The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

HAVE WE NO IRISH COINS OF EDWARD VI. ? 55
the excessive price to which commodities had risen
quickly risen. The measure of corn that was wont to be
at 2 or 3 shillings, and at Croft's coming at 6s. Sd., is
now at 30s. ; and then he adds quaintly, " The Yrishmen
are in the best case, for he hath least nede of money,
he careth only for his bealy, and that not delicately
We that are stypendaries must live upon our stypends,
and by with our money, which no man estemithe." This,
however, is not all. He tells the Council plainly,
in his
next
"
letter (April 16), the clamour of the poor artificers
who live in towns, and are reduced to extreme hunger by
means of the great scarcity, soundeth continually in my
ears." The occasion of this distress, this extraordinary
rise of prices, makes me suspect that the degradation of
the money was greater now than any known before,
greater than any which any indentures point to.
Again Croft's incessant appeals were listened to by the
King and Council, and the Lord Deputy is told in reply
that " "
Pirri is to be sent to Ireland for the mines and
;
then, in a despatch of June 10th, a Commission is appointed
to him, as under-treasurer of the mint, and to Oliver
Daubeny, controller, William Williams, assay master, to
coin certain moneys for Ireland. (Referred to in the
King's Journal, under the date June 10, 1552.)
Whether anything came out of this Commission or not,
we have no evidence in these notices to prove. The scene
shifts now to the mines, and while it offers no improve-
ment in the prospect, it discloses to our view squabbling
officials, plundering as well as blundering.
The Derbyshire miners sent for by Sentleger appear to have
been replaced, after a few months' trial, by some Germans,
in July, 1551 ; and, passing on to the month of February,
1552, we come upon two notices affecting them and their