Anno quinto reginæ Elizabethe. At the parliament holden at Wesmynster the .xii. of Ianuary, in the fyfth yere of the raigne of our soueraigne lady, Elizabeth by the grace of god, of England, Fraunce, and Irelande, quene, defendour of the the fayth. [et]c. To the hygh pleasure of almyghtye God, and the weale publique of this realme, were enacted as foloweth

An Act agaynst the carrying of Shepe skinnes and Peltes ouer the Sea, not beyng Staple ware. ¶ The .xxii. Chapter. (Book 22)

FOR reformation of many griefes, lamentably decla∣red this present Parliament, by diuers artificers of this Realme, workyng leather: It maye please your royall Maiestie, that it maye be enacted & established with thassent of this high court of Parliament, that it shall not be lawefull to or for any manner of person or persons whatsoeuer, frō & after the first day of Maye next cōming, to make any Peltes, that is to say, to pull, sheare, clip, or take away the woll of any Shepeskynne or Lambe skinne, or to bye any skynne of any Stagge, Hynde, Bucke, Doo, Goate, Fawne, or Kyd, or the peltes or skynnes of any of them, vnlesse such persō or persons so making any peltes, or bying such skinnes, as is aforesaid, do make or cause to be made therof tawed or lawfully tanned leather or parchment, or otherwise conuert the same into semittes, panels, or other their owne necessary vses, vpon payne y^t euery person so makyng peltes, or bying any of the skinnes or peltes aforesaid, contrary to the mea∣nyng of this Acte, shall forfait & lose the value of all such peltes or skinnes so made & bought, and .ii.s.vi.d. for euery skynne or pelte so bought, or pelt so made, as is aforesayde.

And be it further enacted, that it shall not be lawfull to or for any person or persons whatsoeuer, from & after the feast aforesaid, to ship, or conuey, or cause or procure to be shipped or conueyed, in, or to any shippe, boate, or vessell, in, or vpon the Sea, or in, or vpon any Hauen, riuer, creke, or place, within this Realme of England and Wales, or either of them, any maner of shepeskinnes, wolfels, shorelinges, morelinges, or the skinnes of any stagge, hynde, bucke, doo, goate, fawne, or kyd, or the peltes or skynnes of any of them, or the leather made of them or any of thē, to thintent to transport or carry the same into any the partes beyonde the Seas, there to be vttered, bartred, or sold, by way of marchaūdise or otherwise, vpon payne of forfaiture of al such skinnes or peltes, bought, laden, ship∣ped or transported, contrary to the true meaning of this Act, or the value of them, & also. ii.s.vi.d. of lawfull money of Englande, for euery fell, shorlyng, morling, pelt or skinne aforesaid, bought, laden shipped, or transported, contrary to the tenor and true meanyng of this present Act. The moitie of al which forfaitures, shalbe to our soueraigne Lady the Quenes Maiestie, her heires & successours, & the other moitie to him or thē that wyll sue for the same, by action byll, plaint, information, or otherwyse, in any of the Quenes Ma∣iesties courtes: In which action, no essoigne, protection, or iniunc∣tion,

shalbe admitted or alowed.

Prouided alwayes, that it shall and may be lawfull to the mar∣chauntes of the Staple, the marchaūtes of Newcastel vpon Tine, Hartilpoole, and Barwicke, their sruauntes, factours, and attur∣neyes, and euery of them, to carry and transport all such lawefull wares, as heretofore they haue ben accustomed, & lawfully might: Any thyng in this Acte to the contrary, notwithstandyng.