’Tis True, in _Holland_ and elsewhere, they have a base Under-Money, and there is not an Ounce of Silver, perhaps, in as many Stivers or Schillings, as are Equivalent to Ten Shillings in our Money. But if in _Holland_, you can exchange so many of them, as have not an Ounce of pure Silver in ’em, for as much of their better Coin, as contains two or three Ounces of good Silver, then doubtless you can buy as good Commodities for those, as you can proportionably for their better Money; as here you might formerly have bought as much Pack-Thread for 48 Tin Farthings as for a Silver Shilling; the Reason is, because there was a recourse; and base Money will have a proportionable Value to Good, in that place where it can be changed into Good; but that’s a very different thing, from debasing the whole _Species_ of Money throughout the Nation, so that a Man shall be forc’d always to take Under-Money, without any prospect of remedy. I have nothing to say against an inferior sort of Money; a _Verna Nummus_, provided there be a _Regina Pecunia_ too; and it is indeed a dishonouring him, whose Image and Superscription our Money bears, if we shall make use of our Money to cover over a Fraud; it is a respect we owe to the King, not to suffer his Impress upon any thing but what is really Valuable; and it is for the Nation’s Honour that the vilest of our Coin hath a real Value; but if the Wisdom of the _Parliament_ shou’d think otherwise, yet there is a vast Difference between having the under-Money, and all the Money of the Nation of an Imaginary Value. The Arguments that may be made use of against such an imaginary Valuation of Money, are perhaps invincible, and almost innumerable; but were there no other but this, I think it might be sufficient without any more; considering our present Case. We must have an Army in _Flanders_ or a War in _England_. I would I had nothing to do but to make out that. How must we pay this Army? The Royal Bank of _England_, ’tis said, have established there a _Mint_ for Coining of Money to pay the Army; I desire then to know if they will be contented to receive here an undervalued Money, and pay there our Army in Money which the _Flemmings_ will take; If they do, the Cap lies between the _Flemmings_ and them, I wo’nt award till I know more. I rather think that the _Hollanders_ and _Flemmings_ will raise their Money proportionably to what we raise ours, and then in all Respects we are just as we were, till we rise higher than they, and then they higher than we; which will beget perpetual Wranglings and Wars in Trade. I thought now to have done with this Article, but can’t omit one thing.