AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1320. ^ i 



was, according to our graunt aforesaide, appointed and | 

 ordained by the Maior and communaltie of the said j 

 marchants of our Realme, in some one of those Pro- 1 

 vinces, to the contempt of our authoritie, and contrary ! 

 to the Charter of the ordination, publication, and inhibi- j 

 tion aforesaide, wee assigned certaine of our faithfull ; 

 subjects, in divers parts of our Realme, to make inquisi- | 

 tion for such wools and woollen felles, as were conveyed 

 unto any other place of the saide Provinces, then unto the 1 

 Staple, so that by these meanes, the penalties due unto ! 

 us might bee levied unto our use : and having intelligence ! 

 also, that in a maner all marchants both home-borne, and 

 strangers bartering such wares in our kingdome, are | 

 culpable of the premisses, and that many being indicted j 

 thereupon, and others fearing to bee indicted, doe cause i 

 their wools and woollen felles to bee avouched under the | 

 [I. ]44.] names of persons not culpable, and to be sent over unto j 

 certaine strangers being also culpable, and not minding \ 

 perhaps to return any more into our realme, that they 

 may so escape the foresaid forfeitures, and defraud us of 

 the penaltie, appertaining of right unto us, (which abuses, 

 if they were suffered so to goe unpunished woulde re- 

 dound unto our extreame hinderance :) and beeing like- 

 wise desirous to withstand such deceitefull dealing, and 

 so farre forth as wee can, to prevent our owne losses, 

 we firmely command, and streightly charge you, that you 

 doe receive of every particular marchant, desirous to 

 convey any wools, or woollen fels out of the foresaid 

 port, into any forrein dominions, a corporal oath upon 

 Gods holy Evangelists : that they shall avouch all those 

 wools and woollen fels under his name unto whom they 

 doe properly belong, & under the name of none other : 

 and then taking sufficient security from the owner of 

 those wools and fels, or in his name, in regard whereof 

 you wil undertake to warrantize, and make good unto 

 us those penalties and forfaitures which shal unto us 

 appertaine, for all wools, and woollen fels conveied or 

 sent by any of the foresaid merchants unto any of the 



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