Middlemen in English Business 173 



malt. Taken in conjunction with the other clauses it would work 

 the elimination of the malt dealer. Due to the business of the Civil 

 War Charles never effected this incorporation. 



The malsters sold mostly to the brewers. About 1500 an Enfield 

 (Middlesex) malster named John Hunnesdon sought to recover a 

 debt from a Southwark brewer .named Robert Trott, who had "used 

 wekely to bye malt by the space of many yeres of" him, and on a run- 

 ning account whereon there had "remayned unpayed for 2 or 3 

 quarters of malt, at some tyme 4 or 5, at som tyme mor."^ This case 

 likely represents the accustomed method of business — i.e. a malster 

 sold his produce to regular customers. In other parts, however, local 

 ordinances required all non-freemen malsters to sell in the public 

 market and not in shops and houses. - 



The malsters were subject to many regulations. At Abingdon in 

 1591 they were compelled to use officially sealed measures.^ Variances 

 among the markets in the size of the weights and measures caused to 

 "ensue many inconveniences." In Cornwall, for instance, "some 

 Ingrossers" bought "Wheat of the husbandmen, after 18 gallons the 

 bushell, and deliver (ed) it to the transporting Merchant, for the same 

 summe, at 16."* Thus, although the system of pubUc markets pro- 

 tected the buyer on a particular market against false measures and 

 bad bargains the want of uniformity as among the markets allowed 

 other abuses. The period of making malt was also Hmited. Charles 

 had proposed to prevent malting during the three summer months.^ 

 In Warwick the time of malt-making was not to be less than seven- 

 teen days in summer and twenty-one in winter.'' 



Some of these traders operated on a large scale. Already in the 

 reign of Ehzabeth the Berks malsters were among the most prominent 

 citizens.'' The consumption of wood in the maltkilns was complained 

 of during the Tudor regime.^ This indicates a considerable malting 

 business. The great volumes of malt shipped down the Thames have 

 been shown above. The trade of the London malsters was great 

 enough to enable them to employ resident factors in the corn regions, 



I V. C. H., Middlesex, II, 127; Surrey, II, 381. 



-For illustration, Shrewsbury in 1621; V. C. H., Shrops. I. 42.i; Shrops, Arch. 

 Soc. Trans. Ill, 283. 



' V. C. H., Berks, I, 406-07. 



* Carew, Cornwall, 54. 



°V. C. H., Berks, I, 405. 



6V. C. H., Warwick, II, 267; book of John Fisher, ed. Kemp, 146. 



' V. C. H., Berks, I, 406. 



' V. C. H., Wore. II, 254. 



