INTRODUCTION

xlvii

clamation on the narrative, 1 Fomsmuch as there hath been
of late imported into this kingdom great numbers of those
dollars commonly called leg dollars Haveing the impression
of a man in armes raith onc leg and a shield covering
the other leg which does usually pass at the rate of
58s. Scots money, and seeing that upon tryall of the intrinsick
worth and value thereof they are found to fall short of the
foresaid rate, and that in the United Provinces where the
forsaid dollars are coyned, the passe only at the rate of
crosse dollars, Therupon the King's Mtie with advice of his
P.Cs. doth declare that (the rex or bank dollars now passing
at 58s. Scotts) the true and just value at which the forsaids
legs dollars ought to passe and be current in this kingdome
is 568. Scotts money.

Thus we get the authorised value of these dollars at the
period of Lauder's accounts. The accounts themSelves show
that the current value varied indefinitely, and is sometimes
different in two consecutive items.l

Charles Il. struck four merk-pieces at the issue value of
53s. 4d. Scots in two issues, the first in 1664, the second in
1675-1682. The second, and only the second issue, came
at some later but unknown period to be known to numis-
matists as dollars. But I do not think there is any reason
to suppose that Lauder called those pieces dollars. The
accounts are in the period of the first issue, and Lauder's
dollar w as of higher value. Probably his dollars were all
foreign coins, generally rex dollars, as he often calls them.
\Vhen they are leg dollars, he appears always so to dis-
tinguish them.

1 With regard to the etymology of ` leg,' \f r. Hallen in his introduction
to the Accorrad Boo~ of Sir Johr: ~~ulis oJ Raz~tlstorr (S.H.S.), p. xxxiii, gives
some strong and perhaps convincing reasons in favour of Liége, But the
descriptions in the Proclamation above quoted, and the fact that Lauder some-
times calls them legged,' seem to show that the popular etymology in Scotland
was the man's leg on the coin.