Holograph memorandum on the coins current in Dunkirk and how to establish the rate of exchange

Normalised TextCatalogue Entry

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That all sorts of money are current at Dunkirk {illeg}but under such values as are put upon them by the French.

That the old French Ecus & Lewidor's are called in lately called in & recoined into new Crowns & Lewidors of the of 5 Livres & Lewidor's of 20 livres. And These crownspeieces are of the same allay as the former & of the same wt with english Crowns & Guineas abating a few grains for the charge of coinage.

That at present the before the conquest of Lisle by the Dutch the value money was returned {illeg}by the French to Lis Dunkirdk by Lisle & the value of the several coins at Duknkirk was regulated by their value at Lisle in livres & sous & deniers. But since the conquest of Lisle by the Dutch have regulated {illeg} introduced their own way of reccon valuing the several coins by skillings & deniers or Gilders & styvers.

That at present there is no course of exchange by the Merchants of either England or Holland with Dunkink {sic}: but moneys may be returned to An Lisle or Antwerp & carried thence in specie up the Lys to Dunkirk at a small charge.

That if moneys be returned to Antwerp or Lisle & {illeg} by under the denomination of Guilders & Styvers & carried thence to LisleDunkirk & paid there to her Majts forces under the same according to the value put upon the several species of moneys at Antwerp or Lisle, recconing {illeg}10 Guilders 15 styvers to a pound English, there will need no new authority for paying her Majts forces at Dunkirk. And this method may be continued till a better can be found out setled.

That when a tr forreign Bullion may be bought in England or Hoor Holland & sent to Dunkirk to be coined into French crowns & Lewid'ors [& paid to her Majts forces rec{illeg}coning an ounce troy of such French silver moneys at 5s 3d12 English or thereabouts. But what proportion a French crown bears to an ounce Troy I do not yet know.a French crown at 11212d more then its intrinsick value or thereabouts
    That when ever the course of exchange shall be open wth France its proble {sic} that Exchanges will be made in new French crowns of five liverspieces as they were formerly in Ecus. But] or& French money may be perhaps bought by the Merchants inat Lisle Antwerp Gent Bruges &c & sent hence to Dunkirk or here{illeg}after {illeg}& hereafter in atthe trading cities of France & sent t{illeg}hence to Dunkirk & her Maties forces paid there in French money recconing this money at about two or three per cent more then the intrinsic value. T And this will require a new Privy Seale for Mr Bidges {sic}. But before it will be requisite first to examine a pound weight or twoknow the intrinsic value of the new French silver money for finding the intrinsick value by weight & assay. And it by weighing & assaying a pound wt or two of the French silver moneys & some pieces of the gold.

That the money of Holland & Flanders is valued higher at Lisle & Antwerp in proportion to French money then at Dunkirk & thereby there will be some loss in carrying such money to Dunkirk. And it would be more profitable to buy up French money in Hollandcontract wth the Merchants tonew French money in not yet to be had there in quantity in Holl. & {sic} & Flanders if it can be had there in quantity & sent that to Dunkirk. if it can be had there in quantity. AlsoBut forreign Bullion may be bought of the Merchants & sent to Dunki{illeg}rk to be coined., And in either of those cases, or if the forces at Dunkirk may be paid in French money& paid to the forces at Dunkirk reconning a new French crown at about two or three per cent above its intrinsic value in English money or perhaps at {illeg}5s English & a new liver at 1s. {sic}. But the intrinsic value {illeg}of that money must be first known. For wch end it may be convenient to examin a pound wt or two of new French crowns & some pieces of their new Lewidors.

And I do not yet see but that a new French Crown may be paid for 5s a new Lewis d'or for 20s & a French Livre in all sorts of French money for a shilling