New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-22


revenue. Thus Winchester came to be mainly
convenient place for the transfer OF bullion, re-
gala and plate by way of Southampton and other
ports to the Continent These changes led gradu-
ally to reorganization in which the official aspect
of the system became prominent and the perna-
nent headquarters were from that time at west
minister. Such was the neglect Of Winchester for
a time that the buildings fell into decay, and 1t
was even necessary to clean the rust of the
Treasury swords when quantity OF coin was
deposited there in 1887. The fact that receipts
of revenue were counted at Westminster is TO he
associated with the other fact that this treasury
became the repository for bullion, while the long
residence of the Court at Winchester, owing to
its nearness to Southampton and hence to Nor
mandy, made that capital the most suitable place
for bestOwine tie regaia and jewels. After
ward, when the work of the Exchequer was all
done at Westminster, the regalia, plate and Jewels
were still kept by themselves in what was known
as the Treasury Of the Wardrobe. The distinction
is brought out plainly by the robbery in lSo2-oS'
At that time Edward /. bent on the conquest
of Scotland, had taken up his residence al iorR
and to that city had been removed the Exchequer
and the Treasury of the Receipt with the chests
containing the coined money and the records. bu'
the contents of the Treasury of the Wardrobe
custody of the monks of Westminster. There Is
still, apparently, some ground for argument as
to the direct guilt of the Abbey authorities but
unless they had been cupably remiss IN their
duty. 1t would have been impossible for man
like Richard de Podelcote apparently we'll known
as desperate character, to frequent the Enclosure
of the abbey for months. cut an opening through
the masonry and carry away gold and sllverware
and Jewels in such quantities that it was prac-
tically impossible TO conceal the booty. SILVER
cups and dishes, ornaments Of gold. and precious
stones were picked up at the foot OF the palace
and abbey walls. and even the fishermen OF Batter
sea found silver plate in their nets. Inc most
valuable things were sold for few pence. ana
the subjects whose money for the last ten years
had hem squeezed from them by royal eXactions
now got il back with interest" After this re-
markable crime. it soon decided TO make
a more secure place for plate and regalia. What
was called the Jewel-house. was erected at the
southwestern angle of the palace. But the great
treasure-house within the coister was still the
chief repository of coined money and records. and
in it were the Kings crowns. four in number. and
the other .regalia with many valuable Jewels
There were also the treasury Of the Receipt OF
the Excheauer. a receptacle over the little gate
,housc of the new palace, and another in the refec
tory of the Abbey. But before the close Of Eliz-
abeths reign the jewcl-houSe in the Tower became
the official place for the regaa. and the historic
Jewels of the Crown. After the sixteenth CEN
Jury, the treasures at Westminster were chiefly
used as repositories for records the one in the
cloister having its main interest in the diplomatic
records kept there.
But tie most interesting question elucldated by
Mr.. Hall is, how an accurate account was kept OF
all moneys received. at time when the modern
system of figures was unknown. and when even
the most intelligent county sheriff. and often many
employees of the ExcheQuer itself were unable ~
read. In the first place. if a sheriff paid in adj
vance where was his voucher? To meet this re-
quirement narrow shafts Of some hard wood were
used. at first eight nine inches long. but in
process of time heightened as the revenue increased
until those used at the beginning OF tn, present
century are described as having the size and ap-
pearance of South Sea Islanders wooden sword
When the sheriff paid his money, one of those
shafts was notched to represent the exact sum.
Toward the thick end of the shaft long. deep
notch was cut in which man might lay the
palm of his hand. This meant Ct 900. notch
as wide as the thumb represented 81 90; notch
the size of the little finger geo notch that would
hold a barleycorn 81. Shings and pence were
notched out the opposite side of the shaft Then
the shaft was split down the middle so that all
the notches were shown on each half. One OF
these pieces the sheriff carried away with him.
The other remained at the Exchequer. All that had
to be done afterward was to put the pieces to-
gether If the sheriff had simply expended
money in the service of the King, then he had
to produce the writ under which he acted and
perhaps TO prove he had carried out the CON-
mand, and the writ was tested by the mandate
kept at the Exchequer authorizing the eXpcn-
diture. II is easy to that these processes, as
we'll as other complications too numerous to men
ton here, while they simplfed the work of the
sheriff, only increased the difficulties at the
Exchequer These difficulties were enhanced by
the fact that in the most famous times of the
Exchequer the only coin in general use was the
silver penny. Pounds shillings and marks
whether of gold silver were merely names for
things that practically did not exist. Counters
were used TO represent sums that would have
been unmanageable in the form of pennies and
these counters were the deprecated sOdi OF
the Eastern Empire, Byzantines popularity known
as besants, and the gold and silver obou. At
later time Venetian shillings were in use. Great
size was the particular point in counter, though
it was also reckOned at specific fixed value
But at the very door of the Exchequer was met
a serious problem which no skill in counting
could obviate In simpler times it easy to
reckon 240 pence to the pound, but il was soon
found that the quality of the currency was too
low for receipt by tale. Then all payments were
tested by the Exchequer scale, sixpence in every
pound being exactcd to trim the balance" This
reform also proved inadequate for times when
clipping and sweating were universal practices.
So it was declared that payment must be by
actual weight or by the deduction OF
shilling in the pound. The practice OF
rendering debascd coinage was met by the
assay Of the sum total of the revenue
of the royal farms, and the deficit had to be
borne by the accountant.
Surprising that all these preliminary difficulties
are post then comes the process by which all the