A person who
tenders coin, knowing it to be false, shall spend six months in
prison and acquire sureties for good behavior for the next six
months. If he offends again, he shall spend two years in prison
and acquire sureties for good behavior for the next two years. The
third offense is felony without benefit of clergy.
In 1773, makers, aiders, or possessors of any frame, mould, or
instrument for forging paper notes of the Bank of England and
putting this identification thereon is felony for which one shall
suffer death without benefit of clergy. Anyone who forges
promissory notes, bills of exchange, or inland bills of the Bank
of England by engraving or etching on metal or wood "Bank of
England" or "Bank Post Bill" shall go to gaol for up to six
months.
Anyone selling gold or silver ware, vessel, plate or other item
large enough to be marked which has not been marked by its maker
shall forfeit 10 pounds or be kept at hard labor up to six months.
Anyone counterfeiting such mark shall forfeit 100 pounds. Later,
vendors of these items were required to be licensed and the
penalty for counterfeiting was raised to felony for which one
shall suffer death without benefit of clergy. Later still,
transportation for fourteen years was allowed as an alternative.
If an item was not all silver, e.g. had metal underneath, 100
pounds was to be forfeited.
In 1769, receivers of stolen jewels and gold and silver plate and
watches knowing them to be stolen, in cases of burglary and
highway robbery, may be transported for 14 years.
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