Auncient lawes and good ordinances set downe aswell for Bakers, in making, Sising and selling of all sortes of lawful breads, which by the lawes are vendable vnto her Maiestis subiects in the common wealth: as also for Inholders, Ʋittulers, and other persons retailing the same, ratified and allowed by her maiesties most honorable priuy counsell, as heereafter followeth.
FIrste, that no manner of person or persons shal kéepe a common Bakehouse, in Cities and corporate Townes, Bakers to be apprentized, but such persons as haue béene aprentized vnto the same misterie, or brought vp therein for the more space of seauen yeares, or else otherwise, skilfull in the good making and true sising of all sortes of bread, and shall put his owne proper marke and seale vpon all sortes of his mans bread, which he or they shall make and sell as before is mentioned.
Item, that no Baker or other persons, doe make, bake, Lawful breads to be made and solde. vtter and sel, any kindes or sortes of bread, in the common-wealth: but such which the Statutes and auncient ordinaunces of this Realme do allowe them to bake, and sell. That is to saye, they maye bake, and sell Simnell bread, wastell, white, wheaton, housholde, and Horsebreades, and none other kindes of bread to put to sale vnto her Maiesties subiects.
Item, they must make and bake farthing white bread, What sortes of bread are to be made. halfe peny white, peny white, halfe-peny wheaton, peny wheaton bread, peny housholde, and two peny housholde loues, and none of greater Sise, vpon paine of forfeiture vnto poore people all such greate bread which they or any of them shall make to sel of greater Sise, (the time of Christmas alwaies excepted).
Item, they shall not vtter and sell to any Inholder or Victuler [Page] either in mans bread or horsebread (which shall retaile the same) but onely xiij peny worth for xij. d. without any Poundage or other aduantage.
Item, they shall sell and deliuer vnto Inholders and Victulers, in horse-bread, xiij pence in bread for xij. pence. but thrée Loues for a peny, and xiij pennye worth for xij. d. (as aforesaide) euery one of the same thrée horse loues waighing the full weight of a peny white Lofe: whether wheat be good cheape or deare.
Item, that no bakers or other person or persons, shal at any time or times hereafter, make, vtter or sel, by retaile, within or without their houses, Vnlawfull breads forbidden. vnto any the Quéenes subiects any spice Cakes, Bunnes, Biskets, or other spice breads (beeing bread out of Sise and not by lawe allowed) excepte it be at Burialls or vpon the Friday before Easter, or at Christmas: vpon paine of forfeiture of al such spice breades to the poore.
Item, whereas there are, in Cities or corporate Townes, common Bakers, vsing the mistery of baking, there and within the same Townes the foreine Bakers, which come into the market with their breades to be solde, shall not onely bringe with them, Forren bakers to keep greater sise then the townes men. such kindes of sortes of Sised breades, as the lawe and ordinaunces do alowe, to be made and solde as aforesaide: but also shall kéepe and obserue this order, in the weight of their breades, as hereafter followeth: because the saide forreiners do not beare and pay, within the same Cities or Towns, such Scotte and Lotte, as the Bakers of the same townes do.
First, the Forreiners halfe peny white Loues shal wey half an ounce more in euery Lofe, then the Bakers of the same townes halfe peny white Loues doe.
Item, their peny white Loues shall wey, one ounce more in euery Lofe then the Bakers of the same townes peny white Loues doe.
Item, their halfe peny wheaton Loues, shall wey one ounce more in euery Lofe, then the Bakers of the same townes halfe peny wheaton Loues doe.
Item, their peny wheaton Loues, shall wey two ounces more in euery Lofe, then the Bakers of the same townes, peny [Page] wheaton Loues doe.
Item, their peny housholde Loues, shall wey two ounces more in euery Lofe, then the Bakers of the same townes, peny housholde Loues doe.
Item, their two peny housholde Loues, shall weye foure ounces more in euery Lofe, then the Bakers of the same townes, two peny houshold Loues doe.
