a discourse of coin and coinage-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




A　Discourse　of　Coin　and　Coinage

by　Rice　Vaughan

1675







A　Discourse　of　Coin　and　Coinage：　The　first　Invention；　Use；
Matter；　Forms；　Proportions　and　Differences；　ancient　&　modern：
with　the　Advantages　and　Disadvantages　of　the　Rise　and　Fall
thereof；　in　our　own　or　Neighbouring　Nations：　and　the　Reasons。

Together　with　a　short　Account　of　our　Common　Law　therein。

by　Rice　Vaughan；　late　of　Grayes…Inn；　Esq；

London；　Printed　by　Th。　Dawks；　for　Th。　Basset；　at　the　George；　near
Cliffords…Inn；　in　Fleet…street。　1675。

To　the　Right　Honourable　Henry　Earl　of　Clarendon；　Viscount
Cornbury；　and　Baron　Hide　of　Hindon；　Lord　Chamberlain　to　the
Queens　most　excellent　Majesty。

Most　Noble　Lord；
　　　　It　being　become　a　thing　so　usual　in　this　most　scribling　Age；
（nam　scripturire　quam　parturire　mallet　hoc　soeculum）　to　crave
shelter　under　the　wings　of　some　renowned　Person；　from　the
severity　of　Censurers；　without　which；　Learning　shall　scarcely
have　Admittance：　and　this　piece　though　not　my　own；　yet　coming　to
my　hands　amongst　other　manuscripts　of　a　Gentleman　of　Grayes　Inn；
lately　deceased；　（and　very　near　related　to　me）　whose　Genius；　I
may　safely　say；　was　not　a　little　curious　in　the　search　of　other
knowledge　than　the　Law；　（to　which　he　served　five
Apprenticeships）。　And　humbly　conceiving　nothing　could　more
seasonably　appear　in　View　for　the　better　instructing　our　worthy
Countrymen　in　the　Knowledge　of　a　thing　whose　want　is　so　generally
complained　of；　yet　the　Invention；　Use；　and　Species　with　their
Advantages　scarce　truly　understood；　I　presumed　through　that　true
knowledge　of　your　Lordships　Person；　and　most　zealous　Honour　of
your　greatly　to　be　admired　Endowments；　with　your　Love　to
Learning；　which　the　most　plebeian　ears　and　eyes　were　not　ignorant
of；　to　recommend　unto　your　Lordships　hand　this　Treatise；　in　a
more　ample　and　different　manner　than　that　lately　published　out　of
the　Mss。　of　the　never　to　be　forgotten　Earl　of　Sandwich；　shewing
the　first　Invention；　Use；　Matter；　Forms；　Proportions；　and
Differences；　Ancient　and　Modern　of　that　Coy　Lady　Pecunia；　with
the　Advantages　and　Disadvantages　of　the　Rise　or　Fall　thereof　in
our　own　and　neighbouring　Nations；　and　the　Reasons　Pro　and　Con；
with　other　things　in　the　other　piece　not　contained。　And　here　I
cannot；　without　great　unworthiness；　be　silent　in　the　due　praises
of　his　most　Excellent　Majesty　that　now　is；　who　with　abundance　of
Royal　Care　and　Wisdom；　with　no　small　charge；　hath　set　forth　a
Coin　in　Form；　shape；　Goodness；　and　Beauty；　not　second　to　any　used
in　the　world；　in　Common　Commerce；　and　so　uneasy　to　be　patterned
or　imbellished；　a　thing　of　no　small　consequence　in　Commonwealths。
Herewith　you　have　a　short　account　of　our　books　of　Law；　as　also
Tables　of　the　value　of　all　sorts　of　Pearls；　Diamonds；　Gold；
Silver；　and　other　Metalls。＇omitted　from　this　edition＇。　I　shall
not　undertake　to　say；　but　that　n　the　Tables　of　values；　in　these
mutable　times；　some　variation　may　happen；　to　the　common　practice
of　Artists；　in　that　nature；　whose　private　unmeasurable　Ends　are；
to　some　more　their　Gods　than　Justice　or　Honesty　their　Practise：
but　the　Grounds　being　herein　plainly　stated；　a　pregnant　wit；　with
a　little　Commerce；　may　soon　rectify　those　diary　Deceits；　and　for
the　other　part；　whose　Theory　perhaps　in　some　places；　may　be
thought　too　much　to　reflect　on　the　too　often　practised　Abuses　of
the　Gold…Smiths　in　that　Nature；　I　hope　all　but　themselves　will
readily　grant　me　Pardon　for　the　Publishing；　and　they　being　but　a
few；　and　Justice　on　our　side；　the　Authors　Bones　I　trust　will　not
disturb；　nor　I　much　suffer　by　the　selfish　Censures　of　a　People　so
obstinately　unreasonable。　Mr　Lord；　I　shall　now　only　beg　pardon
for　this　presumption；　in　hopes　of　success；　till　time　give
opportunity　to　testify　how　much　I　am
　　　　My　Lord；
truly　devoted　to　your　Lordships　service；
and　your　Admirer；
　　　　Henry　Vaughan。

