Cloths, Trade, etc. Act 1464
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1464 c. 1 |
| Year | 1464 |
(4 Edw. 4) C A P. I.
‘FIRST, Whereas many Years past, and now at this Day, the Workmanship of Cloths, and Things requisite to the same, is and hath been of such Fraud, Deceit, and Falsity, that the said Cloths in other Lands and Countries be had in small Reputation, to the great Shame of this Land; (2)and by Reason thereof a great Quantity of Cloths of other strange Lands be brought into this Realm, and here sold at an high and excessive Price,evidently shewing the Offence,Default, and Falshood of the making of Woollen Cloths of this Land;’' (3)our said Lord the King, for the Remedy of the Premisses, and to the Preferment of such Labours and Occupations which have been used by the making of the said Cloths, by the Advice, Assent, and Request, and Authority aforesaid, hath ordained and established certain Statutes and Ordinances in Manner and Form ensuing. (4) First,That every whole Woollen Cloth, called Broad Cloth, which shall be made and set to Sale after the Feast called SaintPeter ad Vincula , which shall be in the Yearof our LordM.CCCC.LXV. after the full watering and racking, straining, or tenturing of the same ready to Sale, shall hold and contain in Length xxiv Yards, and to every Yard an Inch, containing the Bleadth of a Man's Thumb, to be measured by the Crest of the same Croth; and in Breadth ii. Yards, or vii. Quarters at the least within the Lists. (5) And if the said Cloth be longer in Measure than the said xxiv. Yards and the Inches, then the Buyer thereof shall pay to the Seller for as much as doth exceed such Measure of xxiv. Yards, according to the Rate of the Measure above ordained.'
II The Length and Breadth of Streits.
II. And it is enacted and estabished by the Authority aforesaid, That all Manner of Cloths called Streits, to be made and put to Sale after the same Feast, after the full watering and racking, straining or tenturing thereof, ready to Sale, shall hold and contain in Lengthxii. Yards, and the Inches, according to the Measure aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard within the Lists.'
III The Length and Breadth of Kerseys.
III. Also it is ordained and established by the Authority aforesaid, That every Cloth called Kersey, to be made and put to Sale after the said Feast, after the full watering, racking, straing, or tenturing of the same ready to Sale, shall hold and contain in Lengthxviii. Yards and the Inches, as is afore said, and in Breadth one Yard and a Nail, or at the least One Yard, within the Lists.'
IV Half Cloths.
IV. Also it is ordained and established by the Authority aforesaid, That every half Cloth of every of the said whole Cloths, Streits, and Kerseys, shall keep his Mearsure in Length and Breadth according to the Rate, Form, and Nature of his whole Cloth aforesaid. (2)And that no Person which shall make, or cause to be made, any Woollen Cloth to sell after the said Feasts, shall mingle, or put in or upon the same Cloth, nor the Wooll whereof the said Cloth shall be made, any Lambs Wooll, Flocks, or Cork, in any Manner,upon Pain to forfeitxx s. for every Clothor half Cloth, wherein or whereupon any such Lambs Wooll, Flocks, or Cork, shall be put or mingled; (3) the one Half thereof to be to the King, and the other Half to him that will seise the same Cloth, and duly prove the same to be made contrary to this Ordinance: (4) But it shall be lawful for...
To continue reading
Request your trial