“We found also that thirty and two old half-pence coined for Ireland in the reigns of King Charles 2d., King James 2d., and King William 3d. and Queen Mary, and produced by Mr. Wood, weighed six ounces and eight pennyweight Troy, that is, one hundred and three grains and a half apiece one with another.  They were much worn, and if about six or seven grains be allowed to each of them one with another for loss of their weight by wearing, the copper-money coined for England, in the reign of King William being already as much lightened by wearing, they might at first weigh about half a pound avoirdupois; whereas only thirty of those coined by Mr. Wood are to be of that.  They were also made of bad copper, two of those coined in the reign of King Charles II. wasted much in the fire, and then spread thin under the hammer, but not so well without cracking as those of Mr. Wood.  Two of those coined in the reign of King James II. wasted much more in the fire, and were not malleable when red hot.  Two of those coined in the reign of King William and Queen Mary wasted still more in the fire, and turned to an unmalleable substance like a cinder, as your Lordships may see the pieces now laid before you.

“By the assays we reckon the copper of Mr. Wood’s halfpence and farthings to be of the same goodness and value with the copper of which the copper money is coined in the King’s Mint for England; or worth in the market about twelve or thirteen pence per pound weight avoirdupois; and the copper of which the half-pence were coined for Ireland in the reigns of King Charles, King James, and King William, to be much inferior in value, the mixture being unknown, and not bearing the fire for converting it to any other use until it be refined.

“The half-pence and farthings in the pix coined by Mr. Wood had on one side the head of the King, with this inscription GEORGIUS DEI GRATIA REX:  And on the other side, a woman sitting with a harp by her left side, and above her the inscription HIBERNIA with the date.  The half-pence coined in the reigns of King Charles, King James, and King William, had on one side the head of King Charles, King James, or King William and Queen Mary, and on the reverse a harp crowned.

“All which facts we most humbly represent to your Lordships.  April 27, 1724.”

APPENDIX III

TOM PUNSIBI’S DREAM[1]

[Greek:  “A ghar proseidon nukthi taeoe phasmata
Disson oneiron, tauta moi——­
Ehi men pephaenen esthlha, dus telesphora,
Eid echthra, tois echthroisin empalin methes
Kai mae me plete te paront ei tines
Doloisi beleueoin ekbalein, ephaes.”]

Soph, Elec. [644-649].