VVHereas by Common Counsell holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the Cittie of London, be­fore the right honorable the Lord Mayor of the same Cittie, and the right worshipfull the Alder­men his brethren, and the Commons in the same Common Counsell assembled, on the Ninth day of this instant moneth of May. One Act was made and agreed vpon, the tenor whereof heereaf­ter followeth in these wordes. Whereas diuers good lawes, statutes, and ordinaunces, haue bene heretofore deuised, and made, for the true and perfect making of clothes, and other the com­modities heereafter mentioned, and for the viewing, and searching of the same: And yet by rea­son that a great part of the clothes and commodities, brought to the Cittie of London to be sold, haue not beene brought to the open market place, or places appoynted for that purpose. But haue beene bought, and solde, in secrete and priuate houses, and places, by such as haue transported and vented them, in forreine partes beyond the seas, or retayled them in their shoppes at home or otherwise at their pleasure: The said clothes and other commodities neither haue bene, or could be conueniently viewed and searched, according to the true meaning of the sayd lawes, statutes and ordinances, and thereby as experience hath set forth, much deceiptfull and euill cloth, and other commodities, haue not onely beene vttered, sold, and transported, from this Cittie of London, to forreine partes out of this Realme, to the great discredite of the sayd Cittie and whole Realme, and the commodi­ties thereof, But also retayled and vttered within the same Cittie, to the great offence, losse, and preiudice of many her Maie­sties louing subiectes, the wearers of the same. For remedy whereof. Be it enacted, ordayned, and established, by the authority of this Common Counsell, in manner and forme hereafter following. That is to say, that all, and all manner of Clothes, Ke [...] ­sies, Frizes, Rugges, Bayes, Cottons, and stockinges, and all other commodities made of wooll, or mixt with wooll, or of flax, towe, or hempe, or mixt with any of them, or of silke, crewell, or thredd, or mixte with them or any of them, and which are or shalbee made, wrought, wouen, or knitte, within her Maiesties dominions or any the partes thereof. And also all Dowlasse, Lockeram, and Linnen clothes, made or to bee made in Brittaine, in the partes beyond the Seas, which shall bee brought to this Cittie of London, or the Liberties of the same, or to any parte thereof, be it bought by former bargaine, or to be sold at a­ny time from and after the tenth day of Iune next, shalbe brought to the common market place, or places thereunto appoynted, in, at, or neere Blackewellhall, within the sayd Cittie of London, and there in the same market place or places or some of them, put to sale and absolutely solde and not els where, within the sayd Cittie of London or the Liberties thereof, vppon payne to loose and forfeite, all and euery the Cloth, Clothes, Wares, Merchandizes and other the sayd commodities that shall be ven­ted, sold or vttered, otherwise then in manner, and forme aforesayd, or the value thereof, Except alwayes that all such Hamp­shire Kersies as hereafter shalbe bought in the market of Southwarke in the county of Surrey, shall and may be brought from thence into the Cittie of London or liberties thereof, to the house of him or them that hath or shall so buy the same. So that such duties be paide for the hallage thereof vnto the clearke of Blackwelhall, as if the same had beene brought to the said mar­ket of Blackwelhall, and except also that all such Cloth and Clothes, and other the commodities aforesaid as shall at any time or times hereafter be bought vpon any former bargaines, to be made before they shalbe brought vnto the saide Cittie of London, and which shalbe afterwardes brought to the said Common market place or places, or any of them, and there presented, re­gistred, and the duties of market roome paide, and a note in writing receiued from the Clearke for the same duties which shall be deliuered to him or them that so bought the foresaid Clothes and other comodities before they or any of them shalbe pitched or harbored in any other place or places, within the said Cittie of London, or liberties thereof, and also except all such Cloth and Clothes or other commodities aforesaid, which shalbe carried to any known Merchants house, and there laid down without his knowledge, if such Marchante, or any for him shall make it knowen to the Clearke of Blackwelhall within three daies nexte [Page] following, and then pay the duties due for the same, and cause the same to be registred as aforesaid. And for that all and eue­ry person and persons may take knowledge of the lawfull market places in the said Cittie of London, for selling and buying of all the Cloth, Clothes, Wares, and other comodities aboue specified. It is hereby notified, declared, ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that Blackwelhall within the said Cittie of London, and the roomes therein or neere thereunto adioy­ning, now or hereafter to be vsed a common market place or places, for the said Cloth, Clothes Wares and other comodities are and shalbe the ordayned assigned and appointed markett place or places for all forreiners to sell euery of the saide seuerall Cloth, Clothes, Wares and comodities in manner as thereunto heretofore, and now they haue beene and are accustomablie v­sed and not else-where. And it is also enacted, ordayned, and declared, by the authority aforesayde, that from the sayde tenth day of Iune next, the lawfull times for selling and buyng in any of the sayd Markets, or market place or places, shall bee and begin weekely on euery Thursday at one of the clocke in the after noone, and continue vntill foure of the clocke of the same af­ter noone, and on euery Friday at eight of the clocke in the fore-noone, and continue vntill eleuen of the clock in the same fore­noone, and shall likewise begin in the afternoone of the same Friday, at one of the clocke, and continue vntill foure of the clocke of the same Friday in the after-noone, and shall begin againe euery Saterday, at eight of the clocke in the fore-noone, and shal continue vntill eleuen of the clocke in the fore-noone of the same day, and that the sayd