name frequently found in the ancient histories of Ireland, and used to express a sort of base money which was current in that kingdom in the early part of the reign of Edward I., that is, about the year 1272. There were, besides the eagles, lionines, rosades, and many other coins of the same sort, named according to the figures they were impressed with.

The current coin of the kingdom at that time was a composition of copper and silver, in determinate proportions; but these were so much inferior to the standard proportion of that time, that they were not intrinsically worth half so much as the others. They were imported from France and other foreign countries. When Edward had been a few years established on the throne, he set up mints in Ireland for coining good money, and then decreed the use of eagles, and other kinds of base coin, making it death, with confiscation of effects, to import any more of them into the kingdom.