Reading a financial blog I came across this recommendation for dealing with less-than-scrupulous money men - and in this instance I am talking men only…
The text is from the Peterborough Chronicle.
A.D. 1125. In this year sent the King Henry, before Christmas, from Normandy to England, and bade that all the mint-men that were in England should be mutilated in their limbs; that was, that they should lose each of them the right hand, and their testicles beneath. This was because the man that had a pound could not lay out a penny at a market. And the Bishop Roger of Salisbury sent over all England, and bade them all that they should come to Winchester at Christmas. When they came thither, then were they taken one by one, and deprived each of the right hand and the testicles beneath. All this was done within the twelfth-night. And that was all in perfect justice, because that they had undone all the land with the great quantity of base coin that they all bought.
So there you have it. I imagine after that, for a time at least, the production of money was squeaky clean. Now, it is said, the debasement of currency involves just the flick of a switch of a printing press.
