Anno quarto Henrici octaui. These be the statutes established in diuers Parlyaments, for the mistery of the pewterers of London and concerning the search of pewter, brasse, and vntrue beames and weights, and for deceiuable hawkers, with diuers other orders and redresses to be had in the sayd mystery, with the renewing and confirming of the same statutes.

An Acte concerning Pewterers, made in the xxv. yeere of the reigne of our So∣ueraigne Lord, King Henry the eyght, in the minth Chapter.

Peticion. IN theyr most lamentable wise show∣en, and pitteously complaine vnto the Kings most royall Maiestie, & to this most high Courte of Parliament, the Kings most humble poore and obeysaunt subiects, the Maister, wardaines, & poore fellowship of the craft & mistery of Pewterers, as wel of the Citty of London, as of all other places within thys Realme of England, that where the said craft or

mistery, before this time hath been one of the best handicrafts within this Realme, which hath not onely growen and contiuued by meane of diuers good acts and statutes made for the true exercise of the same, whereof one was made in the xir. yeere of the Kings most renowmed Father, whose soule God pardon. And one other was made in the fourth yeere of the Kings most victe∣rious raign, concerning the crafts of Pewterers and Brasiers, of & for the true making, mixting and selling of good and true pewter, and brasen vessels. And also for exercising and vsing of true weights and beames, to be occupyed by the sel∣lers of any such pewter or brasen vessels, within thys Realme, so that none of the Kings Subiects, nor any other person, should (by any sale of any false mixed brasen and pewter vessell, or any vn∣true weights) bee deceiued, as by the sayde sta∣tutes more plainely dooth appeare.

Which good Statutes duely put in execution, hath caused the saide craft to encrease and mul∣tiplye, to the great profite and vtilitie of a great number of the Kings Subiects, and the commo∣ditie of pewter vessell much to be had in reputa∣tion, in all straunge Regions and Countreys, vn∣till now of late, diuers euill disposed persons, bee∣ing the Kings Subiects borne, which haue been apprentises and brought vp, in the exercise of the sayde crafte of Pewterers, haue nowe of late, for their singular lucre, repayred into straunge Regi∣ons and Countreys, and there doo exercise the saide craft of Pewterers, teaching straungers

(not onely the cunning of mixting and forging of all manner of Pewter vessell) but also doo teach all thinges belonging to the sayde craft of Pew∣terers. By meanes whereof, there is not onely brought (daylie into this Realme) out of strange Regions to bee solde, great number of thinges made of Pewter, vntruely mixted, and made of Tinne, where with the Kings Subectes bee dai∣he deceiued, and the people of strange Countries greatly instructed, in the cunning of the said craft of Pewterers, in such wise that thereby not one∣ly a great number and quantity of pewter vessel, and other things of pewter, made in diuers sorts and fashions, amounting to a great value, which was dayly and continually wont to bee carryed and conueied out of this Realme, by Merchants, into straunge Regions and Countries, and there to be sold and vended. Whereby the commoditie of Tin made into Pewter vessell, which hath bin had in great estimation, as things very necessary and commodious, & the kings customes thereby much aduaunced, is nowe lyke vtterly to cease and decay, and not to bee esteemed as heere to fore hath beene but also the sayde craft of Pewterers, which at this day setteth and keepeth in worke and occupation, a great number of people, shalbe be vtterly vndone. And a great multitude of the Kings natural subiects, thereby fall into idlenes, to the great impouerishment of this Realme, if speedy remedy for the redresse of the premises bee not prouided.

In tender consideration wherof, and for refor∣mation

of the premisses, * 1.1 it may please your high∣nesse, by the assent of the Lords spirituall and temporal, and the commons in this present Par∣lyament assembled, and by the authoritie of the same, to ordayne and enact, that no person or per∣sons hereafter, at any time now inhabiting, or which hereafter shal inhabite within this Realm shall buy, or otherwise take by exchaung for other wares, any wares made, or hereafter to be made out of this Realme, * 1.2 of Tin, or mixt with Tin, as Platters, Dishes, Sawcers, Pottes, Basyns, Ewers, Flagons, Goblets, Salte, Saltsellers, Spoones, or any other thing made of Tinne or Pewter as aforesaide, whatsoeuer it bee, vppon paine of forfeiture of the same ware, in whose hands soeuer it may be found or taken: and also, lawfull money currant in this Realme to the va∣lue thereof. The one halfe of the same forfeiture to be to the vse of the Kings Highnesse, and the o∣ther halfe to the vse of the finders of the same.

Penaltie. And furthermore be it enacted, that it shall bee lawfull for the Maister & wardaines of the sayde craft of Pewterers, as well within the Cittie of London, as within euery other Citty, Borough, and Town of this Realm where such wardaines bee. And where no such wardaynes bee, to the head Officer or gouernour, head Officers or go∣uernours of the same Cittie, Borough, or towne, for the time beeing, to appoynt diuers persons most expert in knowledge of the same, to make search and seasure, and to take into theyr hands and possession all such wares as heereafter shall be brought contrary to the true intent and effect

of thys present Acte, in whose soeuer handes or possessions any such shall be found.

