The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

208 HENRY SYMONDS.
by Giles Evenet, the graver. This artist produced,
however, an excellent Lombardic alphabet, devised the
WS mint-mark, and inserted some variations in the
legend. The monogram W S is now generally ac-
cepted as being the initials of William Sharington,
the under-treasurer of the mint at the time of its
inception.
The Account already cited, 302/30, records that in
August and September, 1546, Sharington struck 3,657
pounds Troy of harp-groats for the realm of Ireland.
Without doubt the coins then made are those dated
38 and marked with the initials of the under-treasurer
(Handbook, p. 229, no. 57) [PL IX. 7].
It may be noted
that the document does not use the phrase " sixpence
Irish ". There also exists a similar groat with the
same mark, but undated, which may have been issued
subsequently to the period covered by the last-mentioned
account, as there is then a chasm in the mint papers
extending over twelve months. No Irish currency was
struck at Bristol after Thomas Chamberlain assumed
control in January, 1548-9, in the place of Sharington
dismissed. A fuller narrative of the occurrences at
this mint will be found in Num. Chron., 4 S. xi. 346.
One other memorandum in the Irish State Papers
deserves notice, inasmuch as it points to a decision to
set up
a mint in Ireland in the immediate future.
Apparently the King had at last been persuaded by
the Lord-Deputy that the scheme would be remunera-
tive, and he assents to a proposal that both gold and
silver should be struck in that island.
In 1546 (? 24 Sept.) articles concerning a mint and
the mines in Ireland were presented to Henry.
" For
the mint, the King's Majesty to have the profit, with