to be exported into all parts of the world, the East Indies, France, the Low Countries, &c.; but being altered into Irish coins shall remain within the kingdom to the great enriching thereof, increase of trade, and employment of the people; for doubtless if there were a mint the merchants would rather bring their Spanish moneys hither for a good and ready exchange and to uphold the credit thereof than to sell the same at an under value, and to the impoverishing of their realm, unto strangers which carry away their Spanish moneys, to loss both of England and Ireland. 3. Moreover, where goldsmiths many times do make plate and other works in Ireland of old broken plate and pieces brought unto them, which they imbase at their pleasure, being not tied to any standard, whereby the subject is defrauded;-for those and other considerations, it may not be lawful to sell any foreign coin nor other bullion of gold or silver but unto the King's mint or exchange; neither for any goldsmith to make plate or other works but of bullion according to his Majesty's standard, which they are to buy of the King's mint or exchange. 4. The King may then have all occasions and uses for moneys answered interchangeably between both kingdoms, whereby he may save portage moneys besides troubles and hazards by sea. There are two objections principally against an Irish mint. *Dated by Carew, 1602. Standard. Moneys and Mintage. Price of gold and silver. 1. Objection. That a mint in Ireland will be a hindrance to the King's mint in England by so much bullion as else would be brought from thence and minted here. Answer. Whatsoever the King gathereth in Ireland is his own as well as the treasure he gathereth in England. Next, very seldom or never comes any bullion of late years out of Ireland to be minted here. The reasons have been rendered before. But sure we are that our treasure is carried from hence to supply Ireland with moneys, which by this course might supply itself. 2 Objection.-Ireland may be supposed unable to maintain a mint, and so may bring charges and no benefits to the King. Answer. The creating of a mint in Dublin shall be done with small charges if the King will be pleased to have moneys made there by mill or engine; which shall be very fair coins and exactly fabricated with good weight and preparation, whereby abuses shall be prevented of cutting and chipping, and shall besides distinguish Irish from English coins made by hammer. Towards this work are laid up in the Tower divers engines whereof good use may be made. Moreover, the mint shall be maintained and farmed upon conditions which shall bring profit and no charges to the King, as by the following may partly appear. "The manner of proceeding for the standard and moneys of Ireland." The standard is to be according to the standard of England, which if it be 11 oz. fine, so may the same of Ireland be also 11 oz. fine. Then for the moneys and exchanges. As an English shilling weigheth about 92 grains and many times less, the Irish shilling of the same standard may weigh 84 grains, which are eight grains less, that is about a penny; therefore 13d. Irish may conveniently answer the Exchange (of par); 12d. English will be but 20d. upon the pound Exchange, and so for 20s. English must be delivered in Ireland but 218. 8d. Ir. ster. According to this rate of exchange whosoever shall bring into the mint in Ireland an oz. of sterling silver shall receive for the same 58. 5d. Ir., which is 5s. English; and so for 12 ozs. 658. Irish, which is 60s. English. And more his silver shall not yield him in the mint of England, nor so much being sold to a goldsmith in London. Then holding the same rate also in the price and valuation of silver in Ireland, the same may be rated at 58. 5d. Irish an ounce. The like of gold, which is generally valued at one for 12 of silver, viz., one oz. of 22 carats fine may be valued at 12 oz. silver of 11 oz. fine; that is to say, at 658. Irish. So that one and the same rate will hold, viz., in valuation of bullion, in coinages and moneys, in exchanges of the Irish moneys. |