'I had your’s of the 17th on Monday last, and the very next day, in the house, had an agreeable opportunity of doing you right to my Lord of Pembroke, who commanded me to tell you, that he has seen agreat many coins, lately found in Ireland, which are taken to be the ancient money of that kingdom: but none of them have any legends.
Sir Andrew Fountaine accompanied his Lordship there, and has brought back above one hundred Saxon pieces, which he had not before: and yet, what I wonder at, he met with none that had any Runic letters on them. The Danes certainly had traffic there long before they settled in England. One observation his Lordship has made which will please you. Amongst other presents that were made him, he has several ancient Irish harps. Those which his Excellency supposes to be of King John’s time are the nearest to an equilateral triangle; and this is reasonably supposed to account best for the placing of that King’s face in the Irish coins of his days, in such an inclosure. You that have plenty of that sort of money in your hand, will be best able to consider this remarkable fancy of a person so discerning as (you know) his Lordship is. I must confess to you, I was mightily affected with it, and I cannot but hope that you will also give your assent.'
(Hunter 1832, vol. 2 pp. 94-5; Burnett 2020b, pp. 869 n. 158, 1018 n. 120, 1611)
