Rules for assizing of bread viz. by troy-weight, or sterling, and by avoirdupoids weights : together with the rule of coequality of both weights, and the assize by a standard-weight for white, wheaten, and household loaves, assized by a certain price, rising and lowering, as the price of wheat rises and falls in the market : all three calculated exactly according to the statute Assiza panis 51.H.3. now in force in Ireland.

To the Impartial Reader,

WHEN I published my Rule of Assize by Troy weight, I thought it would have prevented the former Complaints made by the Bakers against the Magistrates of this Ci∣ty, and that I should escape in my time their usual Accusations, of not being assized as the Statute directs: But I found my self very much mistaken; for on the contrary, in a little time after they charged me, (both before Government and Council, and be∣fore the Parliament,) of having refused to conform to some Or∣der of Council, and of having Assized them contrary to it, and at such Rates and Prices, as they could not live by. Particularly by their Maslin-Bread, which was never assized in Ireland, be∣fore the time of my Magistracy; and insisted positively, that by the Statute, they ought to be Assized by the second highest price of Wheat, and not by the MIDDLE price as I had Assized them by.

All these Charges I answered, and at a publick hearing in Council their Petition was dismist, and afterwards rejected by the Commitee of the Honourable House of Commons, after an exact Examination of the Statute of Assize, and of all my procee∣dings in assizing them; and my Rules of Assize were found so exactly like those of the Statute, that I was desired to print them again, and to add to it, the Assize by Avoir-dupoids, and by a Standard weight for Bread, assizable by a certain price, which I have accordingly joyned here together.

But notwithstanding these publick Determinations, they have since persisted in the same Assertion, having an implicit belief for a certain Bakers Book, who pretends to have found out in the

Statute the Word Second Price in stead of MIDDLE Price. Therefore I think it necessary to insert here the Statute it self, that every one may judge of their gross mistake.

Statute Assisa Panis 51. H. 3. Anno Dom. 1266.

THE King, to all to whom these presents shall come, greet∣ing. We have seen certain Ordinances of the Assise of Bread and Ale, and of the making of Money and Measures, made in the times of our Progenitors, sometimes Kings of England, in these Words: When a quarter of Wheat is sold for 12 pence then (1) Wastel-Bread of a Farthing shall weigh 6 l. 16 s. (2) But Bread cocket of a Farthing of the same Corn and Bultel shall weigh more then the Wastel by 2 s. (3) And cocket Bread made of Corn of lower price, shall weigh more then the Wastel by 5 s. (4) Bread made into a Simne•• shall weigh 2 s. less then Wastel. (5) Bread made of the whole Wheat, shall weigh a Cocket and an half, so that a Cocket shall weigh more then a Wastel by 5 s. (6) Bread of Treet shall weigh 2 Wastels. (7) And Bread of common Wheat shall weigh two great Cockets.

And it is to be known, that when a Baker in every quarter of Wheat, (as it is proved by the Kings Bakers,) may gain 4 d. and the Bran, and two Loaves for advantage; For three Servants, 1 d. ob. For two lads, ob. In Salt, ob. For knead∣ind, ob. For Candle, q. For Wood, 2 d. For his bultel, ob.

The Assise of Bread (as it is contained in a writing of the Marshalsey of our Lord the King delivered unto them,) may be holden according to the price of Wheat, that is to say, as well Wastel, as other Bread of the better, second and third sort, shall be weighed as is aforesaid by the

MIDDLE price of Wheat, and the Assize or weight of Bread shall not be changed, but by six pence increasing or decrea∣sing in the Sale of a Quarter.

By the consent of the whole Realm of England, the Measure of our Lord the King was made, That is to say, that an English Penny, called a Sterling, round and without any clipping, shall weigh 32 Wheat Corns in the midst of the Ear; and 20 d. do make an Ounce; and 12 Ounces one Pound; and 8 Pound do make a Gallon of Wine; and 8 Gal∣lons of Wine do make a London-Bushel, which is the 8th. part of a Quarter.

Forasmuch as in our Parliament holden at Westminster, in the first Year of our Reign, we have granted that all good Statutes and Ordinances made in the times of our Progeni∣tors aforesaid, and not revoked, shall be still held, we have caused, at the request of the Bakers of our Town of Coven∣try, that the Ordinances aforesaid, by tenor of these pre∣sents shall be examplified.

