Close Rolls, Edward III: June 1351

Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III: Volume 9, 1349-1354. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1906.

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'Close Rolls, Edward III: June 1351', in Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III: Volume 9, 1349-1354, (London, 1906) pp. 382. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-close-rolls/edw3/vol9/p382 [accessed 28 March 2024]

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June 1351

June 21.
The Tower.
To the sheriffs of London. Order to cause proclamation to be made that no exchange or sale of money of gold or silver shall be made in cities, boroughs or other places except by those whom the king will appoint for this, upon pain of forfeiture of the money thus changed or sold, and imprisonment of the vendors, changers or buyers at pleasure, without mainprise; and if any are found selling or buying money other than the king's changers or their deputies, the sheriffs or the king's changers or their deputies shall arrest them and keep them in prison without mainprise until further order; and they shall take into the king's hand all the money thus changed and sold, as forfeit, the third part to go to the informer and two thirds to the king, and they shall be delivered to the changers or their deputies by indenture to answer the king; and whenever there is suspicion that any one has acted contrary to the proclamation and cannot be discovered, the sheriffs shall take an inquisition upon the matter when warned by the changers or their deputies or others on the king's behalf. The king orders the sheriffs to be attendant upon the performance of this duty at their peril; and they shall take all whom they find guilty by such enquiry and shall keep them in prison in the form aforesaid; and they shall cause proclamation to be made that no one shall take any gold or silver in plate or money out of the realm, except the king's money of gold and silver newly made, upon pain of forfeiture and imprisonment at the king's pleasure; as several merchants and others, because the king's moneys of gold and silver are so strong and of less price than any other money in other realms according to the value, have taken the king's money out of the realm as bullion, so that little of it remains in the realm, to the great damage of the king and his people. The king has ordained that new money of gold shall be made of the same value and imprint as before, and also a new money of silver, to wit, a money called a groat of the value of four sterlings, a half groat of the value of two sterlings, which the king wishes to have currency henceforth in England with his money of sterlings, 'maille' and 'ferlyng,' and that no one shall refuse any of the said money for the price ordained—noble at half a mark, half-noble at 3s. 4d., ferling at 20d.—for any manner of old payment or contract, upon pain of forfeiture; and as the said moneys have been counterfeited, clipped and debased in divers ways, and taken out of the realm by Lombards and others, the king has ordained that the exchanges of money shall remain with him. French.
[Fœdera.]
The like to the following, to wit:—
The sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk. [Ibid.]
To the sheriff of Lincoln. Order to cause the said things to be proclaimed, and that all men shall receive the king's money in all manner of payment, and that no one shall refuse it upon pain of forfeiture. French. [Ibid.]