Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 9.djvu/583

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HE King our Sovereign Lord the Seventh, by the grace of God King of England of France, and Lord of Ireland, at his Parliament holden at Westminster, the ninth day of November, in the third year of his noble Reign, to the Worship of God and holy Church, and for the Common-wealth of this his Realm, by the advice of his Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in the present Parliament assembled, and by authority of the fame Parliament, hath ordained and established certain Statutes and Ordinances, in manner and form as hereafter ensueth.

TEM, The King our Sovereign Lord, by the advice and assent of the Lords' Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons assembled in the said Parliament, and by authority of the same, hath ordained and enacted, That every Merchant, as well Denizen as Stranger, which shall bring from henceforth any manner of Goods into any Port within this Realm by way of Merchandise, and there do enter the said Goods or Merchandises in the Books of the Customers of the said Port where the Goods and Customers Merchandises shall first come to, and the King's duty thereof, the said Customers contented, or therefore with him agreed, and afterward that done, will convey or carry the same Goods or Merchandises from thence in any other Port within the said Realm: That then the owner of the said Goods and Merchandises, his Fact or or Attorney, shall bring from the Customers of the Port where the said Goods or Merchandises be so entred{Sidenotes R|Certifcates.}} a Certificate under the same Customers Seals, directed to the Customers of the Port whereto the said Goods or Merchandises shall be conveyed or carried, making mention within the same Certificate, as Well of the natural colour, length, and valure of all Merchandises so entred, used to be measured with Eln or Yard, as of the natural weight, content or valure of all manner other Merchandises, used to be weighed or valured: And that the same Certificate so made be delivered to the said Customers, before the said Goods be discharged, so that they may see whether the nature, colour, or length, valure, content, or weight of the same, do agree with the said Certificate, so that the King be not deceived of his Customs and Subsidies thereof due. And if any Certificate from henceforth be made by any Customer of any Port whereto any such Merchandises or Goods shall be first brought, and there in their Books entred, not making mention according as is aforesaid: that then the said Customer or Customers, for their misbehaving, shall lose their Office, and make fine with the King for the same at his pleasure. And furthermore, if any such Goods or Merchandises, or any parcel thereof be dischargd, unpacked, or put to sale within any Port than within the same where they shall be first entred, before the said Certificate shall be delivered, and the same Goods and Merchandises seen, according as above is expressed: that then all the said Goods or Merchandises be forfeited to the King our Sovereign' Lord; the one half thereof to remain to his Highness, and the other half to him or them which shall prove any such Goods or Merchandises so forfeited. And that the Customer or Customers, nor no Deputy to any such common Officer to whom such Certificate shall come, take nothing for the sight of the same Goods so certified: Also it is ordained and established by authority aforesaid, That no manner of Merchant, Denizen, ne Stranger, do take upon him to enter, or cause to be entred in the Books of any Customer of any Port within this Realm, any manner Merchandises coming into this said Realm, or going out of the same, in any other Merchants name, saving only the name of the true Merchant owner of the same, upon pain of forfeiture of all such Goods and Merchandises so entred:And every of the said Merchants, which so shall take upon him to cause such untrue entry to be made, to have imprisonment, and make fine therefore at the King's pleasure: And that no person take upon him to be Customer, Comptroller, or Searcher in any Port, in any City, Borough or Town, where he is common Officer, nor no Deputy to any such common Officer, upon pain of forfeiture for every half year that he occupieth the said common Office, and Office of Customership, Comptroller or Searcher, the Aim of xl li. the one half thereof to the King, and the other half to him that will sue for it by Writ, Bill or Information. Anno