This Statute is the only in force in Ireland for the exact Assize of Breads and its Rules are so well disgested, that it would be very difficult, to find a better or easier Method:

There is another Statute ordering that the price of Bread and Ale shall be according to the price of Corn.

And also the Statute of the Pillory and Tumbrell, for the punishing of Bakers and Brewers, which authorises Grand Juries to inquire, in these following Words: After how, the Bakers Bread in the Court do agree, that it is to wit, Wastel and other Bread, after Wheat of the best, or of the second, or of the third price. Also upon how much encrease or decrease in the price of Wheat, the Assize and weight of Bakers Bread ought to change. 51 1 H. 3.

There is not a Word here of Assizing by the second price, but

by the price of all the Wheat, and as the Magestrates should find lawful after Inquiry made as the Statute Assisa Panis do direct.

There were Ordinances made before, and confirmed by Henry the Third, Edward the First, or Edward the Second, in these Words: The Assise of Bread shall be kept according as it is contained in the writting of the Marshalsey of our So∣vereign Lord the King; after the Sale of Wheat. That is to wit, the better, the worse, and the worst, as well Wastel-Bread as other, of what sort soever they be, shall be weigh'd according as it is said of the Sale of the MEANER Wheat.

This Word MEANER, is far from that of second price of the best Corn, which the Bakers would be assized by, and signi∣fies rather, the least sort but one, then the second best.

Serjeant Rastal in his Abridgment of the Statute explaines it thus: The Assize of Bread be holden according to the Sale of Wheat, by the Sale of the MIDDLE Corn.

And Edmund Wingate in his new Abridgment of The said Statute Paragraph VI. The Assize of Bread shall be rated ac∣cording to the MIDDLE price of Wheat.

I shall not paraphrase any further on the Statute, it ex∣plains it self clearly enough. And if the Bakers will be assized by the second price, they must chuse those places to bake in, where such an Assize is established by Custom, or otherwise. But the Magistrates of Dublin have no other Rule but this Statute, and ought to conforme to it, according to their Oath, as Clerks of the Markets.

The Corporation of Bakers taking Advice on this Point, and finding themselves mistaken in the Word SECOND and MID∣DLE, took hold of the several names of Bread mentioned in the Statute, and White, Wheaten, and Houshold, being not in the Statute, they thought it enough to maintain, that the Mage∣strate

could not assize those three sorts of Bread by the Statute, upon which they got under the hand of their Councell his Opinion in that point of Law, advising them, to bake under Assize, and when, and as often, as the Magistrate should take their Bread for want of weight, to Replevy the same, and by a Scire Facias bring their Cause to a Tryal.

I shall not enter into dispute about Points of Law, I leave that to the Gentlemen at the Bar. I shall only mark, that by such Means the Citizens would be very much wrong'd, as the beginning of it proved sufficiently: For as soon as they agreed in their Hall to follow that course, they shut up their Shops, and sold their light Bread in their Backhouses, refused to take any Assize from the Magistrate, sent no Bread to Market, and help'd no Body, but such as they pleas'd, and at what Rate they thought fit. Now if the Magistrate had gone to their several Houses, and seized all their light Bread, he would have brought on him more Suits at Law in the Year of his Magistracy, then there are Hours in the whole Year.

But the Government of the City thought fit to take another course; They considered, that it was but an old Trick, acted here∣tefore in Queen Elizabeth's Reign, by the Bakers of Dublin: Therefore they followed the Example of their former Govern∣ment, who pass'd an Act of Assembly 36 Elizabethae. That whereas the Country-Bakers gave more weight, then the City-Bakers, and yet the latter used their own Wills, as not to bake but at their own will and pleasure, pretending they could not live, if they should follow the Assize given by Ma∣ster Mayor. It was concluded and agreed, That from thence∣forth, all such of the Country-Bakers, and others that should come in Market-Days with Bread to be sold, should have free Liberty to sell the same, without Lett or Interruption of any whatsoever.

This Method had the same effect in this juncture, as it had then: For althô the Forreigners, and Country-Bakers, had been scatter'd, (as I shall prove in the Objection against a Tryal,) yet the encouragement given them by Proclamation, put the Freemen up••n thinking: And finding that some of the former had begun to bake, who found themselves considerable Gainers, they presently open'd their own Shops again, and fell a baking good, wholesome, and assizable Bread, instead of the light glu∣tinous Bread they had bak'd incognito, some Days before, and without their Mark, contrary to the Statute. From which we may easily inferr, that they are sufficient Gainers by their Trades, and would have more Money in their Coffers, had not they spent so much as they have, in their continual Prosecutions against the Magistrates.

