The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

164 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
of the tokens, but it might be remaining over the bridge,
built in the fourteenth century when Rawlins engraved
his dies, as there is one still preserved on the top of Hadley
Church, near Barnet, the shape of which is very similar to
the one shown in the engraving of the Bideford farthing.
(See Plate VII. No. 2.) It is singular that this farthing
town- piece is quite as large, and somewhat heavier, than the
halfpenny town-piece issued in 1670, or eleven years later.
The farthing weighs If dwt., or 42 grains, the halfpenny
authorities were
four grains less. Evidently the Corporate
dissatisfied with the small profits arising from the earlier
issue.
I have been favoured by Mr. S. Shaw, of Andover, with
the following curious extracts from the Corporation
records of Henley-on-Thames, by which it will be seen
there must have been a large profit accruing from the
issue of town-pieces in those
"
days. 1669, May 13. The
farthings and halfpence made of late years by several
inhabitants of Henley, ordered to be cried down, and the
"Wardens to procure a stamp for the Corporation like that
on the Borough Seal, and procure to be immediately
stamped as many farthings and halfpence of copper as can
be bought with 7 10s. Od. of silver." "
1670, April 8,
the stamps for the tokens delivered to the Churchwardens
to be put into the Vestry with the Town Seal. The stamps
(dies) for the farthings cost 10s."
"
1671, Jany. 26. Mr.
W. Bridgman received the profits of 21 Ibs. of farthings
and 44 Ibs. of halfpence, viz. 46 Os. Od., which was laid
out in repairing the bridge." The weight of these two
town-pieces is 14 grains for the farthing, or exactly a
third of the large honest Bideford one, and 18 grains the
halfpenny.
The Moretonhampstead town-piece (see Boyne, page 55,