Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 2.djvu/386

 any rise in the price of that staple after the conclusion of the bargain. In such an instance, it was complained that the goods were sold at a more advanced rate than was anticipated. The course of events, however, might have worked in favor of the purchaser. Tobacco fell with as much rapidity as it rose. Articles to be paid for in so many pounds of that commodity in the following autumn might have been delivered when it was high, and before autumn arrived, might have fallen very low, entailing a heavy loss upon the trader. It is not likely that any complaint was heard from the planters in such a turn of prices as this.

Accusations of deception were also brought against many of the merchants in regard to the weights and measures which they used. The perpetration of this species of fraud, not only by the traders, but by the inhabitants of the Colony in general, became so notorious that a special law was passed, declaring the English statute concerning that offence to be in force in Virginia. Whoever endeavored to cheat by the use of false stillyards was required to pay to the person whom he had sought to injure three times the amount of damage which he would have inflicted by his deceit.