The popular history of England; an illustrated history of society and government from the earliest period to our own times . cter. In the rush of war he was eminently braveand daring. In peace, the same energy became wild licentiousness. Hisexpenses were unbounded. He gave away the forfeited possessions of hisenemies with a rash liberality, and he resorted to very dangerous devices forthe supply of his own extravagance. In 1464 king Edward changed thecoin of England, by which he had great getting; and the contemporary\vriter, giving the value of this new coin, adds, to the great harm of thecom
The popular history of England; an illustrated history of society and government from the earliest period to our own times . cter. In the rush of war he was eminently braveand daring. In peace, the same energy became wild licentiousness. Hisexpenses were unbounded. He gave away the forfeited possessions of hisenemies with a rash liberality, and he resorted to very dangerous devices forthe supply of his own extravagance. In 1464 king Edward changed thecoin of England, by which he had great getting; and the contemporary\vriter, giving the value of this new coin, adds, to the great harm of thecommon people. J Another contemporary says that the gold and silver * Paston Letters, letter ccxxx. , , ^ , r a. _:.i t The affairs of Scotland, in connection with those of England, have not been of materuU importance since the release of James I., in 1424. The two kingdoms were m a state ol occasional border warfare, with long truces. Towards the close of the reign of Edward IV., Wie relations of the two countries assume a greater degree of interest. + Warkworths Coronicle, p. 4. 154 PEACE—DEBASEMENT OF THE COIX. [1464. money was changed and coined anew, that the name of Henry might heobliterated* It appears from Warkworths brief and obscure account thaithe old noble, which passed for six shillings and eightpence, was now called arial and commanded to pass for ten shillings. This was not literally true, butwas true in principle. Edward issued two new gold coins called angels andaagelets, which were to be substituted for the noble and half noble. Thenoble of Henry IV. contained 108 grains of gold; the angel of Edward IV. contained only 80 grains. ButHenry IV. had himself depre-ciated his noble from 120 grainsto 108 ; so that the angel of Ed-ward IV. was current for two-thirds more than its intrinsicvalue at the beginning of thecentury. Unquestionably theserobberies of the public for theADgei of Edward IV. benefit of the royal treasury were to the great harm of the com-mon people
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