140 Corn and Corn Products Trades 



The statute of 1552 was not a new departure in trade policy' but 

 was passed to supply the defect of "good Laws and Statutes against 

 Regrators and Ingrossers" and to explain more definitely the meaning 

 of ''Forestaller, Regrator or Ingrosser."- This legislation was occa- 

 sioned by the rapid growth of London. The Tudor corn-policy was 

 dictated in no small degree by the consuming population as against 

 the producing population. The supply of corn brought to the city 

 by the medieval methods proved insufficient for her consumption. 

 The city resorted to various devices for procuring and assuring a 

 steady, dependable corn supply. In the twelfth year of Henry VIII 

 London initiated the "prest and loone" or system of voluntary con- 

 tributions of money by citizens for provisioning the city with corn. 

 Lists were taken of those who contributed to this purpose.^ Be- 

 tween 1578 and 1678 the city tried the system of imposing contribu- 

 tions of corn on the twelve liver>^ companies; this method was spas- 

 modically used and was at its acme about 1587; after this date it 

 declined and was revived occasionally in times of dearth during the 

 rest of the century of its existence. Henry VIII tried also the pubHc 

 granary system. The granary was known as the "Bridgehouse."^ 

 At first it was used by the city, king and private parties, but later was 

 gi^'en over to the exclusive use of the city. The city somewhat inter- 

 mittently bought up yearly supplies of corn for storage against dearth. 

 This was abandoned in 1578. 



The anxiet}' of the metropolis to attract corn to itself in the Tudor 

 period is further illustrated in numerous ways; for instance, the super- 

 \ision of the millers and bakers and the establishment of the assize of 

 bread ;^ the removal of the town-tolls;® and the encouragement of 

 foreign merchants." Under Elizabeth and the early Stuarts the 

 Justices of the Peace were ordered in times of dearth^ to gather infor- 

 mation as to the amount of surplus corn held by producers and buyers 



1 For biblical teachings on these methods of trade see G. A. Smith Diet. s. v. 

 Jerusalem, 1, 316; for eaily London legislation and customs on the matter see Lib. 

 Alb. I, 263, 270; III, 81-2; Lib. Cus.,312; for restrictions on the com badger during 

 the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries see Thomburj', II, 180; Rep. VI, 3b; 

 XV. 132; XVII, 66. 



- 5-6 Ed. VI, Cap. 14, Sec. 1. 



• Rep. XI, 60; XL, 176, B; XIV, 350 b. 



' 5 Henry VIII, Rep. II, 149 b; VII, 149-182. 



5 Rep. II, 140; IX, 74 b; XII. pt. 1, 125. 



'^Jor. C. C. XII, 370. 



■ Rep. V, 267; VII, 247. 



M.586-7, 1594, 1608, 1619-22, 1630. 