As to their pretended Point of Law concerning the Names of Bread mentioned in the Statutes, I believe, they will not in∣sist any longer on it, when they are once satisfied, that the Magi∣strate by the Common Law has Power to assize Bread according to the value of the Corn, and that the Statute-Law confirms on him the same Authority, as appears by the several Statutes concern∣ing the Assize of Bread; and that besides the same Bread we now call White, Wheaten, and Houshold, are included in the Statute. I shall take them in Order, as they are in the Statute:

I. Wastel Bread, in Latin, Libum, which signifies a Cake; some Interpret it to be a Cake made with Honey, a Cake made with Meal and Oyl; and some others, a Wafe••; But Edmund Wingate in his Abridgment of the Statutes, calls it a sort of small Bread, out of use, and left out of Assize in Queen Elizabeth's Reign, as also Cocket Bread made of the same fine Flower, and Bultel.

II. Cocket Bread, called in Latin Panis Secun∣darius, is the Bread, made of Corn or Flower of less price

than Wastel, which ought to weigh more then the Wastel by Five Shillings, viz. Seven Pounds one Shilling, which is the Rule of all the Assizes that ever were extant in England: and is called white assizable Bread, in all the English Ordinances of Edward the Second, Henry the Seventh, Henry the Eighth, and Queen Elizabeth.

And in the Records of Guild-hall, London, Anno 1311, there is a Duplicate of a Tryal made in Edward the Second's time of 3 Quarters of Wheat; one of the best sort, one of the second, and one of the last, into White, Wheaten, and Houshhold Bread.

In the 12th Year of Henry the Seventh, another Tryal was made after the same manner.

In the 8th Year of King Henry the Eighth, another Tryal was also made of 3 Quarters of Wheat, divided into four parts; one in White Bread, two in Wheaten, and one in Houshold Bread; and this was when Sir William Buttler was Mayor of London, and entred in Guild-hall, in the Journal, folio 238.

In the 34th Year of Queen Elizabeth, Anno 1592, a like Tryal was also made, and an Order confirming the former Orders, appointing three sorts of Bread only to be made, viz. White, Wheaten, and Houshold: And therefore I conclude, that Cocket Bread, and White Bread is both of the same kind under two dif∣ferent Names.

III. Simnel, called by the Latins Collyra, and by Plaut. Panis genus in cineribus cocti; by other a Cracknel, a Sop or Sippet; and by the Statute it self, Bread twice baked; was a sort of small Cakes made in those Days: And we had some very lately made in Dublin, in form of a Cup or small Porringer, of a hard and brickle Quality; which answers very exactly the Word Cracknet, and very fit for a Sop or Sippet, when fill'd with good Ale, &c. and those who sold it in the Streets, called it Simnel•• Cakes. This was, and is also out of Assize.

IV. Bread made of the whole Wheat. There is no need of further explanation; for every Body knows that any Bread made of the whole Wheat, is neither White nor Brown, but partici∣pates of both; and must of necessity be Wheaten, from the two Ex∣tremes, White and Brown. And the Words of the Statute marks what it is; That it shall weigh, (sayeth the Statute,) a Cocket and a half, that is, one moiety of the White; and being a Cocket, one moiety of the Brown or Houshold, which by the Statute is to weigh two Cockets, and both three Cockets, the moiety thereof is one and a half, the Wheaten participating of both in that proportion, or else Bread made of all the sorts of Wheat mixt to∣gether, which imports the same thing.

V. Bread of Treet, called in Latin Mantissa, Aucta∣rium, Words of Surplusage, Advantage, over-plus, more then weight, over and above, and by Plaut. Throw so much into the Bargain. And the English Dictionary renders it, Bread of Advantage, or over Measure, Advantage, or over weight. The Statute explains it in these Words, Bread of Treet shall weigh two Wastels; which was very near the weight of Houshold Bread, and almost of the same kind; being a little better than Houshold, and something worse than Wheaten; and the difference so little, that none but a Baker could discern it; and therefore it was left out of Assize. This is one of those sorts of compounds of Bread, I do mention in my Exceptions against a Tryal to be made by refined Bakers.

