Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 2.djvu/271

 A. D. 1535. Anno viccfuno fcptimo Hen rici VIII. C. 14. 233 CAP. XIV. A Bill concerning the Cuftom of Leather. « t T7I1FR K great Quantity and much Abundance of Leather is daily conveyed out of thii Realm, u • W v.-. 11 by ;'ni i. by T; tl i.jccis, inhabited in dn/en Put ' this Ri aim, i wai Is th>,. ; in Qjecially out ol I be/hire :md Gornwal, where little or 1 is paid foi the I, which Lcathci ked by the faid Strangei. I i .-.ml 1 other the King's Subj dts in their Houfes, and fo conveyed ui to th< l'>.rts and Havens where they intend • to (hip the fame; which and brought to Inch Ports and Haven., to be (hipped, be there unpacked, to be view.d whal ■<■ I cathcr is contained in any fuch Pack, but cn- I in the Cuftom :rs Hooks by and upon the In ormation ; nd Report ol the faid Strangers, Tanner or ' other Perfon, Tranfporter of the fame Leather ; (2) and albeit that the King's Highnels in fuch PI ' and Ports hath very little Cuftom paid for the fame, yet forafmuch as in fuch Places there is no better 1 Search nor View had for the perfeel Knowledge of the Number and Quantity of the Leather fo by them ' parked, the King's Grace is much deceived of fuch his Cuftoms as ought therefore to accrue to hi; High- ' nets i (3) f" r where in the Port of London two Perfons be named and appointed, by the Weigher of t • Woolls within the faid Port for the Time being, to tell and number all fuch Leather by the Hide, ac- *~ f^Lo^d" • counting ten Hides to the Dicker, and alfo all Woollfels as within the fame Port (hall be (hipped from tnitnitxiniSlt ' Time to Time, which two Perfons be fworn before the Cuftomcrs of his great Cuftom, truly and duly r, mf ir,- ' to do and execute their Offices, in telling and numbring all fuch leather and Woollfels, in the Prefcncc m^ f of the faid Cuftomcrs, and of the Comptroller of the lame Cuftom, or of their Deputies, who being ' prcfent, and viewing the fame, do make Entry thereof in their Books ; (4) and after fuch Tale made, ' and Entry taken, another Perfon, by the Mayor of London for the Time being conftituted and appoint- ' ed, is alfo fworn truly to pack the fame Leather fo told and entered into the Cuftomer;; Books, every of ' the fame Tellers and Packers taking fuch Fees for their Labours as of old Time have been ufed, limited ' and accuftomed, (5) every Stranger paying for Cuftom of every Dicker iv. s. ix. d. and every Denizen How much ' iv. s. i.d. which like Cuftom is alfo paid in the Port of Hampton, but not in any other Ports of this Stranger; and 4 Realm, and fpecially m Wales, Qhejbire and Cornwal, out of the which Parts, by reafon of fuch fmall J2^f' ' Cuftoms, more Leather is conveyed over the Sea, than out of other Places of this Realm, which is an the Cuftom of a ' Occafion of the Dearth and great Prices of the fame Leather ; (6) for the Redrcfs whereof, and to the Dicker of Lea* • Intent that one manner of Cuftom for every fuch Dicker of Leather fo conveyed over the Sea, as well by tn "- ' Denizens as Strangers, (hall be paid throughout this Realm, Wales, and other the Kind's Dominions, ' and alfo that the King's Highnefs may be the better allured of his Cuftoms to be paid for all fuch Leather ' as (hall be hereafter carried and conveyed over the Sea :' (7) Be it enacted by the Authority of this pre- Leather to be fent Parliament, That from henceforth no manner of Stranger or Denizen (hall pack, or caufe to be "rricd beyond packed, any manner of Leather to be conveyed or (hipped over the Sea, out of this Realm, Wales, or other tn, -, s '' 1 " iU fce the King's Dominions, otherwife than in this Aft is exprefied, that is to fay, that all fuch Leather (hall byaMi/fwora be hereafter packed by a Packer fworn in every fuch Port where any Leather (hall be (hipped to be con- thcrsunto. veyed out of this Realm, Wales, or other the King's Dominions, upon Pain of Forfeiture of all fuch Lea- ther as hereafter (hall be packed contrary to the Purport of this Act, or of the Value thereof ; (8) and alfo that from henceforth every Stranger and Denizen, which (hall (hip, fend or convey any Leather over the 1 Sea, out or from any Part of this Realm, Wales, Chefhire, or other the King's Dominions, (hall pay like ! Cuftom for the fame as is ufed to be paid within the Port of London, that is to fay, every Stranger to pay l for every Dicker of Leather for Cuftom iv. s. ix. d. and every Denizen iv. s. i. d. II. And be it alfo enacted, That within every Port, Haven and Creek within this Realm, Wales, and The Cuftomers i other the King's Dominions, where no Tellers nor Packers at this prefent Time be, nor before the making "riCompadleni of this Act have been, that from henceforth the Cuftomers and Comptrollers of every fuch Port, Haven and ^ * P S '.'.' J Creek, where fuch Leather (hall be (hipped to be conveyed into the Parties beyond the Sea, fhall have where none be. Power by Authority of this Act to name, constitute and appoint one able Perfon to tell and number all fuch Leather as (hall be at any Time there (hipped, (2) which Perfon fo named (hall be fworn by the Cuftomer and Comptroller of every fuch Port, Haven and Creek, duly and truly to execute his Office in the Pretence of the Cuftomer and Comptroller of every fuch Port, Creek or Haven where any fuch Lea- ther fhall be (hipped, or of his or their Deputy or Deputies ; (3) the fame Teller taking of every Stran- The Teller's ger for the telling of every Dicker of Leather vi. d. whereof the fame Teller to have for his Labour ii. d. Fee ,or <- c '' i '"S * and iv, d. to be to the Commonalty of the fame Town and Port, toward the Payment of their Fee-farm, *? ,ckei °f Lea- 1 and other their Charges; (4) and of every Denizen, not being a Freeman of the faid Port and Havenj for every Dicker iv. d. whereof the Teller to have ir. d. and the other ii. d. to be to the Commonalty of the farne Port or Haven, for the Luent above declared ; (cj and of every Dicker by any Perfon being a Free- man of fuch Port and Haven, but only ii. d. for his Labour ; (6) and that immediately after fuch Tale had, A P.-rkcr of and Entry thereof made by the Cuftomer or his Deputy, another able Perfon named, deputed and affigncd t*>*wfl>»)tl>e by the faid Cuftomers and Comptrollers of every fuch Port and Haven, and before them fworn truly and plj? ' duly to do and execute his Office, fhall pack all fuch Leather fo told and entered, every Pack to contain as many Dickers, under the Number of feven Dickers, as it fhall pleafe the Merchant or Owner thereof to appoint, taking for his Labour for the packing of every Pack iv. d. III. And be it further enacted by the faid Authority, That if any Packer take upon him to pack any ThefeveralEor-' Leather before it be told or numbered, and Entry thereof made by the Cuftomer, or his Deputy, or at any feituresof the Time pack more Leather than fhall be told and entered, according to the Purport of this Act, then the P nckcr3nd jjel- fame Packer to forfeit and lofe for every Time doing the contrary, v. Ii. and to fuffer therefore Im'prifon- intthnrDutfes Vol. II. H h fiient