Prouided alwaies, that the Clerke of the market of her Maiesties houshold, his deputies or deputie, Maiors, Bailifes and other Officers, of Cities, Corporat towns & liberties, shal looke vnto, haue diligent care and respecte vnto the due performaunce, and execution of these Articles, and shall and may from time, to time, fréely giue and distribute, Penaltie. al such vnlawfull breades as shalbe hereafter made and put to sale being contrarie to these Articles (before mentioned) vnto poore prisoners or any other poore people, willing & requiring al Iustices of peace, Constables, Baylifes, and all other Officers, to be ayding, assisting and helping, al the foresaid Officers in the due executiō hereof, as they will answere to the contrarie at their perils.
Note also, that this Assise of all sortes of bread, Assise of bread after Troy weight. ought alwaies to bee approued by the Troye weight, deriued from the graines of wheate: whereof two graines, taken in the middest of the eare, maketh the xvi. parte of a Sterling peny: iiij. graines maketh the eight parte of a peny Sterling: eight graines make the fourth parte of a peny Sterling, and two and thirtie graines of wheate, make the whole Sterling peny. Twentie of which pence, make the ounce Troy, xv. d. thrée quarters of an ounce, x. d. halfe an ounce, fiue pence a quarter of an ounce, & ij. d. ob. halfe a quarter of an ounce, which weight being named Troy weight, serueth only to wey, Bread, Gold, Ounce Troye. Siluer, precious Iewels, and Ellectuaries, of which weighte, there is but xij ounces to the pound, viij poundes to the gallon, xvi poundes to the pecke, xxxij. poundes to the halfe Bushell, and lxiiij. poundes to the Bushell. Anno. 12. H. 7. cap. 5.
There is also an other vsuall weight, named Auoirdupois weight, whereunto there is xvi. ounces for the pounde, which [Page] weight serueth to wey Butter, Chéese, Flesh, Tallow, Waxe, and euery other thing that beareth the name of Garbell, and whereof issueth a refuse or waste. Auoirdupois weight. The difference betwéen these two weightes, Troye and Auoirdupois, is this, that xiiii. ounces and a halfe Troye weight, being xxiiii. s̄. ij. d. sterling, doo make xvi. ounces Auoirdupois weight, at this day, and according to the same rate vii. poundes Auoirdupois, make the gallon in measure: Difference of weightes. xiiii. pounds the pecke, xxviii. pounds the halfe bushell, and lvi. pounds make the bushell, the which bushel iustly accordeth with the lxiiii. poundes Troye weight, as is before mentioned. The which lvi. pound of Auoirdupois weight, are and haue béen accustomably vsed, for the content of the bushell through this Realme, and not repugnant to the law as before is remembred. From the which weight named Troye, is also drawen the assise or gaige, as well for all maner of wette measures to be had and vsed, The measure drawen from y e troy weight. both by land and within shippe board, as also for all maner of corne and graine vendable within this Realme of England, which according to the law is to be obserued and kept, as well within liberties as without, both by the buyers and sellers: that is to say, the full and iust weight of xii. ounces Troy in wheat, do make a concaue or hollow measure named a pinte, and viii. of the same pintes do make the gallon for Wine, Ale, Béere, and Corne, according to the Standard of her maiesties Exchequier, viii. of which gallons doe make the bushell, Water measure. and eight of the same bushels doo make the quarter in measure. An. 11. & 12. H. 7. Memorandum, there is allowed by the law for water measure within the ship board, ten gallons to the bushell, which conteine fiue peckes. An. 11. H. 7. Cap. 4.
The content of caske.Furthermore, there is deriued and drawen out, and from the said gallon made by the said eight pintes, which conteineth twelue ounces of Troy weight to euerie pinte, as before is declared. The Assise for the quantitie and true content of all maner of caske, lawfull and vend [...]ble within this Realme of England, as well for Wines, Oyle, & Hony, as also for Ale, Béere, and Sawce. That is to say, euery hogshead to haue and conteine [Page] thréescore and thrée gallons, euery Tertian fourscore and foure gallons, euery Pipe Cxxvi. gallons, and euery Tunne, CClii. gallons of the foresaid English gallons, and that no maner of person or persons shal bring out of any country, or make or cause to be made here within the Realme of England, any of the sayd vessels of losser sise or content then before is declared, An. 2. H. 6. Cap. 11. An. 1. R. 3. Cap. 13. & An. 28. H. 8. Cap. 14.
