Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 2.djvu/51

A.D. 1464 "the One and twentieth Day of January, in the Fourth Year of the said Reign, on the same One and twentieth Day of January, to the Reverence of and for the wealth of him and his People, by the Advice and Assent of his Lords Spiritual and Tem- poral, and at the special Request of his Commons being in the said Parliament, hath ordained and esta- blished certain Statutes and Ordinances in Manner and Form following."

FIRST, Whereas many Years past, and now at this Day, the Workmanship of Cloths, and Things requisite to the same, is and hath been of such Fraud, Deceit, and Falsity, that the said Cloths in other Lands and Countries be had in small Repu tation, to the great Shame of this Land; (2) and by Reason thereof a great Quantity of Cloths of other strange Lands be brought into this Realm, and here sold at an high and excessive Price, evidently shew- ing the Offence, Default, and Falshood of the ma- king of Woollen Cloths of this Land;" (3) our said Lord the King, for the Remedy of the Premisses,- and to the Preserment of such Labours and Occupa- tions which have been used by the making of the said Cloths, by the Advice, Assent, and Request, and Authority aforesaid, hath ordained and established certain Statutes and Ordinances in Manner and Form ensuing. First, That every whole Woollen Cloth, called Broad Cloth, which shall be made and set to Sale after the Feast called Saint Peter ad Vincua, which shall be in the Year of our Lord M.CCCC.LXV. after the full watering and racking, draining, or tenturing of the same ready to Sale,- shall hold and contain in Length xxiv Yards, and to every Yard an Inch, containing the Breadth of a Man's Thumb, to be measured by the Crest of the same Cloth; and in Breadth ii. Yards, or vii. Quar- ters at the least within the Lifts, (5) And if the said Cloth be longer in Measure than the said xxiv. Yards and the Inches, then the Buyer thereof shall pay to- the Seller for as much as doth exceed such Measure of- xxiv. Yards, according to the Rate of the Measure above ordained.

II. And it is enacted and established by the Autho- rity aforesaid, That all Manner of Cloths called Streits, to be made and put to Sale after the same Streits, Feast, after the full watering and racking, straining or tenturing thereof, ready to Sale, shall hold and contain in Length xii. Yards and the Inches, accor- ding to the Measure aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard within the Lists.

III. Also it is ordained and established by the Authority aforesaid, That every Cloth called- Kersey, - to be made and put to Sale after the said Feaft, after the full watering, racking, straining, or tenturing of the same ready to Sale, shall hold and contain in Length xviiii. Yards and the Inches, as is aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard and a Nail, or at the least One Yard, within the Lifts.'

IV. Also it is ordained and established by the Au thority aforesaid, That every half Cloth of every of the said whole Cloths, Streits, and Kerseys shall keep his Measure in Length and Breadth according. to