Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 2.djvu/574

524 P. IX.

P. X.

P. XI.

An Act limiting the Time for laying on Land Merchandizes from beyond the Seas, and touching Customs for Sweet Wines.

M O S T humbly fhewir.g befeechen your Higbnefs, your Lords and Commons in this prefent Par- liament affembled, That where the Sums of Money paid in the Name of Cuftoms and Subfidies of Wares and Merchandizes, tranfported out, and brought into this your Highnefs Realm of England, by any Merchant Stranger or Denizen, I is an ancient Revenue annexed and united to your Imperial Crown ; SevenJCaufesof ' ( 2 J and hath in the Time of King Edward the Third, and other your moft noble Progenitors, amounted fth'o'" " S ' to S reat anQl notable Sums of Money, til] of late Years many greedy and covetous Perfons, reflecting more- CuftoinE7 een S *' their private Gain and Commodity, than their Duty and Allegiance, or the common Profit of the Realm,. ' have and do daily, as well by conveying the fame their Wares and Merchandizes out of Creeks and Places ' where no Cuftomer is refident, as alfo by or through the Negligence or Corruption of the Cuftomer, e Searcher or other Officer, where they be refident, as by divers other fraudulent, undue and fubtile Practices, ' tranfported out of this your Realm of England, without Payment or agreeing for the Payment of the Cuf- ' toms and Subfidies therefore due ; (3) whereby the yearly Revenue aforefaid is very much impaired and ' loving Subjects, who by Occafion thereof have of late Years been more charged with Subfidies and Pay- ' ment for the Supplement of the faid Lofs and Damage, than elfe we fhould have been :' No Goods fhall II. That it may therefore be enacted by the Authority of this prefent Parliament, That it fhall not be be laden or dif- lawful to or for any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, from and after the firft Day of September next coming, to theDaJiaht 1 ^ ac * e or P ut: ' or cau ^ e to ^ e laden or put off or from any Wharf, Key or other Place on the Land, into any andiaopen Ship, Veffel, Grayer, Lighter or Bottom, any Goods, Wares or Merchandizes whatfoever (Fifh taken by Place. your Highnefs Subjects only excepted) to be tranfported into any Place of the Parts beyond the Seas, or into the Realm of Scotland ; (2) or to take up, difcharge and lay on Land, or caufe or procure to be taken up or difcharged out of any Lighter, Ship, Crayer, Veffel or Bottom, being not in a Leke or Wreck, and laid on Land, any Goods, Wares or Merchandizes whatfoever (Fifh taken by any of your Highnefs Subjects, and Salt only excepted) to be brought from any the Parts beyond the Sea, or the Realm of Scotland, by Way of Merchandizes, (3) but only in the Day-light ; that is to fay, from the firit of March until the laft of September, betwixt Sun-rifing and Sun-fetting ; and from the laft of September until the firft of March, be- the Hours of feven in the Morning and four at the Afternoon ; (4) and in and upon fome fuch open Place, Key or Wharf, Places, Keys or Wharfs, as your Highnefs, your Heirs or Succeffors,_ fhall on this Side the Farther Provl- faid firftDay of September therefore amgn and appoint by Virtue of your Highnefs Commiinon or Commiilions, jj°" e s to reIat " lg within your Grace's Ports of London, Southampton, Brlftol, Weftchefter, Nevjcajlle, and the Suburbs of the i3& iACar.'i. f air > e, and every of tbern ; (5) and in fome. open Place, Key or Wharf, Places, Keys or Wharfs, in alii c 11. §. 14. other Ports, Creeks, Havens or Roads (Hull only excepted) where a Cuftomer, Comptroller and Searcher: of fuch Ports, Havens, Creeks or Roads, and every of them or the Servants of any of them, have by the Space of ten Years laft paft been accuftomably refident, or hereafter fhall be refident ; (6) upon Pain of Forfeiture of all fuch Goods, Wares or Merchandizes fo laden or difcharged contrary to the true Meaning of this Act, or the Value thereof. III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That no Manner of Perfon or Perfons after the faid Day fhall receive or take into any Ship, Crayer or other Veffel, any^' Goods, Wares or Merchan- Af what Times dizes (except before excepted) to be tranfported into any Place beyond the Sea, or into the Realm of Scot- other
 * and Devices, convey their Goods and Merchandizes as well brought from the Parts beyond the Sea, as
 * diminifhed, to the great Lofs and Damage of your Highnefs, and to the great Burden and Charge of your