Anno quinto et sexto Eduardi Sexti Actes made in the session of this present parlament, holden vpo[n] prorogacion at Westminster, the. xxiii. daie of Ianuarie, in the fiueth yere of the reigne of our moste drad souereigne Lorde, Edward the. VI. by the grace of God, kyng of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande, defendour of the faith, and of the Churche of Englande and Irelande, in yearth [sic] the supreme hed: and there continued and kept to the. xv. daie of Aprill, in the vi. yere of the reigne of our saied souereigne lorde, as foloweth

¶ The .xv. Chapiter. ¶ An acte, against regratours of Tanned Lether. (Book 15)

WHere, by the couetousnes of diuerse gredye perso∣nes, regratyng and engrossyng, al kynd of tanned lether into their hādes, and sellyng again thesame at excessiue prices, to Sadlers, Girdlers, Corde∣wainers, and suche other artificers, and hādicraf∣tes men, as make wares of tanned lether, the kyn∣ges louyng subiectes are enforced to buie thesaid wares, at vnreasonable prices, for remedy and re∣formacion whereof: Be it enacted by the kyng our souercigne Lorde, with thassent of the Lordes, Spirituall and Temporall, and the com∣mons in this present Parlament assembled, and by the aucthoritie of thesame, that from, and after the first daie of Maie next commyng, no persone, or persones, of what estate, degree, or condicion, soeuer he, or thei bee, shall buie, or engrosse, or cause to be bought, or engrossed, any

kynde of Tanned Lether, to thentent to sell thesame again, vpon pain to forfeict thesaied Lether so bought, or the iust price thereof. The one moytie of whiche forfeicture, shalbe to the kyng our souereigne lorde, and the other moytie to him, or them, that shall lease, or sue for thesame in any of the kynges courtes of record, by accion of debt, bill, plaint, in∣formacion, or otherwise, wherein no wager of lawe, essoyne, proteccion, or Iniunccion shalbe admitted, or allowed for the defendaunt.

Prouided alwaie, and be it enacted, by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that all Sadlers, Girdlers, Cordewainers, and al other artificers, suche as make males, Bougettes, Lether pottes, Tanckardes, bare hides, or a∣ny other wares of Lether, shall, or maie buy, all suche kynd of Tanned lether, as is, or shalbe necessary for their occupiyng, to be wrought and made by them, or by their seruauntes, in, or about their said wares, any thyng before mencioned in this acte to the contrary, notwithstandyng.

Prouided also, that euery Girdler, and other artificer before men∣cioned in this Acte, maie at his free will and pleasure, sell their neckes, wombes, and shreddes of Tanned Lether (suche as thei, or any of them cannot occupie, aboute the wares thei vse to make) to any persone, or persones, without incurryng any forfeicte, pain, or penaltie before ex∣pressed in this Acte, any thyng herein conteined to the contrary, not∣withstandyng.

Prouided also, and bee it further enacted, by the aucthoritie afore∣said, that it shalbe lawfull, to, or for, euery persone, or persones, whiche now haue, or hereafter shall haue, the kynges maiesties speciall licence or licences, to transporte, cary, or conueigh ouer the seas, any kynde of Tanned Lether, to buie for the furniture of their saied licence, or licen∣ces, in open Faier, or Market, suche, and so muche Tanned Lether, as he, or thei be, or shalbe licensed to transport, cary, or conueigh. So that thesame licence, or licences, be presented, and shewed, vnto the chief of∣ficer, or officers, that now haue, or hereafter shall haue, the gouernaūce of any Citee, Toune Faier, or Market, whereas thesaid Lether, or any part thereof, shalbe bought. And so that thesaied officer, or officers, se∣yng thesame licence to be good, and perfecte, do iustly, and truely write vpon the backside of euery suche licence, or licences, how muche Tan∣ned lether, he or thei, shall there haue bought, and the certain daie, time and place of buiyng thesame, that thereby it maie manifestly appere, how, and when, euery suche licence, or licences, be, or shalbe satisfied, a∣ny thyng in this acte to the contrary, notwithstandyng.

And be it further enacted, by the aucthoritie abouesaied, that after thesaid first daie of Maie next commyng, no persone, or persones, shall shippe, or cause to bee shipped (to the entent to cary, transporte, or con∣ueigh ouer the seas, as Marchaundise to be sold, or exchaunged there) any Shoes, Bootes, Buskins, Stertuppes, or Slippers, vpon pain to forfeict all, and euery suche Shoes, Bootes, Buskins, Stertuppes

or Slippers. so shipped, contrarie to the true meanyng of this Acte, or the value of thesame. The one moietie of thesaid forfeicture to be to the Kyng our souereigne Lord, and the other moietie to hym, or them, that shal sease, or sewe for thesame, in any of the Kynges Maiesties courtes of recorde, by action of debte, bille, plainte, enformacion, or otherwyse. Wherin no wager of lawe, essome, protection, or iniunction shalbe ad∣mitted, or allowed for the defendaunt.

Prouided alwaies, and be it enacted by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that this Acte, ne any thyng therin conteined, shall not in any wyse extende to be preiudicial, or hurtfull to any person, or persons, beyng the Kyn∣ges subiectes, for transportyng or carieng ouer the Seas vnto Calice, or the marches of the same, and vnto the Isle of man, so muche, or as many of the afore said made wares (as Bootes, Buskyns, Stertup∣pes, and Slippers heretofore recited) as shalbe necessarie and conue∣nient for the wearyng, and furniture of the Kynges subiectes in them, or any of them. Any thyng in this last Acte conteined to the contrarie hereof in any wyse, notwithstandyng.

Prouided alwaies, and be it enacted by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that no Sadler, Girdler, Cordwainer, nor other artificer, dwellyng within the citie of London, and the suburbes of the same, whiche shal cutte the same tanned leather, (as is aforesaid to thentēt to make wares therof) shal courrie, or dresse, any of the foresaid tanned leather, in his, or their owne house, or houses, or by his, or their seruaunt, or seruauntes, vpon paine of forfeicture, al, and euery thesaid tanned leather, so to be cour∣ried. The one moietie of whiche forfeicture shalbe to our souereigne Lorde the Kyng, and the other moietie to the partie that wil sue for the same, in any of the Kynges courtes of recorde, by Bille, Plainte, Actiō or enformacion. Wherin no wager of lawe, essome protection, or In∣iunction, shalbe admitted, or allowed for the defendaunt.