There is also a certaine measure called a Salmon Butte, Salmon measure. which must hold and conteine fourescore and foure gallons, the Barrell must hold and conteine, xlii. gallons, the halfe Barrell one and twentie gallons. The Hearing Barrell must hold and conteine, thirtie two gallons. The Eale barrell fortie two gallons, and the halfe barrell and firkin for Hearings and Eales, Eales and bearing caske, must hold and conteine according to the same rate, the which gallons must be also agréeable vnto her Maiesties Standard of the Exchequier, and deriued as before is mencioned, Ann. 22. Ed. 4. Cap. 11.
And euerie Sope barrell to holde and containe 32. Gallons and vpwards according to the Quéenes maisties standard of Thexchequire, and shall way being emptie xxvi. poundes of Auoirdupois weight and not aboue, and euerie halfe barrel emptie shal way xiii. pounds & not aboue, and shal hold and containe xvi. Gallons and aboue, and euery Firkin emptie shall waye vi. pound and a halfe and not aboue, and shal holde and containe viii. Gallons and aboue, vpon paine of forfaiture for euerie barrell, halfe barrell, Ferking or othed vessell hereafter to be made had or vsed contrarie to this Act iii s. iiii. d.
There is also y e true weight of a wey of chéese & butter, after the rate of fiuescore & twelue poundes of Auoirdupois weight to the hundred, as aforesaide, which two hundreth weight, is a leuen score and foure poundes, conteining xxxii. cloues, The weight of cheese and butter. and euery cloue to be vii. pounds of Auoirdupois weight. And so the weye of Suffolke chéese, is two hundreth, quarter and foure poundes, which is tweluescore and sixtéene poundes of Auoirdupois weightes, and the barrell of butter is of like weight, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] with the Foyst thereof. But the weight of the wey of Essexs chéese or butter, is thrée hundreth pounds weight, after the rate of fiuescore & twelue poundes to the hundreth, which is sixtéene score and sixtéene poundes of Auoirdupois weight, Anno. 9. H. 6. Cap. 8.
The sacke of wooll.The Sack of Wooll is thrée hundred twenty eight pounds, and a hundred twelue pounds to euery hundred weight, which is xviii. score and foure pounds of Auoirdupois weight, as before is mencioned, An. 11. H. 7. Cap. 4. Two weights of wooll make a sacke, and xii. sackes make a last. But a last of Hearings, conteineth tenne thousand, and euery thousand conteine tenne hundreth. And euerie hundreth, conteine sixscore, An. 14. Ed. 3. Cap. 12.
There is also a lode of Lead, which consisteth of thirtie formels, The loade of Leade. and euery formell conteineth sixe stone wanting two pounds. And euery stone must consist of twelue pound Auoirdupois: and euery pound consisteth of the weight of fiue and twentie shillings sterling, whereby the summe in the formell is seuen pound, but the summe of the stones in the load, is eight times twentie and fiftéene. And it is proued by six times thirty, which is, nine times twentie. But of euery formell there are abated two poundes in the foresaid multiplication, which are sixtie, which make fiue stone. And so there are in the load eight times twentie and fiftéene pounds as is aboue sayd. According to some other, it consisteth of twelue weightes: and this is after Troy weight. And the summe of stones in the load, is eight times twentie, and eight stone. And it is proued by twelue times 14. An. 14. Ed. 3. Cap. 12.
There is likewise a measure ordeined by law, named a yard, being deriued from the graines of Barly, as thrée barly cornes in length shall make an inch. Compositio vlnarum & perticarum. An. 31. Ed. 1. Twelue of the same inches shall make the foote, thrée foote shall make the yard, and sixtéene foote and a halfe, shall make the polle or pearch to measure land or wood withall. In many countries this polle or pearch doth vary, as in some places it is eightéene foote, and in some other places xxi. foote, as by auncient custome is allowed. Of the which [Page] polles or pearches, fortie in length and foure of them in bredth, The Acre of land. make the Acre of land or wood, vpon which measure, Pliny li. 2. Cap. 23 deriueth Stadium to be a furlong, which conteineth 125. pases, euery pase to conteine fiue foote: the foote to conteine foure palmes, and euery palme conteineth foure fingers bredth. There are also thrée kinds of Stadia, the first is, Stadin or furlong. Stadium Italicum, conteining 625. féet, which is 125. pases: y e second is Stadium Olimpicum, cōteining 600. féet, which is, 120. pases. The third, is Stadium Pithicum, cōteining 1000. féete, which is 200. pases, of these Stadia, eight in length, doo make the Italian mile, containing 1000. pases, and euery pase to be fiue foote in length. And of these pases Iunius writeth, The difference daies. that there is Passus duplex, & passus minor vel simplex, passus duplex, is fiue foote as aforesaid, but passus minor vel simplex, is but two foote and a halfe, which is vsually the distance from the toes of the fore foote, vnto the héele of the hinder foote in going. And also he saith, that passus maior siue Geometricus is a pase, or fathame of fiue féete, there is also passus Grecus, & passus Romanus, passus Grecus, being more then pas-Rsusomanus by a foote, and the fourth part of a foote in the
The Assise and order for Brewers, aswell of Ale as of Beere.
