The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

212 HENRY SYMONDS.
means of attributing to Agard the pieces so marked, as
the family were entitled to use the same symbol as
a charge upon their armorial shield. ^ It so happens
that this is one of the cases in which the original
deed has come down to us, and I found, to my great
satisfaction, that Agard when executing the indenture
had impressed the wax with a clearly denned repre-
sentation of a boar's head. Could any one wish for
better circumstantial evidence (1) that this group of
coins was struck by Agard in 1548, and (2) that
Edward used Henry's portrait and titles for the Irish
coinage ? But there is, alas, a sequel to this discovery.
The indenture was in bad condition, and the seal,
though quite perfect in itself, was attached by a very
fragile tag. The document, with others in the same
bundle, was subsequently repaired and mounted on
parchment, but when I saw it about a year later the
seal was no longer appended. A careful search was
made at the Record Office, but, at present, without
success.
An assay has been made of a Dublin groat marked with
a boar's head, the report on which was "4oz. Odwt. Ogrs.
fine silver in the pound Troy". This result tallies
exactly with the standard prescribed in Agard's agreement,
and is therefore to be welcomed as another link
in the chain [PI. IX. 8].
On 17 March, 1547-8, the Council directed a payment
of 11 to the assay-master in Ireland, who was to be
sent thither with sundry workmen for " aredyeng the
thinges against the erection of the mynt ". We may
assume that shortly afterwards the operations began.
The names given to the coins struck by Agard seem
to render it expedient that we should adopt a uniform