Hall marks on gold & silver plate

MARKS APPOINTED. 73
citye as without, asserting that the same circlets were made of silver
gilt and paid for accordingly. And in like manner for that he had
pledged two cups so bound with circlets of gilded latoune to one
William de Stoke, taiUour, for xxxij. shillings, asserting that the
same were of silver gilt. He was sentenced to stand in the pillory on
several days with the cups hung round his neck.
"In 1376, one Peter Randolfe, a lattener, was charged with ex-
posing for sale two circlets for mazers which were of mixed silver,
and not good or pure, in deceit of the people." He was let off mildly,
however, on promising not to interfere again with the Goldsmiths'
trade.
"In 1376, Edward Bor was attached to make answer to the
mayor and aldermen for that he silvered 240 buttons of latone and
thirty-four circlets of latone for purses called gibesers (gipsieres)
and had maliciously purposed and imagined to sell the same for
pure silver in deceit of the people; whereupon he said that he,
Michael Hakeneye, had given him the said buttons and circlets to
silver." Both were committed to prison in Newgate, the former for
one week, the latter for three weeks.*
The laws which regulated the goldsmiths' trade were rigorously
enforced, and we read (43 Edw. Ill, close rolls, m. 35) that William
de Mulsho and John de Newenham, in 1369, were commanded to examine
by the touch, or by other methods, certain vessels of silver and
belts of gold which William de Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, had
caused to be made by goldsmiths of London of less fineness than
the ordinance required, and to report the assay to the king in
chancery.
MARKS APPOINTED.
A.D. 1379. 2 Richard II, Rolls of Parliament, No. 30. It was
enacted by Parliament that whereas the gold and silver worked by
English goldsmiths was oftentimes less hne than it ought to be, because
the goldsmiths were their own assay ers, from that time every
goldsmith should have his own proper mark upon his work, and that
the assay of touch should belong to the mayors and governors of
cities and boroughs, with the assistance of the Master of the Mint, if
there should be occasion; and that the work should bear the mark of
the city or borough where it was assayed. And also that the king
should assign such persons as be should please to make the said
assay, as well in London as elsewhere, as often as should be necessary;
and- after the assay should be made to stamp the work with
another mark, to be appointed by the king. And it was agreed that
the ordinance should commence from the said feast of St. John, and
continue until the next Parliament, to try whether it would be advan-
tageous or not. Repealed.
* Memorials of the Goldsmiths' Company.