IT was also ordained in Anno. 23. H. 8. that the Ale Firking shall holde and containe viij gallons and vpwardes, the Kilderking xvi. gallons and vpwardes, Brewers cas [...] ▪ and the Ale Barrell, xxxij. gallons and vpwards. The beere Firking shall holde and containe ix. gallons and vpwards, the beere Kilderking xviij gallons and vpwardes, and the beere Barrell xxxvi. gallons and vpwardes, according to the English gallon, before mentioned.
These being the true contents of Beere and Ale vessels, the [Page] Brewers that are to sell by them, Vnholsome drinkes. are likewise thus restrained by lawes. Viz. that they brewe not their Ale nor Beere of any musty malte or eaton with wiuels, nor put any Ale or Beere to sale, in any musty or corrupt vessels, or in any vesselles of a lesser content then before mentioned: neither must they make any newe vessels within their owne houses, New vessels not to be mad by brewers. to vtter their Ale and Bere in, sauing that they may kéepe Coopers within their houses, onely to Hoope, Cobble, and amend their vessels and not otherwise.
And further more, that euerie béere brewer and ale brewer with in this Realme of England, shall not take ouer and aboue for euerie such barrell, Kilderking or Firkin, of ale or beare, but after the prices and rates as shalbe thought conuenient & sufficient by the distression of the Iustices of the peace, within euerie shéere where such ale brewer or héere brewer shall dwell, Prises for ale and beere. without any Citie, Borough, or Towne corporate, where no hed officers, as Maiors, Bailises, Shéeriffes, or other hed officers, haue none authoritie nor rule: & in euery Cittie, Borrought, or Towne, where there be Maior, sheriefes or other hed officers, the same rates and prices to be rated and ceassed by them and euery of them by their discressions▪ And that the fame ale brewers and béere brewers at any time héereafter shall not sell there béere nor ale, at any higher rates and prices then shalbe vnto them assigned after the forme aboue rehearsed, vpon paine to lose and forfait for euerie barell so put to sale contrarie to this statute vi. s. for euerie halfe barell or kilderking iii. s. iiii. d. for euerie Firking ii. s. And for euerie vessell containing gretter number of Gallons x. s. and for euerie vessell containing lesser number of Gallons xii. d. the one halfe of which penalties and forfeitures shalbe vnto the Quéenes Maiestie, her heares and successors: the other halfe vnto him that will sue for the same, by action debt, bill, plaint, or information in any of her Maiesties courte of record, wherin the defendant shall not wage his lawe.
And for asmuch as the misterie of brewing, as a thing very néedfull and necessary for the common wealth, hath beene alwaies [Page] by auncient custome & good orders, practized and maintained with in Cities, Corporat, Borroughs, and market Townes of this Realme, by such expert and skilfull persons, Brewers to be apprentizes or skilfull men in the mistery. as either were traded and brought vp therin, by the space of seauen yeares, and as prentize therein accepted: accordingly as in all other Trades and Occupations, or els well knowne to be such men of skill and honestie, in that mistery, as could and would alwaies yéeld vnto her Maiesties subiects in the common wealth, such good and holsome Ale and Beere, as both in the qualitie and for the quantitie thereof, did euer agrée with the good lawes of the Realme. And especially to the comforte of the poorer sorte of subiectes: who most néede it: vntill of late yeares, sundry Persons enhabiting within the foresaide liberties, rather séeking their owne priuate gaine, then the publique profite of their countrie: haue not onely erected and set vp small brewhouses at their pleasures: but also brew and vtter uch Ale and Beere, for want of skil in that mistery, as both in the prices and holsomnes thereof: doth vtterly disagrée with the goodlawes and orders of this Realm: thereby also, ouer throwing the greater and more auncient brewhouses: and the estate of the saide mistery of brewing. It is therefore very necessarie, that the Maior, Baylifes, or other hedde Officers of euery Citie, corporate, borough, or market townes within this realme, where such great and auntient brewhouses are, doe take such good order by vertue of their Charters graunted to them, either by her Highnes, or her noble progeniters: as that within these liberties, y e aforesaid auntient brewers and brewhouses, may bee recontinued and maintained, and those new erected houses, with their vnskillfull owners, suppressed and put downe, which as it hath beene, so doubtlesse would it be the best and surest meanes of maintayning that misterie, and vnto the common wealths most profite.
