One of square shape, issued by Thomas Dedicot, in Bewdley, has the legend, "Square Dealing." A copper token of Worcester, has a brass plug in the centre. A facetious Boniface of Leeds gives us the double-entendre, "Beware the Beare," with his sign of the Bear. To make the catch better, it should be known that in Yorkshire, Beer and Bear, are pronounced alike. The device and motto of the Baron Bradwardine is consequently older than the time of the author of Waverley. Roger Dickinson, of Robin Hood's Bay, affects a heart-shaped token, on which are represented the popular heroes, Robin Hood and Little John: Little John is represented half the size of Robin Hood, instead of being considerably taller, not knowing he was so nick-named from his gigantic stature. There are other tokens of octagon and diamond shape.
The Welsh tokens are generally of very good execution: the halfpenny of Edward Lloyd, of Kidwelly, is very neat; a few of Carnarvon are small, and issued at one penny, of a similar character to those of Ireland, which I have next to mention.
The Irish tokens are of a different character to those of England and Wales, being generally small, issued at one penny, and the issuer styling himself Marchant. The penny token of John Whittle, of Kilkenny, 1656, has the Arms of the Commonwealth on it; the only instance that I know of: the King's Arms are plentiful enough.
Besides the list of towns given by Lindsay in his "View of the Coinage of Ireland, 1839," I can add from my collection, Ballinasloe, Downpatrick, Loughrea, Mount-Mellick, Navan and Roscommon, besides many varieties of the towns Mr. Lindsay has published.
The circulation of these tokens was forbidden under severe penalties in 1673, but in Ireland they were continued partially to near the close of the 18th century, when another general issue of tokens throughout Great Britain was allowed by Government, owing to the great scarcity of small money. The tokens of this period are of an entirely different size and character to those of the preceding century. Wm. Boyne.
Leeds, Feb. 1852.
Lithography.—Some years ago, letters and papers of William Combe, the well known author of "Dr. Syntax," came into my possession, and with them a paper, of which the following is a copy:—