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 xxxiij. yeare of the raigne of our Soueraigne Lord King Henry the viij. Chap. iiij.

WHere at the Parlyament begun at London the third day of Nouember, in the xxj. yeere

of the raigne of the King our Soueraigne Lord, and from thence adiourned to Westminster, and there holden, and from that time continued by diuers progenitors, vnto the xv. day of Ianuary, the xxv. yeere of his most noble raigne, it was or∣dayned and established by the assent of the Kings Maiesty, his Lords spiritual & temporal, and the cōmons in the said Parlyament then assembled, and by the authoritie of the same, that no person, or persons, from that time than inhabiting, or which after that time should inhabit within this Realm, should buy, or otherwise take by exchange for other wares, any manner wares made, or heereafter to be made out of this Realme, of Tin, or mixt with Tin, as Platters, Dishes, sawcers, Pots, Basins, Ewers, Flagons, Goblettes, Saltes, Saltsellers, Spoones, or any other thing made of Tin or pewter as aforesayd, what∣soeuer it were, vppon payne of forfeiture of the same wares, in whose hands soeuer it might bee found or taken, and also lawfull money currant in this Realme, to the full value thereof, the one halfe of the same forfeiture to be to the vse of the Kings highnesse, and the other halfe to be to the vse of the finders of the same. And further it was enacted, that it should be lawfull to the Maister and Wardaines of the Pewterers, as wel with∣in the Cittie of London, as within euery other Cittie, Borough, or Towne within this Realme where such Wardaines were, and where no such Wardaynes were, to the head Officer or gouer∣nour, head Officers or gouernours of the same Cittie, Borough, or Towne for the time beeing,

to appoint diuers persons, most expert in know∣ledge of the same, to make search and seasure and to take into their hands and possessession, all such wares as thereafter should be brought, contrarie to the true intent and effect of the sayde act, in whose soeuer hands or possessions any such hold be found. And it was also enacted by the authori∣tie aboue sayde, that no person, or persons, occu∣pying the sayde craft or occupation of Pewte∣rers, within thys Realme, should set on worke, or retaine in his or theyr seruice, any person, or per∣sons, to be his or their apprentice, or Iourneyman estraunger borne out of this Realme, vpon paine to forfeyt for euery such Apprentice and Iourney∣man, ten poundes sterling: And that no straun∣ger, borne out of this Realme, should occupy, ex∣ercise, or vse, from the feast of Penticost then next comming, the said craft of Pewterers, nor worke any manner of vessels, nor other ware aforesayd, to be made of Tin or Pewter, within any place or places of this Realme, vpon paine of forfeiture of ten poundes sterling: and also, vppon payne of forfeiture of the same pewter or Tin, so wrought, in whose handes soeuer it should be found or ta∣ken. And it was further enacted by the sayde au∣thoritie, that no person, or persons, beeing borne within this Realme, then occupying or exercising the sayd craft of Pewterers, should from thence∣forth resort into any straunge Regions or Coun∣treys, there to vse, teach, or exercise the saide craft of Pewterers, vpon paine to loose the Priueledge and benefite of an Englishman.

And if in case any of the Kings Subiects, at

that time being, dwelling in any straunge Coun∣trey or Region, and there occupying the said craft of Pewterers, dyd not repayre into this Realme, within three moneths next after request & war∣ning to him to be giuen, by writing sealed wyth the common seale of the Wardaines of the sayde craft, within the said Cittie of London, and here in this Realme continually (from thencefoorth) dwel and inhabit, that then and from henceforth he should bee reputed and taken as no English∣man, but should stand and be from henceforth out of the Kings protection.

And it was than further enacted, that where sundry euill disposed persons, which commonly were called hawkers, by authority of the Kings Letters patents, or Placarde, did not onely goe about from place to place, within this Realme, v∣sing buying and selling of brasse and pewter, and by collour and pretence of the same Lycenses or Placardes, did not only vse vnlawfull & deceiue∣able weights and beames, but also did vse to sell both Brasse and Pewter which was not good, nor truely or lawfully mixt or wrought, to the great deceit of the Kings true liege people, con∣trary to the fourme and effect of a good and lau∣dable acte and statute, made in the fourth yeere of the Kings said most noble raigne, that all such lycences & placards, afore that time had made or graunted to any such person, or persons, contra∣rie to the true meaning, fourme, and effect of the sayd estatute, should bee from thencefoorth by the authority of the sayd Parliament, cleerely voyde and of none effect. And where as in the sayde