The Assise and order for Inholders and Victulers.
[Page] AND for that Ale and Béere are not in themselues perfect licures, but beinge filled into a small measure, the yeste or froth therefore will assend, Inholders and victulers. by working very spéedely, requiring a time in setling thereof againe, there is alto vsed and to be allowed within this realme, sundrie measures of lesser cōtents for Brewers Inholders and Victulers, Thurdendels. selling their Ale & Beere by retail, vnto the subiects: The which are named or called, hooped quart and pinte, measures, thurdendells, and halfe thurdendells, being a small quantitie some what bigger then the foresaide standerd: in respecte of the working and assending of the yeste and froth as aforesaide: by the which quartes and pintes, the Inholders shall retaile, their Ale and Béere, being after the rate of foure pence the gallon: And by the same thurdendel, and halfe thurdendel, the Victulers shall retaile their drinke, being after the rate of thrée pence the gallon, the which said seuerall measures are lawfull and ought to be vsed in manner aforesaide, at this daye.
And furthermore, Inholders, Cookes, & Victulers are, not onely by the lawes and auntient good orders of this realme, Vnholsome victuals▪ forbidden to bake, séethe, or roste, any fish or flesh twice, or sell and vtter vnto the Subiectes any manner of corruptible victuals, which may be to the hurte and the infection of mans bodie. Anno. [...]1. H. 3. But also that they shall not vtter and sell their Ale and Béere, within or without their houses by retaile or otherwise, vnto any the Quéenes Maiesties subiectes, with any false or vnsealed measures, False measures lesser then the standerd before metioned, nor vtter and sell their prouender within their Ostries, with any false or vnsealed measures, which shalbe repugnant vnto the foresaide standard of her highnes Exchequier. Anno. 11. &. 12. H. 7. cap. 4.
Item if any Butcher, Fishmunger, Inholder, Victuler, Baker, Poulter or any other whatsoeuer: which shall sell any victuals vnto the subiects at any excessiue price or prises [Page] otherwise then the plentie and skarcitie of the time, and the distance of carriage of the same considered, shall accorde with equite and good conscence. Then Maiors Baylifes and other cheef officers of Citties, Boroughes, and Townes corporate shall haue full power and authoritie: to enquire and examine all such offences and defaults therein done and committed, and to inflict punishment vpon the offenders, by ceasing of the double value, of that which he or they shall so vtter and sell, vnto the partie damnified. And if the saide cheefe officers shall omit to doe their duties heerin: then the Iustices of the peace shall haue full power and authoritie to inflict punishment vpon such negligent and careles officers. Anno. 23. Ed. tercij. cap. 6.
Item it is enacted in Anno. 6. R. 2. cap. 9. That no victuler, or victulers, within any Cittie, or other Towne, or Townes within the Realme of England, shall vse or occupie the office of a iudge, during the time that he shalbe officer there, (except it be for want of other sufficient men which should excercise the same office) And then whilest he is in that office of a iudge he nor none of his shall vtter and sell any victuals vnto the subiects vpon paine of forfaiture of the same victuals.
The assise for Inholders, or any others retailing their Hey by the Bottle, Trusse, or hundreth, as followeth.