VI. Bread of common Corn, the Name bears its own Signification, Bread for the common, or Servant, or for the Hous∣hold. But at this Day the Bakers mix in it, all their short Meal, which formerly was given to Horses; and some of late have got the way to grind their very Bran so fine, that it incorporates into it, and still call it Houshold, or Bread of common Corn; but it is far from the true Substance of Bread of common Corn, or

Houshold, and none will believe, that such a compound with Bran, can feed the poor People so well, as that of all common Wheat. But on the contrary, that for want of true Substance, Nature soon throughs it out, and therefore it rather purges then nourishes the Body, as the Lord Mayor told the Bakers lately; who, instead of excusing themselves, seemed to vindicate their ill doing, by an Impertinent Answer, That it would procure to His Lordship more Customers for his Apothecary Druggs.

Having thus vindicated the assizing of White, Wheaten, and Houshold-Bread, it remains to prove that my assizing of Meslin was according to Law, and necessary; and that I did it upon good ground, and not out of my own Will, as Master Wil∣liam Cocq did assert and complained of, both before the Govern∣ment, and in Parliament; althô in Truth he was the very Man with Master Richard Allen, who desired me to assize that Bread.

Those who keep the Bills of Mortality, and Master Crook, the Printer, who has all my Assizes signed by Me, will justifie, that at the beginning of my Magistracy, and till the middle of November 1694, I assized only the White, Wheaten, Houshold, and Horse-Bread, (or Crutchlo) in Imitation of England. But on the 16th of that Month, at the Instance of Master William Cocq, (then Master of the Corporation,) and with the Appro∣bation of the Government, I made use of the Power, granted by Law, to the Magistrates, as Clerk of the Market, and by the Statute or Ordinances of Henry the Third, Edward the Second, and Edward the Third, in these Words (mentioned before,) That as well Wastel-Bread as other, OF WHAT SORT SO∣EVER THEY BE, shall be weighed or assized, according as it is said of the meaner Wheat: And then, I did assize the Meslin-Bread, according to the value of that sort of Corn, and at the Assize of Houshold-Bread, and I left off assizing Horse-Bread, he telling me there was no such Bread made here.

As soon as I had laid down the Rod, the Corporation begun again their noisie Complaints against the assizing of that Bread, & then it was left out of Assize, and they were Incouraged to petition against Me, which they did; but I soon vindicated my self, having full Authority by the Law for what I had done. And when this Matter is well considered, perhaps it will be thought fit to assize that Bread, (as I did,) and also Rye-Bread and Cruchlo, being the several sorts of Bread for the Labourers, Spinners, and the Poor; who would be better fed with it, then with Potatoes, could they have it plenty, and at a cheap rate, viz. at the Rate of Assize according the value of the Corn.

I wish the Bakers had incerted in their Petition some Rea∣sons why that Bread should not be assized, for till they do so, I will still insist that Meslin-Bread, (being of Corn so much cheap∣er then Wheat,) ought to weigh more then Houshold, and that the generality of the poor People are much wrong'd in being obliged to pay for a Pound of Course Meslin, (as black as Horse-Bread,) as much as for the best Houshold. And indeed it is a wrong to the whole Kingdom; for if Bread, which is the chief Substance for the poor Labourers, and Spinners, be kept at high rate, they must suffer very much, or get greater wages; and if so, the Manu∣factories must raise, which is the very means to hinder their Sale abroad.

As for the Allegation in their Petition, that they lost 2 s. in a Quarter by baking at my Assize; that's ridiculous; for all my Assizes are exactly according to the price of Meslin brought to the Magistrate, with the Samples of Wheat. And every Body knows, that Meslin is generally sold at a great rate; and some at a high∣er rate then some Wheat; because there is little or no Rye in it: But when the Bakers have it at home, they mix what Quan∣tity of Rye they think fit, which is a cheaper Corn, and which is not brought in Assize; So that when the Baker pays 24 s. a

Barel for Meslin, and 12 s. for Rye, and mixes it together, that Quarter cost but 36 s, and by my Assizing, (by the full price of Meslin,) they were allowed as much as if they had paid 48 s. for the Quarter of Corn. By which means they got 12 s. a Quarter besides the 6 s. allowed by Custom for baking a Quarter of Corn.

Therefore I still remain in my first Opinion, that Meslin, being the food of the Labourer, ought to be assized according to the price of that sort of Corn. And that the Bread made of all Rye, which is (much cheaper then Meslin,) ought to be brought under Assize; and also the Bread made of Cruchlo, being a com∣pound of Beans, Pease, Wheat, and other Grains, which is a strong wholesom food for Labourers, &c.

