Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/307

ON THE ASSAY MARKS ON GOLD AND SILVER PLATE. 231 ON THE ASSAY MARKS ON GOLD AND SILVER PLATK' Having brouglit down to the present time the general history of the Assay and the Assay marks, the next division of the subject comprises — - A sliort Abstract of the Statutes by which the gold- siniths, their works, the Assay, and these marks have been regulated. As these Statutes contain much curious matter, I recom- mend a perusal of them by those who take an interest in the subject ; they will find them at length in the Statutes at Large. The original early Statutes wei-e in Norman French, and where I have considered the original French words important or interesting, I have given them. The abstract, however, I have confined as briefly and as nearly as I can to the particular subject. The first Statute on record is — ■ a.d. 1300, 28th Edward L, cap. 20. — Ordains that no goldsmith should make any article of gold or silver unless it be of good and true alloy, /. e. gold of the standard of the Touch of Paris (Tuche de Parys), and silver of the sterling allo}^ of the coin, or better, (argent del alloy de le esterling, ou de mcilleur). That all articles should be assayed by the warden of the craft, and marked with the leopard's head (e q'ele soit signee de une teste de leoimrt). That the wardens (gardiens) should go from shop to shop, (de shope en shope) among the goldsmiths, and assay the gold (assaient) ; and all that they should find of lower standard should be forfeit to the King. That no false stones should be set in gold, and no real stones in base metal. A.D. 1363, 37th Edward III,, cap. 7.— Ordains that no goldsmith witliin the realm should work any gold or silver but of the alloy of good sterling (alloy de bon esterlyng). That such master goldsmith should have a mark of his own, known to those who should be assigned by the King to survey their works and the alloy ; that after the said surveyors had made their Assay (Assay), as oidained by ' Continued from p. 1 10.