Hall marks on gold & silver plate

88 HALL MARKS ON PLATE.
first two letters of the surname of the maker; the lion's head, erased;
the figure of the woman called Britannia; the Arms of the City
aforesaid; and a variable yearly letter m Roman character.
Sect. 4. Enacts, that each of the said companies shall elect an
able and skilful man, experienced in assaying of gold and silver,
who may detain eight grains per pound troy of silver he shall assay,
four grains whereof shall be put into the diet-box, and the other
four grams shall be allowed him for his waste and spillings in
making the said assays; and appoints the oath he shall take.
Mayor
Sect. 5. Direct that such oath shall be administered by the
of the Cities aforesaid.
with three
Sect. 6. Enacts, that the diet-box shall be locked up
keys, kept by the wardens and assay er, and shall be at the company's
charge conveyed annually (if required by the Lord Chancellor or
Keeper) to the Mint at the Tower of London, and the diet therein
tried as the pix of the coin is tried ; and if any falsehood or deceit
therein, the company shall forfeit ;^50, to be recovered against such
company, or any member thereof in his : private capacity and if
any plate shall be touched, marked, or allowed for good by the
assayer, and any deceit found therein, he shall forfeit double the
value of the plate so marked.
Sect. 7. Enacts, that every goldsmith, silversmith, or plate
worker, inhabiting the cities aforesaid or elsewhere, shall first enter
his name, mark, and abode with the wardens of such company of that
city or place where an assayer is or shall be appointed, which shall
be done without fee. And if such goldsmith shall not enter his
mark, or shall strike any unentered mark on plate, he shall forfeit
double the value thereof. This section is REPEALED.
Sect. 8. Enacts, that if any person shall counterfeit any of the
stamps appointed by this Act to be used by the said wardens or
assayers for marking wrought plate, or any of the stamps used by
the wardens of the Company of Goldsmiths of the City of London,
such person shall for every such offence forfeit the sum of i^SOO, to
be recovered and disposed as aforesaid.
Sect. 9. Recites, that it is not the intent or meaning of this Act
to hinder any goldsmith, silversmith, or plate worker, not inhabiting
within any of the cities aforesaid, from exercising his trade; yet for
preventing of abuse or corruption therein, it enacts that every such
goldsmith, silversmith, or plate worker, shall first fix his mark upon
his plate, and then shall send the same to some city or place where
an assayer is or shall be appointed who shall assay and mark the
same as he is by this Act required to mark the plate of his company,
and he shall be paid towards his charge and trouble in making such
assays a sum not exceeding sixpence per pound troy. And if any
goldsmith, silversmith, or plate worker, sell any such plate before
it shall be assayed and marked, he shall forfeit such plate.*
Nearly all these cities, it will be seen, were chosen for the same
purpose, as early as 2 Henry VI, A.D 1424, but many had probably
* "The Statutes at Large." Vol. IV, page 64.