By the Lords Justices and Council. Mich. Armach. C. Granard. Whereas several of the most considerable merchants, residing in, and about this city of Dublin, and other the cities, corporations, and trading-ports of this kingdom,

BY THE LORDS JUSTICES AND COUNCIL.

Mich. Armach. C. Granard.

WHEREAS several of the most consi∣derable Merchants, residing in, and a∣bout this City of Dublin, and other the Cities, Corporations, and Tra∣ding-Ports of this Kingdom, have of late, in the behalf of themselves, and other the Merchants thereof, preferred their humble Petition to this Board, thereby setting forth, that Butter be∣ing one of the principal Commodities of the product of this Kingdom, and not only of an universal use, and expence at home, but being likewise transported in very great quan∣tities to parts beyond the Seas, from whence, of all others, it makes the greatest return in Moneys, to the manifest ad∣vancement of his Majesties Revenue, and enriching of the Subjects of this his Kingdom, is nevertheless, by the fra∣dulent Dealing and Practice of several Farmers, Owners, and

Packers of Butter, and by Combination between them, and the Coopers, and makers of Casque, to the great Wrong and Abuse of His Majesty in Victualling of his Navy, of Merchants in Victualling of their Ships, of all Traders in the said Commodity, of all Housholders who buy the same for their Expence, and to the great Dishonour of this Na∣tion, in Parts beyond the Seas, brought into great disrepute abroad, whereby it yields not that price, nor is vented there in such quantities as otherwise it would; by means where∣of, the Petititioners are at great uncertainties as to the re∣turns, & their Agents & Factors abroad oftentimes fined & impri∣soned by the Magistrates and Governours in Forreign parts, where the said Butter is by them exposed to sale, as the Petitioners have by divers Letters from their Correspondents, and Proofs, & Testimonies, made appear unto us; The Coopers and Makers of Casque oftentimes making their Casque, wherein Butter is to be Packed, of green and unseasoned Timber, and the staves, and Bottoms of them so thick, that a Firkin, which ought not to weigh above Ten Pounds, doth commonly weigh from sixteen, to Twenty Pounds; and the half Barrel, which ought not in weight to exceed Twenty Pounds, doth commonly weigh, from Thirty to Forty; so that the Merchant is not only defrauded in the weight, but the Butter becomes unfit for common use, and not Mer∣chantable, contracting both a bad taste and smell, from the Sap which cometh from the green and unseasoned Timber of the Casque,; so that the Trade aforesaid, was in all probability likely to be utterly lost, to the very great lessening of his Majesties Revenue, and the unsufferable prejudice of his Sub∣jects in this his Kingdom, as aforesaid.

And whereas the said Merchants did by their said Petiti∣on for preventing the Abuses aforesaid, and avoiding of the mischiefs that may ensue thereon, humbly propose the follow∣ing Expedients, viz.

1st. That all Butter Casque be made stanch, and tight at both ends, neatly hooped, and of well seasoned Timber, either of Ash or Oake, fit for that purpose.

2. That no Butter Casque be made to contain One Hun∣dred Weight of Butter, and no more, that shall with the Heads and Hoops thereof weigh more than Twenty Pound, and so the Weight to be proportionable of a greater or lesser Casque.

3. That all Butter Casque be made by certain Standards, & to contain as followeth, viz. The Barrel to contain two hundred and

twenty four pound; and the Kilderkin one hundred and twelve pound, and the Ferkin to contain fifty six pounds of neat Butter and no more, besides the Casque.

4. That every Cooper do brand in fair Characters, on the head of all the Butter Casque which he shall make, or cause to be made (the said Vessels being first seasoned in Water) the first Letters of his or their Christian name, and his or their Surname at length, with the name of the Corpora∣tion, Mannour, Town, or Village where he dwells, before such Casque be exposed to sale.

5. That all Owners, Makers, and Packers of Butter, do make, pack, or sell none, but sound and Merchantable Butter, without mixing the same with Immoderate quanti∣ties of Salt.

6. That the first Owner, Maker, or Packer of Butter, do brand in fair Characters on the side of the Casque, wherein he or they shall cause his or their Butter to be Packed, the first Letter of his or their Christian name, with their Sirname, and the name of the Corporation, Mannor, Town or Village, where∣in he or they dwell, at the time of his or their making and pack∣ing the same.

7. That all Magistrates of Corporations, Iustices of the Peace, and Seneschals of Mannors, be required to give charge at their General Sessions, Courts Leet, and Courts Baron, unto their Iurors to present all Coopers, and all makers and packers of Butter, that shall not conform unto the Rules aforesaid.

Now We the Lords-Iustices, and Council, having taken the premisses into consideration, and well weighing the great ha∣zard the said Trade of Butter is in, of being utterly lost, to the lessening of his Majesties Revenue, and detriment of his Subjects in this his Kingdom, in case the same be not speedi∣ly prevented. And having likewise taken into consideration, one Act of Parliament, made and Enacted at Westminster, in the 14th year of the Reign of his late Majesty King Charles the Second of Blessed Memory, Intituled, Abuses committed in the weight and false packing of Butter reformed. And find∣ing lidewise the Expedients, and Rules offered by the Peti∣tioners, for preventing and remedying the Abuses aforesaid, to agree, and be conformable to the Rules and Expedients prescribed and Enacted by the makers of the said Act, in the Body thereof, for the prevention of the abuses aforesaid, and which if duly observed, may tend much to the encrease of the

Trade and Traffick of this Realm, and the reputation of the Butter of this Kingdom, that shall be Transported to Forreign Parts. Do think fit hereby to approve of the said Rules and Ex∣pedients herein above mentioned, and offered as aforesaid. And We do hereby strictly charge and require that from and af∣ter the Nine and Twentieth day of September next the said Rules, and Directions shall be duely observed, and complied with, by all Coopers, and others, who shall hereafter make or sell any Casque for Butter, and also by all other Persons who shall hereafter make up or pack any Butter for Sale, and also by all Merchants, who shall Transport any But∣ter into Forreign Parts, as they and every of them will an∣swer the contrary at their utmost perils. And We do strict∣ly charge and command all and every the Iustices of the Peace in and throughout the several Counties of this King∣dom, as also all Mayors, Portrives, Soveraigns, Bayliffs, and other Magistrates, and head Officers of all Cities, Bur∣roughs, and Corporrations, and all Seneschals of any Man∣nors to give the same in charge unto their Iurors, at their general Sessions, and at their Courts Leet, and Courts Ba∣ron, and to use their utmost diligence, to have such as shall transgress the said Rules and Directions, after the said nine and twentieth day of September next to be proceeded against as Persons guilty of fraud and deceipt, in their several Trades and Mysteries, contemners of his Majesties Authority, and de∣stroyers of the Trade of this Kingdom.

Given at the Council-Chamber in Dublin this 12th. day of June 1685.

Franc. Dublin. Longford. Cha. Fielding Char. Meredith John Keating. He Hene. Ric. Reynell. Tho. Newcomen.

GOD Save the KING