FIrst the lode, which men call the cart or waineteight, is reckoned to be twenty hundred weight of Auoirdupois weight, accounting a hundreth & twelue pounds vnto euery hundreth, The assise of Heye. but for as much as her maiesties subiects enhabiting néere vnto y e Citie of London, cannot very easily, or well loade their cartes or waines with hey, of such great weight, and so carry the same vnto the citie. They do reckon and account eightéene hundreth weight of Auoirdupois weight, to be the common loade of hey, the which they make and sise as followeth: that [Page] is to sale, that xxxvi. trusses of hey shall make the loade, euerie trusse of hey, to wey the full weight of fiftie sixe pounds of Auoirdupois, and after that rate, one pound of hey sold for a ob. maketh foure poundes foure shillings the loade in mony: two pounds of hey for a ob. make xlii. s. the loade: thrée poundes of hey for a ob. make xxxi. s. vid. the load: & foure pounds of hey for a ob. make xxi. s. the loade the which assise or weight in hey, the Inholders and others retailing the same, ought to obserue and kéepe.
And whereas any Inholders or others do or shall: take or receiue any manner of horse or horses vnto liuerie at Heay [...] and Litter by day and night. Then if the bottle of Heye shall waye thrée pounds for a halfe peny, which is vj. pound for a i. d. and so xviij. pounds of Heye for thrée pence, the which xviij pound of hey with reasonable prouender at euery wateringe will suffice one horse day and night and according to that ra [...]e the Inholder or any other parson shall make xxxi. s. vi. d. of his lode of hey: being of the ful weight as before is mentioned then allowe him one peny day and night for hie litter, whichin the hole amounteth vnto iiij. d day and night for hey and litter, and so shall the Inholders or any others haue sufficient gaine in his stablē, if the same horse shall spend but three halfe pence in prouender at euery watering. And so shal all manner of officers, appurtionate the Inholders: and all others which vse to take horses by liuerie day and night, as the prices of the lode of hey shall yeerly encrease and deminishe.
The Assise for Vinteners.
VInteners must sell good and wholesome wines for the sustenance of man, they must not mix or alter the verdure and proper nature of their wines, Vinteners. nor compound them with any thing, otherwise then perfect wine of it self. They must vtter and sell their wines by retaile, with such lawfull and sealed measures, as are agréeable vnto the Standard of her Maiesties [Page] Exchequier, by the halfe pinte, pine, quart, pottle and gallon, according to the approued Standard before mencioned.
The Assise for Butchers.
IT hath béen alwaies a thing most carefully looked vnto, and prouided for, by good and auncient orders and lawes of this Realme, Anno. 51. H. [...]. &. An. 31. Ep. 1 cop. 7. and also by aduise of the learned and skilful Phisitions of the same: that no Butchers should kill and sel vnto the subiects, Holsome meates. any flesh of any cattel which were grieued or infected with a disease called the Morren: nor kill and sell anie Bull or Bulles vnbaited, any Cowe or kine great with Calfe, or neare caluing, any Ewe or Ewes with Lambe, or taking the Ramme, or any Sow great with Pig or taking the Bore, vpon paine of amercement, at the discretion of the Officers hauing authoritie to enquire thereof: neither that they should blow their flesh, which they sell to the subiects, or geld the kidnies of their Muttons, Veales, or Lambes, taking away the fatte thereof, nor deceitfully raise the same kidnies, with any stopping or vnder putting them, to deceiue the ignorant buyers thereof: vpon like paine. Nor vttered and sell any meseled Porke, vpon paine of amercement, Deceiptes of Butchers. and to suffer the iudgement of the Pillory, with his corrupt flesh to be burned openly before his face, in the market place. Likewise that they shall not sell their flesh vnto the Quéenes subiectes, with any beame or ballance enclining more vnto the one ende, then vnto the other, thereby to deceiue the subiects, nor sell their flesh by or with any false weight, lesser then the Quéens Maiesties Standard, before mencioned, and that after the rate of xvi. ounces Auoirdupois to the pound, and eight of them pounds to make the stone, or otherwise as the vsage or custome of the country requireth for the number of the pounds vnto the stone.
The Assise of Fuell to bee obserued in the Citie of London, Westminster, and the subberbes of the same.
[Page] FIrst euery sacke of charre Coales, must conteine and holde, foure bushels of good and cleane coales.
