Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland ..

S68 THE DESCRIPTION OF ENGLAND.
Hailestone, Trurie, and Lostvvithiell. Howbeit, vpon further examination of the matter,
I find it to be nothing so, but an office onlie erected for the prince, vvherin he is allowed the
ordinarie customes of that mettall : and such blocks of tin as haue passed the hands of his
officers, are marked with an especiall stampe, whereby it is knowne that the custome due for
the same hath ordinarilie beene answered. It should seeme (and in my opinion is verie likelie
to be true) that while the Romans reigned here, Kingstone vpon Thames (sometime a right
noble citie and place where the Saxon kings were vsuallie crowned) was the chiefe place of
their coinage for this prouince. For in earing of the ground about that towne in times past,
and now of late (besides the curious foundation of manie goodlie buildings that haue beene
ripped vp by plowes, and diuerse coines of brasse, siluer, and gold, with Romane letters in
painted pots found there) in the dales of cardinall Woolseie, one such huge pot \vas discouered
full as it were of new siluer latelie coined ; another with plates of siluer readie to be coined ;
and the third with chaines of siluer and such broken stuffe redie (as it should appeere) to be
melted into coinage, whereof let this suffice to countenance out my coniecture. Of coins
currant before the comming of the Romans I haue elsewhere declared, that there were none
at all in Britaine : but as the Ilanders of Scylira, the old Romans, Armenians, Scythians, Seritans,
Sarmatians, Indians, and Essences did barter ware for ware, so the Britons vsed
brasse or rings of iron, brought vnto a certeine proportion, in steed of monie, as the Lacedemonians
& Bisantines also did, & the Achiui (as Homer writeth) who had (saith he) rough
peeces of brasse aud iron in steed of coine, wherewith they purchased their wines.
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