Gold and Silver Act 1488
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1488 c. 2 |
| Year | 1488 |
(4 Hen. 7) C A P. II.
'ITEM, Whereas it was of old Time used, and continued till now of late Years, that there was for the Weal of the King and the Realm, Finers and Parters of Gold and Silver by Fire and Water, under a Rule and Order belonging unto the Mints ofLondon, Calais, Canterbury, York , and Durham , and in other Places where Mints been holden, and at the Goldsmiths Hall in London , to fine and part all Gold and Silver belonging and needful for the said Mints and Fellowship of Goldsmiths, for the Amendment of Money and Plate of the Realm, that every Thing might be reformed to the right Standard, as well in Money as Plate, to the least Cost, for the Weal of the King's Noblemen of the Land, and common People: (2) But so it is now, that such Finers and Parters of Gold and Silver by Fire and Water, dwelling Abroad in every Place of this Realm out of the Rules aforesaid, and buy gilt Silver from the Mints, Changes, and Goldsmiths, and part and fine it as is aforesaid, and for the most Part of the Silver so fined, they do allay it in divers Manners, and sell it at their Pleasures to every Man of what Estate or Degree soever he be, that will buy of them, to make such Works as pleaseth the Buyers; (3) therefore Men can get no fine Silver when they need it for their Money, for the Amendment of Money and Plate, as hath been in Times past; wherefore it causeth Money and Plate in divers Places of the Realm to be made worse in Fineness than it should be, as it appeareth evidently in divers Places, to the great Hurt of the King's Noblemen of the Land, and common People:' (4) Wherefore the King our SovereignLord, by the Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and of the Commons, in the said Parliament assembled, and by Authority of the same, hath ordained, enacted, and established, That no Finer of Gold and Silver, nor Parter of the same by Fire or Water, from henceforth allay any fine Silver or Gold, ne none sell in any other wise, ne to any Person or Persons, but only to the Officers of Mints, Changes, and Goldsmiths within this Realm, for Augmentation and amending of Coin and Plate, as is aforesaid; (5) and that the Masters of Mints, Changes, and Goldsmiths, for all such fine Gold or Silver coming to them, to answer the Value as it is worth, according as it is now and hath been in...
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