* 1.3 And also be it enacted by the authoritie aboue∣saide, that no person or persons, occupying the sayde craft or occupation of Pewterers, wythin this Realme, shall set on worke, or retayne in hys or theyr seruice, any person or persons, to be his or their Apprentice or Iourney-man, beeing straun∣ger borne out of this Realme, vppon payne to for∣feit for euery such Apprentice and Iourney-man, ten poundes sterling. * 1.4 And that no straunger, borne out of this Realm, shall occupy, exercise, or vse from the feast of Penticost, next comming, the saide craft of Pewterers, nor worke any manner of vessell or other ware aforesaide to bee made of Tinne or Pewter, within any place or places of this Realme, vppon payne of forfeiture of tenne pounds sterling: and also, vppon payne of forfei∣ture of the same Pewter or Tinne so wrought, in whose hands soeuer it may be taken or found.

* 1.5 And also, bee it enacted by authoritie aforesaid, that no person nor persons, beeing borne within this Realme, occupying or excercising the sayde craft of Pewterers, shall at any time heere alter resort to any straunge Regions or Countreyes, there to vse, teach or exercise y^e said craft of Pew∣terers, vpon paine to loose the priueledge and be∣nefite of an Englishman. And if in case any of the Kings Subiects at this present time, beeing dwelling in any straunge Countrey or Region, and there occupying the sayde craft of Pewte∣ters, doo not repayre into thys Realme, within three moneths next after request and warning

to him be giuen, by writing sealed with the com∣mon seale of the Wardaynes of the sayde craft, within the sayde Cittie of London, and heere in this Realme continually from henceforth dwel•• inhabit, that then & from henceforth he shalbe ta∣ken & reputed as no Englishman, but shall stand & be from henceforth out of the Kings protection.

* 1.6 And forasmuch as sundry euil disposed persons which commonly bee called Hawkers, by autho∣ritie of the Kings letters pattents or placarde, do not only goe about from place to place, within this Realme, vsing buying and selling of brasse and pewter. And by coulour and pretence of the same Lycenses and Placardes, vse vnlawfull and deceyueable Weights and Beames, but also do vse to sell both pewter and brasse, which is not good, nor truely, nor lawfully mixt nor wrought, to the great deceit of the Kings true liege people, contrary to the fourme and effect of the sayd good Act and Statute made in the sayde fourth yeere of the Kings most noble raigne. Be it therefore enacted by authority of this present Parliament, that all such lycences and placardes heeretofore had, made, or graunted to any such person or per∣sons, contrarie to the true meaning, fourme, and effect of thys Statute shalbe from hencefoorth by authoritie of this present Parliament, cleerely voyde and of none effect. And where as in the saide acte of Parliament, (concerning the craft of Pewterers & Brasiers) made in the sayde fourth yeere, for diuers causes and considerations in the same contayned, among other things, it is expres∣sed that no person, or persons, vsing the said craft

of Pewterers or Brasiers should frō henceforth fill or chaunge any Pewter or brasse, new or olde, at any place or places within this Realme, but onely in open Fayres and Markets, or in theyr stone dwelling houses, but if they were desired by the buyers of such wares, vpon paine of forfei∣ture for euery such default, ten pounds.

Hawkers. For as much as the same forfeiture is to the only vse of the Kings highnesse, & that any partie searching or finding the same, is not intituled to haue any benefit therby, it hath not been knowen that any person, or persons, haue taken any paine to insearch or make any inquiry thereof. By rea∣son whereof, diuers and many euill disposed per∣sons, vsing buying and selling both of brasse and pewter, and not regarding the saide good act, nor the said penalty, daily goe about from village to village, Towne & towne, and from house to house, to sell such pewter and brasse, which is not good. And also vse deceiueable Weyghts and Beames as they did before the making of the sayd acte, to the great hurt and deceite of the Kings true liege people and Subiects. * 1.7 Wherefore be it enacted by the authoritie abouesayde, that as well the moytie of the sayd forfeiture of ten poundes, limi∣ted in the saide estatute made in the sayd fourth yeere, as also the moytie of all other forfeitures before expressed, and euery of them bee and shall bee to the vse of the Kings highnesse, his Heyres and Successors: and the other moytie of the same forfeitures, and euery of them, to the vse of him, or them, that shall seaze, finde, or present the sayd forfeitures, or any of them, or that shall sue for

the same in any competent Court or Courtes, within this Realme by action of debt, bill, plaint or information, wherein the defendant shall in no wise be admitted to wage his law, or any protec∣tion or essoyne to any person or persons, which shalbe impeached to haue offended contrary to the forme and effect of this Statute, shall be al∣lowable. This acte to endure to the last day of the next Parliament.

❧ The annotations of the confirmacions and renouations of the aforesayde Statutes.

Confir∣mation. ANd it is to be noted that the saide last act was reuewed in the Parliament holden at West∣minster, the viij. day of Iune, in the xxviii. yeere of our sayde Soueraigne Lorde, to and among other actes. And that all causes, articles, & pro∣uisions therein contayned, to stand in their force and strength, to the last day of the next Parlia∣ment. And also, the sayde acte was renewed a∣gayne in the Parlyament holden at Westminster the xviij. of Aprill, in the xxj. yeere of our sayde Soueraigne Lorde, amongst other actes, as is a∣foresayde. &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Any man∣ner of Pewter wrought out of this Realm to be forfei∣ted.
• * 1.2

  Search & seasure.
• * 1.3

  Prentises or Iour∣ney-men straūgers borne.
• * 1.4

  Straūgers shall not worke pewter within the Realme.
• * 1.5

  Exercise beyond Sea.
• * 1.6

  Hawkers.
• * 1.7

  Penalty for Haw∣kers.