The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal ... - IndianCoins.org

112 HENRY SYMONDS.George Tyson, sinker of the irons, 20, and after hisdecease to William his son if adjudged to be of good behaviourand sufficient.Henry Gesborne als Mattice, smith, 10.John Joye, porter, 10.The parson of the chapel within the Tower (S* Peter adVincula) for his tithes, 13 8 4 d . The sexton of the samechapel, 4 8 .For the diet of the officers duringthe time of theiremployment in the service, 138 13 8 4 d .(Pat. roll, 43 Eliz., part 16.)The master-worker is not included in the foregoingschedule as his remuneration was based on the amountof the output from the mint. This record of thepersons who were concerned inthe preparation of theIrish coins adds nine holders of offices to Ruding'slist of those employed at the Tower during Elizabeth'sreign.A few general comments may be made on the fruitsof the indenture.The coins of both metals are withoutthe Queen's portrait, and it is perhaps significantthat the East India testons of sterling silver, whichwere ordered in the preceding month, also exhibit thesame peculiarity. "Were it not for the fact that thenew English coinage of the following July reproducedthe royal effigy as usual, I should be inclined to thinkthat the Queen in her old age preferredto omit aportrait. There must, therefore, be another explanationof this departure from the type of the first and secondIrish coinages. If the indenture weights of the silvercoins struck by Martin and his son are compared withthose of the debased pieces ordered in1558-9,it willbe seen that the shilling of the third issue [PI. VII. 5]was very much lighter than the same denomination atthe beginning of the reign, namely 92|f grains asagainst 144 grains.Thus not only was the fine silver