GOLD MINING IN SCOTLAND in the late 16th Century and early 17th Century

摘要

This is a study of letters dealing with gold mining in Scotland over a 50 year period from the early 1580s. These are available principally from the originals reprinted in 1878 in Early Records of Mining in Scotland, and indicate the apparent scarcity of gold in the area and the difficulties encountered in endeavours to locate the gold in veins which, so far, have never been shown to exist.The earliest recorded reference to gold in Scotland appears to be in 1583 when a contract for 21 years was granted to a Frenchman, Eustachius Roche, permitting him to search anywhere for minerals, using timber from the Royal forests and such coals and peats as necessary, on condition of payment of 7 oz per 100 oz of gold and 10 oz per 100 oz of all other metals. The gold and silver was to be brought to the Cunyie (Coining) House in Edinburgh at a rate of pound 22 Scots per ounce for fine gold and 40 shillings Scots per ounce for silver. All others were forbidden to work minerals without special licence from Roche. Mines belonging to the Earl of Arran were, however, specially exempted from Roche's contract.