acte of Parliament (concerning the sayd craft of Pewterers & Brasiers) made in the saide fourth yeere, for diuers causes and considerations in the same act contained, amongst other things, it was expressed, that no person or persons, vsing the said craft of Pewterrrs or Brasiers, should from henceforth sell or chaunge any pewter or Brasse, newe or olde, at any place or places within thys Realme, but onely in open Faires and Markets, or in their owne dwelling houses, but if they were desired by the buyers of such wares, vpon paine of forfeiture for euery such defaulte tenne poundes. And so than the same forfeiture was to the onely vse of the Kings highnes, and the party searching or finding the same was not intituled to haue any benefite therby: it was not knowen that any person or persons had taken any paines to insearch or make any inquiry thereof. By rea∣son wherof diuers & many euill disposed persons than vsing buying and selling as wel of brasse as pewter, and not regarding the said good acte, nor the saide penalty, went dayly about from Village to Village, Towne to Towne, and from house to house, to sell such pewter and brasse, which was not good, and also vsed deceiueable weights and Beames, as they did before the making of the sayd acte, to the great hurt and deceit of the kings true liege people and Subiectes. Wherefore it was enacted by the authoritie of the sayde Par∣liament, that aswell the moytie of the sayd forfey∣ture of ten poundes lymited in the saide statute made in the saide fourth yeere, as also the moytie of all other forfeitures and penalties, expressed

and specified in the sayd actes, and euery of them should be to the vse of the Kings Highnesse, hys Heyres and Successors, and the other moytie of the same forfeitures and penalties, and euery of them, to the vse of him or them that would feaze, finde, or present the same forfeitures, or any of them, or that would sue for the same in any com∣petent Court or Courtes within this Realme, by action of debt, byll, plaint or information where∣in the defendant should in no wise bee admitted to wage his lawe, or any protection or essoyne to any person or persons which should be impeach∣ed to haue offended, contrary to the forme and ef∣fect of this Statute, should bee allowable, as in the sayde acte more plainly appeareth, which acte was appointed to endure onelie to the ende of the next Parliament, then next following, & which act was afterward renewed in the Parliament holden at Westminster, in the xxviij. yeere of the raigne of our said Soueraigne Lord, to endure vntill the ende of the next Parliament then next following: And which act was also renewed at the Parliament holden at Westminster, in the xxxj. and xxxii. yeeres of our sayde Soueraigne Lordes raigne to endure vntill the last day of the next Parlyament then next ensuing: Confir∣mation. Prayen therefore in this present Parliament our sayde Soueraigne Lords true and obedient Subiects, the Pewterers of this his saide Realme, & other the true commons of the same, because the same acte is beneficiall and necessary for the common-wealth of this Realme: That it may be enacted by the Kinge our sayde Soueraigne Lorde, the

Lordes spirituall & temporall, and the commons in the present Parliament assembled, and by au∣thoritie of the same, for as much as the same act, and euery thing therin contained, is good and be∣neficiall to the Common-wealth of this Realme, that all and euery the sayde actes and statutes, and all & euery article, sentence, and clause com∣prised in the same, may from henceforth stand and abide in as full strength and effect, for euermore from henceforth to endure, according to the pur∣port, tenour and effect of the same act and actes, as though the sayd articles, sentences, and clauses, were specially lymited, recited, or declared in this present act. And that no person, ne persons, from hencefoorth buy or take by exchaunge, or other∣wise take into or within this Realme, to the in∣tent to sell any such thinges or wares, aboue re∣hearsed, made or to be made out of this Realme, vpon paine of like forfeitures & penalties, as are and were expressed in the sayde seuerall acts, the same penaltyes and forfeitures to be leuyed as is afore expressed.

And that it may be further enacted by authori∣tie aforesaide, that if any person, or persons, doo vnlawfully withstand, interrupt, disturbe, or let the Maister and Wardaines, or their deputies of the sayd craft of Pewterers, for the time beeing, or the head Officer or gouernour, head Officers or gouernours of Citties, Townes, & Boroughs, within this Realm, wherin no such Maister and Wardaines are, or shalbe, or any of them, in sear∣ching, seasing, and taking into their handes and possessions such wares as shall happen to bee

bought, or brought into thys Realme contrary to the purport and effect of the sayde estatute, made in the sayde xxv. yeere of the raigne of our sayde Soueraigne Lorde, that then euery such person, and persons, so offending, in letting, disturbing, or withstāding the sayd seasure, or taking of such wares as is aforesaide, shall loose and forfeit for euery time so dooing, the summe of fyue poundes sterling, the one halfe wherof, shalbe to the Kings vse, and the other halfe to him or them that will or shall sue for the same, by action of debt, writ, byll, playnt, or information in any the Kings Courtes of recorde, in which action or suite, no Protection, Priuiledge, nor wager of law, shall be allowed nor admitted.

God saue the Queene.

• Thomas Wood Maister.
• William Mayor Wardens.
• Walter Hyll. Wardens.

Notes

• Recitall of the Statute made the xxx. yere
• Wares made & brought from be∣yond the Sea.
• Maister and War∣daines shall not be let to search.