howers hereby appointed and limited for the beginning and ending of euery the sayd market times shall be knowne by the ringing of the market bell in Blackwellhall aforesayd appoynted for that vse and purpose. This to be held and continued weekely euery weeke throughout the yeare, from yeare to yeare, (the twelue dayes in Christmas onely excepted.) And that all and euery such Cloth, Clothes, and other com­modities before specified as shalbe there put to sale at any other time or times, then is afore limited shalbe forfeyted. And it is further ordayned and enacted that from and after the said tenth day of Iune next no maner person or persons not being free of the said Citty shall by himselfe or any other for him or by his meanes or practise bargaine or sell in any place or places within the liberties of this City, out of the said assigned market place or places any of the said Clothes, Kersies or other commodities, nor shall buy any of the same within any the said assigned market place or places to the intente to sell the same againe in any of the saide assigned Market places or elswhere, within the saide Cittie or liberties thereof, vpon paine to forfeite and loose for euery such offence the Cloth, Clothes, Kersies and other the saide commodities so bought or soulde, or the value thereof. And also that euery person and persons being free of this Cittie, which shall harbour or receiue the said Cloth Clothes or comodities so bought or soulde contrarie to the tenor of this Act and the true meaning thereof, shall forfeit and loose his freedome, and not to be thereunto readmitted but by the Lord Maior, Aldermen and Common Councell of the saide Cittie for the time being. And it is likewise hereby further enacted and ordayned that no person or persons now free or here­after to be made free of the saide Cittie, shall from and after the saide tenth day of Iune next sell or cause to be solde, any Cloth, Clothes, Kersies or any other the comodities aforenamed either in his owne name, or for or in the name of any other within the saide Common Markets or any of them, vpon paine to forfeit and loose euery such Cloth, Clothes and other comodities so solde or the value thereof. And to the intent to cut of the great fraude and abuse vsed by sundry persons being free of this City, and others by forreine buying and selling, contrary to the auncient lawes, customes and liberties of the same Cittie, and for the better finding out of the same fraudulent dealings. It is further enacted by the authoritie aforesaid that the Clearke or officer for the collecting of duties due for the harbouring and pitching of clothes at the said Market of Blackwelhall and places aforesaid shall keepe a Register booke weekely throughout the whole yeare, of the names and surnames of the saide Clothmen and Free­men, owners of such Clothes and Kersies, and other comodities, as shalbe bought vpon any former bargaine, before they shall be brought to the sayd Citty, and which shall be brought to the sayd Market place or places, according to the tenor of this Act, and shall register the true nomber, of such Clothes, Kersies, and other commodities, together with the names and surnames of the sayd Free-men, or other buyers and sellers of the same: Vppon payne that the sayd Officer shall for not keeping the sayde Booke truely and faythfully as aforesayd, and for not giuing a note in writinge, for the dueties payde to him or them that shall pay the same, according to the true meaning of this Act, shall forfeit and loose his said office. And if the owner of the said goods or his Carrier, be they forriners or free, shall deny to the saide Officer to giue the true names and surnames of the buyers and sellers with the iust nomber, of all such Clothes and Kersies, and other commodities aforesayd, so brought to the hall aforesayd. [Page] Then it is hereby further ordeyned and enacted, that the said buyers and sellers whether they be free or forreyners shall haue no benefite of the exception aboue specified in this present Act, concerning former bargaines, but shalbe bound to put to sale the same Cloth, Clothes and comodities aforesaid in Blackwelhall Market, or in other the place or places appoynted as afore­sayd, sayd, as though there had bene no former bargayne of the same Clothes or other commodities. And for the better reformation of the offences and abuses, purposed to be reformed and amended, by this present Act of Common Councell, and the more ready execution of the same. It is finally enacted, ordayned, and established, by the authority aforesaid, that all, and all maner Cloth, Clothes, Wares, commodities, somme and sommes of money, and other thinges whatsoeuer, that shall bee forfeyted by vertue of this Acte shall bee obtayned, leuied, or recouered, either by seizure, or els by Action of debt, bill, plainte, or information, in the name of the Chambe [...]laine of the sayd Citty [...] the [...]ing in the Queenes Maiesties Court holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the sayd Citty, before the Mayor and Aldermen of the same, for the time beeing, wherein no Essoigne, protec­tion, or wager of law shall bee admitted or allowed. And that all the paynes, penalties, and forfeytures, to bee had or recoue­red by vertue of this Acte, the charges of recouery deducted, shall bee deuided into three equall partes, whereof one third parte shall bee imployed to the Mayor and Comminalty of the same Citty, towards the mainetenance and reparations of Blackwell­hall aforesayde: One other third parte to the vse of the poore children of Christes Hospitall within the sayd citty, And the other third parte to him that will sue for the same, beeing a Free-man.

Now to the ende that all persons whome the sayd Acte may in any sorte concerne, may take knowledge therof, and ther­by way the rather avoyde the daunger of the penalties therein contayned, The Right honorable the Lord Mayor of the city aforesayde, and the Right worshipfull the Aldermen his brethren, Haue thought good by Proclamation to publish the same. Da­ted at the Guildhall of the cittie of London, the thirteenth day of May, in the seauen and thirtieth yeare of the Raigne of our Soueraigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England, France, and Ireland, Defendor of the Faith &c.

God saue the Queene