Chapter　1

Of　the　First　Invention　and　Use　of　Money。

　　　　The　first　invention　of　Money　was　for　a　Pledge　and　instead　of
a　surety；　for　when　men　did　live　by　Exchange　of　their　Wants　and
Superfluities；　both　parties　could　not　always　fit　one　another　at
the　present；　in　which　case　the　Corruptions　of　Man's　Nature　did
quickly　grow　to　make　it　behooful；　that　the　party　receiving　should
leave　somewhat　worthy　to　be　esteemed　for　a　Pledge；　to　supply　the
givers　want　upon　the　like　occasion：　Time　did　easily　find　out　that
this　Pledge　should　be　something　not　too　common；　not　easy　to　be
consumed　with　use；　or　spoiled　for　want　of　use；　and　this　was
Money。
　　　　The　first　use　of　Money　was　then　by　it　to　supply　every　man's
particular　wants。　This　introduced　a　second　use　of　Cauponation；
when　men　did　by　the　Pledge　of　Money　procure　not　only　those　things
which　they　themselves　wanted；　but　which　they　might　sell　to　others
for　more　money：　and　under　that　kind　is　all　Trades　comprehended；
whether　it　be　grose　sale；　or　retale；　and　this　use　hath　brought　in
a　third　use　of　Money；　for　the　gain　of　cauponation　did　give　a
Colour　to　those　that　lent　Money　to　such　as　did　encrease　it　by
Trade；　to　take　usury　for　it；　which　is　therefore　termed　the　most
unnatural　use　of　Money；　because　it　is　most　remote　from　the
natural　Institution。　Of　this　there　are　many　kinds　of　which　the
most　refined　is　that　of　Exchange；　which　is　mix'd　with　an　usury　of
place；　as　that　is　of　time。
　　　　Thus　did　Money　grow　inseperably　necessary　to　all　Exchange；　to
make　the　things　exchanged　equal　in　value；　for　that　all　exchange
is　either　by　the　actual　or　intellectual　valuation　of　Money；　that
is　to　say；　Either　the　thing　is　exchanged　for　Money；　or　if　it　be
exchanged　for　another　thing；　the　measure　of　that　exchange　is　how
much　Money　either　of　the　things　exchanged　is　conceived　to　be
worth；　and　Practice　hath　found　out　that　in　values；　which　the
Geometricians　have　found　out　in　quantities；　that　two　lines　which
are　equal　to　a　third　line；　are　equal　to　one　another：　So　is　money
a　third　line；　by　which　all　things　are　made　equal　in　value；　and
therefore　it　is　not　ill　compared　to　the　Meteria　Prima；　because；
though　it　serves　actually　to　no　use　almost；　it　serves　potentially
to　all　uses。　It　is　not　impertinent　to　examine　these　things　from
their　ground　in　nature；　or　in　use：　For　intending　to　treat　by　what
meanes　the　course　of　money　may　best　be　governed　to　the　advantage
of　the　common…wealth；　（a　matter　of　so　curious　and　subtil　a　search
as　the　most　solid　understandings　are　dazled　with　it）　it　is
necessary；　first　to　lay　down　the　first　and　plainest　principles　of
the　Subject；　by　which　the　understanding　of　the　Writer　and　the
Reader　may　be　guided　in　the　Labyrinths　ensuing；　and　this　subject
being　much　obscured；　not　only　by　the　intricasie　of　its　own
nature；　but　by　the　Art　and　Terms　of　those　who　do　manage　these
affairs；　I　do　intent　to　lay　open　all　the　mysteries　to　the
comprehension　of　the　attentive　Reader。　And　for　that　purpose；　I
intend　first　Historically；　to　set　down　by　what　Degrees；　and　upon
what　Reasons　the　forms　of　Money　and　of　Coinage；　now　practised　are
given　into　use；　and　without　any　censure　or　observation　upon　them：
and　I　will　afterwards　treat　a　part　of　the　inconveniences　grown
into　this　Subject　of　Money；　and　of　the　Remedies　that　may　be
applied　thereunto。

