The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

216 HENKY SYMONDS.
he began work under this indenture in October, 1550,
and that the cancellation was not effected until after
May, 1551.
I feel no doubt that the coins which can be attri-
buted to the King's bargain with Martin Pirry are
of the same general type as Agard's productions, i. e.
with Henry's portrait, but with other mint-marks.
We have groats and half-groats marked with P, and
the same denominations marked with a harp, but
the pence and halfpence (if struck in 1550-1) do
not exhibit a privy symbol, and therefore cannot be
differentiated from those of the earlier issue [PI. IX. 11].
The three-quarter portrait 011 some pence may separate
them from those with a full-faced bust. The portrait
on the groats marked with a P and the harp is Evans,
no. 5 (op. cit., pi. VI), as on the English groat with the
redde cuique legend ; in this respect the two Irish
groats of 1550 differ from Agard's coinage, which ex-
hibits a portrait akin to Evans, no. 2, but without the
round clasp. The forks of the cross contain a half- rose,
and sometimes an object with three points or branches
which may be intended for a lys.
I would assign both the P and the harp marks to
Pirry's coinage, and it seems not improbable that the
device was changed (after a pyx trial) at the end of
January, 1550-1. On that date the sums due to the
King as poundage are added up, and a new reckoning
reason for
is begun in February, without any apparent
the break in the account [PI. IX. 9, 10].
I have caused the two groats of this coinage to be
was as follows :
assayed, and the report
Mint-mark P, half-rose in forks of cross, 4 oz. 4 dwt.
12 grs. fine.