The assise of Euell.Item euery Taleshide, must conteine in length foure foote besides the Carfe, euery Taleshide named one, to conteine in greatnes within a foote of the middest, xvi. inches about: and euery Taleshade named of two, to conteine in greatnes within a foote of the middest, xxiii. inches about: and euery Talshide named of thrée, to conteine in greatnes within a foote of the middest, xviii. inches about: and euery Talshide named of soure, to conteine in greatnes within a foote of the middest, xxxiii. inches about: and euery Talshide named of fiue, to conteine in greatnes within a foote of the middest, xxxviii inches about.
Item, euery billet to contein in length, thrée foote and soure inches, and euery billet named a single, to conteine vii. inches and a halfe about.
Item, euery billet named to be a cast, to conteine ten inches about: and euery billet of two cast, to conteine xiiii. inches aabout.
Item, euery faggot bende, to conteine in length thrée foote, and the band of euery such faggot, to be xxiiii. inches about, besides the knot.
Item all billets of two cast that shall be made, to be put to sale, shall be of the sise herein comprised, and shall be marked within six inches of the middest thereof. And euery billet of one cast made to be put to sale, shall be marked within foure inches of the ende thereof, vpon paine that euery marker, and euery seller, that shall make any such fuell or coales, and put the same to sale, to forfeit for euery shide, of talwood, billet, faggot, or acke of coales, lacking the assise aforesaid, iii. s. iiii d. And that if any cutter or marker, or other, that shall forfeit any summes herein conteined, shall not be able to yéeld or pay such forfeiture for summes as aforesaid, that then euery such person conuicted by witnesses, or otherwise, to be set on the Pillory in the next [Page] Market Towne, to the place wherein he shall so offend, by a Iustice of the Peace, or any other her Maiesties Officers, at the houre of eleuen of the clocke, vpon the market day, with a billet, faggot, or sacke of coales, bound to some part of his body, and so to be discharged of the foresaid forfeiture. An. 7. Ed. 6. Cap. 7.
The Assise for Lath.
ITem that euerie Lath shall bee and containe in length fiue foot, and in breadth two inches, and in thickenes halfe an inche of Assise, vpon paine to forfaite for eueri hundreth which shalbe put to sale of lesser Sise. ij. d.
The Assise of Timber.
ITem that all manner of Timber be well he won and perfectly squared, and also kéep true measure. Viz. fiftie foot of Timber for the lode, vpon paine to forfaite for euerie lode of Timber which shalbe sold to the contrarie. xii. d.
The Assise of Tile.
ITem euerie Parson or Parsons, which shall vse the occupation of making of thack tile roof tile, crest tile, or gutter tile, shall make it good and seasonable, able and sufficient, and well whited and annealed, and the ground whereof any such tile shalbe made, shal bee digged and cast vp before the first day of Nouember next beefore they shalbe made, and the saide earth shalbe stirred and turned before the first day of Ianuarie then next following, and [Page] the same earth before it be put to making the tile, shal be truely wrought and tried from stones, and also the vaines called maline or marle and chalke (lying commonly in the ground néer the land conueinent to make tile) after the diggin of the saide ground whereof any such tile shall be made: shall be well and truely seuered and cast from the earth whereof any such tile shalbe made. And that euerie such plaine tile shall containe in lenght x. Inches and a halfe, and in breadth vi. Inches and a quarter, and in thicknes halfe an Inch and halfe a quarter at the least, and euerie such roofe tile or creast tile, shall containe in length xiii. Inches, and in thicknes halfe an Inch and half a quarter at the least with conuenient déepnes according, and euerie gutter tile and corner tile shall containe in lenght, x. Inches and a halfe with conuenient thicknes, breadth and déepth according and if any Parson set to sale any such tile made against the foresaid ordinaunce, then the seller thereof shall forfaite to the bier, the double value of the same tile, and besides shall make fine to the Quéene at her pleasure, and euery Parson that findeth him selfe gréeued héerin and will sue shal haue an action of debt against the offenders, and the plaintife (if he recouer héerin) shall recouer his costs, wherein no wager of lawe shalbe allowed vnto the defendaht. Anno. 17. Ed. 4. cap. 4.
Thus much I haue thought good, simply to make apparant vnto the eyes of the ignorant, for the true order and assise of weight and measure, with the assise of bread and other necessaries, concerning the same, to be obserued by all subiects, as a thing very necessary and néedfull in the common wealth. The which both Gods booke, the good lawes and auncient orders of the Realm, do allow & maintaine, wishing euery good subiect to imbrace the same accordingly.