Chapter　2

Of　the　Matter　of　Money

　　　　Of　all　things　whereof　Money　could　be　made；　there　was　nothing
so　fit　as　Metalls；　as　Copper；　Silver；　but　above　all　Gold；　for
they　are　first　useful；　which　doth　increase　it；　they　may　be
divided　into　as　little　parts　as　you　will；　and　then　returned　into
a　greater　mass：　they　are　susceptible　of　any　form；　mark　or
impression　to　be　made　and　fit　to　conceive　it；　they　are　of　an
exceeding　long　indurance　against　the　Injuries　of　time　or
accident；　they　are　hardly　subject　to　any　natural　corruption；
especially　Gold；　of　the　continuitie　and　incorruptableness　whereof
the　Alchimists；　who　have　most　vexed　that　body；　do　write　wonders；
so　as　one　affirmeth；　That　it　is　harder　to　destroy　Gold　than　to
make　it；　and　they　have　sundry　other　properties　accomodating　them
for　the　matter　of　Money；　as　the　world　hath　by　a　general　consent；
and　from　all　times　received　them　for　that　purpose；　especially
Gold　and　Silver；　of　which　chiefly　I　mean　to　treat：　It　is　true
that　many　particular　Countries　have　antiently；　and　do　as　this　day
use　other　things　in　stead　of　Money：　（as　to　instance　in　some　of
the　modern）　in　AEthiopia　they　use　certain　stones　of　Salt　in　stead
of　Money；　in　Guinney；　Shells；　in　New　Spain；　Cacao；　Coco　in　Peru；
one　of　which　is　a　fruit；　the　other　an　herb：　but　in　all　these
Countries　you　shall　find　that　there　is　a　certain　value　set　upon
Gold　and　Silver；　by　which　chiefly　the　value　of　all　other　things
is　raised；　and　that　these　other　things　do　but　serve　as　base　Money
doth　in　sundry　Countries　of　Europe；　where　it　is　current　in
certain　limits；　by　the　Law　or　Custom　of　the　Place；　but　yet　they
cannot　be　without　Gold　and　Silver　Money；　unless　they　will　barr
themselves　from　all　commerce　with　other　Nations：　And　to　that
purpose　the　Invention　of　Licurgus　was　admirable；　who　desiring　to
lock　up　his　Citizens　from　all　commerce　with　other　nations；　did
upon　great　penalties　banish　all　Gold　and　Silver　out　of　the　City；
and　as　long　as　that　Prohibition　was　observed；　the　manners　and
Customs　of　the　City　were　preserved　entire　from　the　mixture　of
other　Nations：　but　when　their　ambition　and　voluptuousness　had
entangled　them　in　the　Commerce　of　other　Nations；　then　did　Gold
and　Silver　grow　into　use　in　despite　of　all　Laws；　by　this
universal　value　given　unto　Gold　and　Silver。　I　shall　convince
hereafter　an　important　and　a　popular　Error；　by　which　many　are
perswaded；　that　Princes　can　give　what　value　they　list　to　Gold　and
Silver；　by　enhansing　and　letting　fall　their　Coins；　when　as　in
truth　Gold　and　Silver　will　retain　the　same　proportion　towards
other　things；　which　are　valued　by　them；　which　the　general　consent
of　other　Nations　doth　give　unto　them；　if　there　be　a　Trade　and
Commerce　with　other　Nations：　By　which　intercourse　it　comes　to
pass；　that　if　the　price　of　Gold　and　Silver　be　raised；　the　price
of　all　Commodities　is　raised　according　to　the　raising　of　Gold　and
Silver；　so　as　let　any　particular　Prince　or　State　raise　the　price
of　Gold　and　Silver　as　they　list；　yet　they　will　still　hold　the
same　proportion　towards　other　things　valued　by　them；　which　the
general　consent　of　other　Nations　neer　about　them　doth　give　unto
them：　and　this　universal　value　of　Gold　and　Silver；　the　mint；　even
in　money；　do　call　Intrinsical；　and　the　local　value　they　call
Extrinsical；　as　depending　upon　impression　of　the　mark　and
ordinance　of　the　State。　Now　Money　is　said　to　have　an　Intrinsical
value　so　much　as　there　is　Gold　and　Silver　in　it　in　fineness　and
weight；　which　is　computed　in　France　（and　was　antiently　likewise
the　Computation　in　England）　first　for　Gold；　it　is　divided　into　24
parts；　which　are　called　Carrats；　and　so　when　they　say；　the　Gold
is　23　Carrats　fine；　then　it　is　understood　there　is　a　2th　part
base；　which　is　Allay　mingled　with　Gold；　or　if　they　say；　it　is　22
Carrats　fine；　then　there　is　a　12th　part　of　Allay：　or　if　they　say
22　Carrats　and　one　quarter　fine；　then　there　is　so　much　Allay　as
there　wants　to　make　up　24　parts。
　　　　Silver　is　divided　into　12　Deniers　and　every　Denier　into　25
grains；　as　if　it　be　said；　that　Silver　is　jj　Denier