And all these sorts of Bread the Magistrate may assize ac∣cording to Law, and the Ordinances, before mentioned, which authorises to Assize as well Wastel-Bread, as others OF WHAT SORT SOEVER THEY BE.

As to the last Act of Assembly, inviting the Country or For∣reign Bakers, to help the City with Bread, it is no new thing, the same having been done before, and at a time, that there was not so great a necessity as lately, when all Free Bakers had agreed together to leave off Baking; and to starve the Inhabitants or gain their own Will.

It was high time then, for the Government of the City to prevent so great an Evil, by all means possible and just. And the Bakers cannot justly blame the Magistrate, (after such se∣cond attempt of their Corporation,) for Inviting, and protecting in the City, such other Bakers, as might supply the Inhabitants with Bread, not only in that great extremity, but at all other times hereafter if the Corporation should relaps.

All what was done at that time of need, is both according to Law and the Custom of the City. The Statute making no dif∣ference

of Bakers Free or Unfree, but establishes one Assize only for all Bakers, and for all sorts of Bread in general: And by Custom there is no other difference between them, but that the Unfree Bakers cannot open Shop without Licence from the Go∣vernment of the City.

This was lately the Case of some Roman Catholick Bakers, who for a while paid a considerable Quartradge to the Corpora∣tion for the Liberty of Baking at the Freemens Assize. But at last being advised by Councell, and the Corporation having con∣sidered the Point seriously, they soon agreed together, and the for∣mer were admitted at Twelve Pence Quartradge, as Mr. Robert Jones the Unfree Baker declared before the Comittee of the Ho∣nourable House of Commons.

But by a certain Custom of this City, the Country or Forrain Bakers were obliged to bake at 2 s. less allowance in a Quarter of Wheat then the Free Bakers: That I suppose happened in Queen Elizabeth's Reign; For Edmund Wingate observes, That there was a Proclamation Issued in her time, that Bakers, inhabiting in Corporate Towns, (in regard they pay Scot and Lot there,) are allowed J••••c Shillings in every Quarter of the MIDDLE priz'd Wheat for their charge in baking: And Country or Forreign Bakers only 4 Shillings. And there is an Act of Assembly of this City in the 36th Year of her Reign, which obliges the Country or Forreign Bakers to give an overplus in Assize.

It remains now to Answer their last Objection, that they are not assized by the MIDDLE price of Corn; but that all the Corn is calculated together, and does not fall to the MIDDLE price. Their Error in that proceeds of their mistake in the Words of the Statute, and want of Knowledge in Arithmetick.

They suppose and affirm, that there is only Three prices of Corn, mentioned for Assize, viz. First, Second, and Third Price,

placing that Word Price for Sorts; the Statute answers them fully; Bread of Better, Second and Third Sort, shall be weighed by the MIDDLE price of Wheat.

The Wheat in those Days, and ever since, was divided in three parcels, viz. All the Best sort in one, the Second in ano∣ther, and the Worst in another: But the first sort was not sold all at one rate, nor either of the two other sorts; but according as they were generally sold, the Report was made. Example:

If the Best was sold, some at 30 s, some at 29 s. 6 d, some at 29 s, the Report was at 29 s. 6 d; and if the Second sort was sold, some at 25 s, some at 24 s. 6 d, and some at 24 s, the general Price was reported at 24 s. 6 d; and if the Worst was sold at 20 s, some at 19 s. 6 d, and some at 19 s, the Report was at 19••••; So that upon Enquiry of the price of First, Second, and Third sort of Corn, the Price being returned 29 s. 6 d, 24 s. 6 d, and 19 s. 6 d, they joyned altogether to find out the Price of the MIDDLE sort, and the three summs amounting in all to 73 s. 6 d. they divided by 3, and found in the quotient 24 s. 6 d, which is the Price of the MIDDLE sort of Wheat.

Here in Dublin they have an Assize as just and exact, and I think more to their advantage; for they are allowed the full value of the price of Corn, althô the Statute says that the Price shall not Rise or Lower in Assize but by 6 d; and they well know, that I never abated them one Half Penny of the just price of the Corn bought.

