10s. piece was the Scots 6 l. piece, the crown the Scots 3 l. piece, and so
on.

The unite was so called from the leading idea of union, just as the double
crown had the legend, _Henricus Rosas Regna Jacobus_. As Henry VII. united
the Red and White Roses, James was to unite the two kingdoms. It seems
probable that James intended the unite as a 20s. or pound piece to be the
standard and pivot of the coinage of both countries, as the pound or
sovereign has now become. This enlightened policy, though it had lasting
effects, soon broke down in detail. In England the shilling proved too
strong for the unite, and in Scotland the merk maintained its hold. To
prevent the exportation of gold, the value of the unite of 154 grains[33]
was raised to 22s. in 1612, though the king had himself proposed rather to
lower the weight of silver. That caused confusion, 'on account of the
unaptness for tale' of the gold pieces at their enhanced value, and a
lighter 20s. piece of 140 grains was issued in 1619 for England only, known
as the laurel piece, from the wreath round the king's head. In Scotland the
original unite remained, and was sometimes called the 20 merk piece, to
which value it roughly corresponded. It was repeated in the coinage of
Charles I., the last sovereign who coined gold in Scotland prior to the
Revolution. Thus it was the only Scottish 20s. sterling piece. Charles I.'s
unite or double angel (20s. piece) for England was of the same lighter
weight as the laurel. In 1661 the value of the gold coin was again
heightened, the old unite to 23s. 6d., and the lighter English unite to
21s. 4d.

[33] The weights are given in round numbers.

The above information is necessary in order to identify the two gold coins
which Lauder used. He generally calls the larger the Jacobus and the