Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/125

 UKlCilXAL DOClTMt:>;TS. 83 corporation officers, but in consequence of the inconvenient mode adopted of stowing tliem awav. From a cursory inspection of them I am led to believe that they would clear up all doubts as to the constitution and courts of the city. But I refrain from further conjectures in the hope that we may hereafter be admitted to a clearer knowledge of the contents of that capacious and ancient chest over the West-gate, which I have referred to, before time and the rodentia shall have destroyed its membranaceous treasures. II, — Commercial Policy and Trade. The customs respecting trade and maimfacture manifestly had several objects in view: — (1) To protect, in some degree, the interests of the public in general ; (2) In a still greater degree, to secure to the citizens, or at least to those among them who enjoyed the franchise, exclusive monopolies and advantages ; (3) To confine each trade to its exclusive occupation, free from mutual interference ; and (4) To raise a revenue for the local government.^ The provisions for these purposes differ but little from the contemporary customs of most other towns. Indeed, the commercial policy of Winchester reflects that of the supreme legislature, and would probably be pronounced at this day very sound and sagacious by the mysteries and gilds of Winchester, if any such had now existed in that city. For a citizen to establish a loom without the walls was a ground of forfeiture of the article woven or its value ; because this would have evaded the municipal tax on looms, and tended to benefit only the weaver or the suburban landowner, and not the city. We have seen the complaints against this practice in the inquest of Edward I.^ The principal trades were monopolised by the freemen, and the monopoly was, it seems, maintained as against freemen of a difi'erent occupation. If I understand the rules rightly, a fuller could not weave, nor a weaver of chalons, or, as he is called, a tapener, make burells. The terms of remuneration for a burell-weaver were fixed, and varied only with the time of year. Neither tapeners nor burillers were allowed to work by candle-light, except during a few of the shortest days in the year. The same custom or bye-law prevailed in London among the telarii,* and in Paris in the thirteenth century.' The alleged reason was to prevent inferior workman- ship ;'' but as the rule originated (in London at least) in a bye-law of the gild of Aveavers themselves, and was there complained of as a law " ad damnum et dispendium populi," it is more probable that it was the result of the jealousy which has in all ages, down to our own, sought to dictate the times and terms of labour among fellow-workmen. In London the gild prohibited all work between Christmas and Candlemas, and ordered that no piece of cloth should be made in less than four days, though two or three might be sufficient. ^ The result of such rules was to reduce the number of looms in London from 280 to 80 in less than 30 years. The same spirit prevails throughout the Winchester regulations. Regrating or forestaUing are, as usual, the object of stringent penalties - The rents, tolls, &c., originally be- •• Madox. Finna Burgi, p. 286 (n). longed to the crown, or lord of the city ; * Boileau's Livre des Metiers de Paris, but the city was the farmer of the crown pp. 125, 127. dues. 6 /i.^ p. 127. ^ Arch. Journ., No. 28, Orig. Doc. 7 Madox, uii supra.