Ruding, in his _Annals of the Coinage_, iv. 9., furnishes a precedent for the omission of the words DEI GRATIA from the coinage, in the case of the Irish half-pence and farthings coined at the Tower in 1736-7. And he supplies, also, a precedent for the dissatisfaction with which their omission from the new florin has been received, in the shape of two epigrams written at that time, for which he is indebted (as what writer upon any point of English literature and history is not) to Sylvanus Urban. The first (from the _Gentlemen's Magazine_ for June, 1837) is as follows:-- "No Christian kings that I can find, However match'd or odd, Excepting ours have ever coin'd Without the _grace of God_. "By this acknowledgment they show The mighty King of Kings, As him from whom their riches flow, From whom their grandeur springs. "Come, then, Urania, aid my pen, The latent cause assign,-- All other kings are mortal men, But GEORGE, 'tis plain, 's divine." The next month produced this address:-- _To the Author of the Epigram on the new Irish Halfpence._ "While you behold th' imperfect coin Receiv'd without the _grace of God_, All honest men with you must join, And even Britons think it odd. The _grace of God_ was well left out, And I applaud the politician; For when an evil's done, no doubt, 'Tis not by _God's grace_, but permission." _Grace's Card, the Six of Hearts._ As a note to the communications which have lately amused your readers, respecting the nine of diamonds, and the curse of Scotland, allow me to remind you of another card which has a peculiar name, the origin of which is better ascertained. At the Revolution of 1688, one of the family of Grace, of Courtstown in Ireland, raised and equipped a regiment of foot and a troop of horse, at his own expense, for the service of King James, whom he further assisted with money and plate, amounting, it is said, to 14,000_l_. He was tempted with splendid promises of royal favour, to join the party of King William. A written proposal to that effect was sent to him by one of the Duke of Schomberg's emissaries. Indignant at the insulting proposal, the Baron of Courtstown seized a card, which was accidentally lying near him, and wrote upon it this answer: "Go, tell your master, I despise his offer! Tell him that honour and conscience are dearer to a gentleman than all the wealth and titles a prince can bestow!" The card happened to be the "six of hearts," and to this day that card is generally known by the name of "Grace's card," in the city of Kilkenny. I derive these particulars principally from the _Memoirs of the Family of Grace_, by Sheffield Grace, Esq. 4to. London, 1823, p. 42. W.L. _Florins._ The following extract from the Issue Roll of Easter I Edward III. 1327, may interest the inquirers into the antiquity of the FLORIN, lately introduced into our coinage:--