The Calculating of all the Corn together falls to the same MIDDLE Center, when divided in 3 parcells, and each parcel calculated by it self, and then the 3 joined afterwards. The Clerk of Assize in Dublin may humour the Bakers in that particular, & find no alteration: For when all the Corn is entred, and the Price set down, and sworn before the Lord-Mayor, and those who attends

the Sword, let him reckon how many different prices of Corn is sold that Day, and divide them in three, and call the first parcel Best sort, the second Worse, and the third Worst sort, and calcu∣late each, and bring them to a certain Price, and then join the 3 Prices together, and divide them by 3, he will find in his Quo∣tient the Price of the MIDDLE sort of Corn. And if he calcu∣lated all the whole together, he will find the same. I have try∣ed both ways several times, and found no difference. I shall In∣sert here the manner of that Assize which I made at Newhall on a Market-Day for Mr. Cook, the present Clerk of Assize.

Dublin the 8th of February 1698.

THree sorts of Corn sold in Dublin Market, viz.
Best sort from 27 s. to 30 s, and 57 Barrels cost 80 l. 7 s, so each Barrel cost	— 28 s. 6 d.
Worse sort from 24 s. 6 d, to 26 s. 6 d. and 177 Barrels cost 225 l. 1 s, therefore each Barrel cost	— 25 s. 6 d.
The Worst from 21 s. to 24 s. the Barrel, and 75 Barrels cost 88 l. 6 s, which is for each Barrel	— 23 s. 6 d.

Now by the Method of our Bakers their Assize should be 29 s. 6 d, because the second highest Price is so much —

Whereof the MIDDLE Price here, Or the Price of the MIDDLE Corn is but 25 s. 6 d. and so it falls; for if you mix the Three Summs together, they come to 3 l. 17••••, and if you di∣vide that by three, (to find out the MIDDLE Price, the Quo∣tient will bring 25 s. 6 d, and some thing over, which signifies nothing, in Assize, because the Statute is positive, that it shall neither Rise nor Lower but by Six Pence.

Afterwards I calculated all the Barrels together; that is to say, I joined 57 of the Best Wheat, 177 of the Worse, and 75 of

the Worst, which makes 309: And I divided the Summ paid for them, being 393 l. 14 s, by the Number of Barrels and the Quotient brought me 25 s. and 149 parts of 309, which is Six Pence wanting 5 parts of 149. So that by all the three different ways of assizing I found the same allowance.

This I suppose, is sufficient to satisfie all Impartial Persons, that no wrong was ever intended, or done, to the Bakers. There∣fore I shall add no more but a few Words in my own Vindication, and of all my Assizes.

As soon as the time of my Magistracy was ended, some of them, and their Emissaries, were Impudent enough, to Curse me in all Places, Markets, Streets, and Ale-Houses, and even be∣fore my face, and in my hearing; but I laugh'd at it, looking on them to be mad Men, as some realy are, when they have got a little too much Liquor.

But finding that it availed them nothing to Curse, they took another Course of Revenge, and reported, that the Master had gi∣ven me a Giunea-Cake for doing nothing. When I heard it at first, I took it as a Joke, remembring that a Foreign Bakers Wife had told me once, that they could live very well by my Assize, had not the Master put them to vast Contributions for his Expences at Law, it came then to my Thoughts, that perhaps the Master might have charged something on his Accompts for extraordinary secret Expences, and applied it to that use. Therefore I told Mr. William Cocq, who was Master at that time, and Mr. John Foreman, who was Master then, that something of that kind had been Reported, and desired them to clear themselves of it: Which accordingly they did, and went before Mr. Justice Lin∣don, and swore an Affidavit that they knew nothing of it, and that they, nor any one else of their Knowledge, had ever offered any such thing.

But Malice went further, and some of their Revengeful Friends

proclaimed at the Parliament-House, that when Corn was at 15 s. the Quarter, I had given the Bakers an Assize at 35 s. The News was presently brought to me by Mr. Twigg. I then told him, that such Report was ridiculous, and that no Men of Sence would believe it; because my Assizes were all given under my Hand to the Ma∣ster of the Bakers, signed by Me, as also to Mr. Crook, who prin∣ted them all, which were sufficient to prove the contrary. Besides that, in my whole Year I never gave so high an Assize as 35 s; and in all that time, but 3 at 15 s, when Corn was sold at 7 s. 6 d. a Barrel, viz. 15th and 22th February, and 18th May; and my Assizes then was but at 21 s. with the Allowance.

I gave them all to Mr. Twigg, desired him to do me the Favour to shew them to all the Gentlemen, as he thought might have given credit to such a Malicious, and False Report; and to challenge the Author of it, to shew such an Assize of mine, to Ju∣stifie himself, or else to do me that Justice to own his Error, as a Gentleman ought to have done; but he has been ever since silent, and I leave the World to judge what he is.