Dublin, March 5th, 1852.
SIR,--I was much pleased with the observations which appeared in
the last number of your Current Notes, (p. 11) by your intelligent
Correspondent, Mr. Boyne of Leeds, respecting the tokens issued by
tradesmen in the seventeenth century. But as he states that the only
instance with which he is acquainted of one bearing the Arms of the
Commonwealth is that which you have engraved to illustrate his paper,
it is evident that Mr. Boyne cannot have seen Dr. Aquilla Smith's
Catalogue of the Tradesmen's Tokens current in Ireland between the
years 1637 and 1679 which was printed in 1849 in the 2nd part of the
4th volume (8vo.) of the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, for
on the very same page in which John Whittle's issue is enumerated, a
token for the County of Kerry issued by T. S. is mentioned as bearing
"_The Commonwealth Arms_." From my own collection I can give another
instance, inscribed on both sides A. CORKE. FARTHING.
The list of Irish Tokens formed by Lindsay in 1839 amounts to only
195; while that published ten years afterwards by Dr. Smith extends to
552;--and I would respectfully call Mr. Boyne's attention to it.
Your very humble servant,
K. L.
Southwick, near Oundle,
Feb. 27th, 1852.
SIR,--Finding by Mr. Boyne's communication in your Current Notes,
that Tradesmen's Tokens are worth collecting, I beg to send for your
acceptance five dug up in my own gardens. You may make what use you
please of them.
Yours truly,
T. R. BROWN.
IOHN. EATON. OUNDLE (_dug up in my garden at Southwick
by myself._)
IAMES MEAD, 1667 (an Angel) IN TENTARDEN. HIS HALFPENY.
IOHN COVITER (Coat of Arms) GROCER. IN. WYE, 1662,
And two German Counters.
_Dug up in my garden at Woodchurch, near Tenterden, Kent, by myself._
G. W. _sincerely thanks his Correspondent, and with his permission will
consider these tokens at Mr. Boyne's service should he wish for them._
SIR,--Mr. William Boyne, in your "Current Notes" for February, asks
any of your readers to inform him if there were any Tradesmen's Tokens
of Scotland issued during the seventeenth century. I find in a small
collection of Tokens I possess, an Edinburgh and Glasgow halfpenny,
dates 1791 and 1793, proving there were some during the eighteenth
century, though I have never met with any of an earlier date.
Yours, &c.
M. A. M.
March 12, 1852.
THE HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE.--T. M. considers the
Rev. Dr. Hume's "attack" upon him ("Current Notes," for February,
p. 10) to be "most unfair and uncalled for." He, however, admits
the accuracy of Dr. Hume's statement, and withdraws his charge of
the unacknowledged appropriation of his communication, although he
questions the Rev. Gentleman's taste or temper in accusing him of want
of patience or civility. "My copy," writes T. M. "does not contain
the pages which were forwarded to you by Dr. Hume, and you have sent
on to me. How, therefore, could I overlook pages which do not exist
in my copy? Now, suppose no such pipe ever existed, but in the fumes
of my brain (for I sometimes have strange fancies), and that I, in a
hoaxing humour, transferred it to paper, and transmitted it to you.
I say, again, suppose that no such inn ever existed at Fulham as the
Golden Lion--would not I have an everlasting laugh at the learned
Doctor Hume, and the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, and
"Willis's Current Notes?" And would it not make as good a story as
Bishop Heber's, or James Smith's hoaxes upon the venerable 'Gentleman's
Magazine,' or Dr. Maginn's Correspondence with the trusty 'Times;' or
Hook's political information to the 'Morning Post;' or the recent Roman
Bridge affair, and Lord Goring's cobbler's bill, about his corns, in
the York papers? Look to this, Mr. Willis; and don't encourage men to
try and defend themselves at the expense of your Correspondent."