Middlemen in English Business 181 



Besides the keepers of the ale-houses and taverns there were also 

 hucksters who retailed ale. They, like the taverners, bought from 

 the brewers or brewed themselves. Edward I forbade brewers to 

 sell any manner of ale to hucksters, and forbade hucksters to buy 

 from brewers for resale.^ Such "hukkesters" appeared elsewhere in 

 the Kingdom. They were common in Sussex in the fifteenth century. 

 "At Appledram, 1422-1432, Henry Cobehay, one of several 'huk- 

 kesters,' or ale-sellers (as opposed to brewers) who kept 'cappel- 

 boothes,' was presented for breaking the assize, selHng by false meas- 

 ure, and commonly selHng food and drink by retail."- In the same 

 county a few years later the "hukkesters" were reported to be buying- 

 from the brewers and evading the maltode, a tax.^ 



A substitute organization for the huckster and tavern systems was 

 that of the itinerant brewer, who traveled about and worked at private 

 beer houses. The squires and others of big estates maintained their 

 private breweries. The itinerant brewer's services were in great re- 

 quest. This was a very common method in the eighteenth century.'* 



In 1736 was commenced as a national system a practice which has. 

 attached to the retailing of liquor to a greater or less degree ever since,, 

 and in most countries; viz., that of Ucensing retail liquor shops. 

 The purpose and nature of the license are amply shown in the resolu- 

 tions drawn up in the House of Commons pursuant to the act. "1. 

 That the low Price of spirituous Liquors was the principal Induce- 

 ment to the excessive and pernicious Use thereof. 2. That in order 

 to prevent the excessive and pernicious Use of Spirituous Liquors, a 

 Discouragement should be given thereto by a Duty to be laid on all 

 such Liquors by retail. 3. That the vending, bartering, or uttering- 

 the said liquors should be restrained to Persons keeping publick 

 Brandy Shops, VictualUng Houses, Coffee-Houses, Ale-Houses and 

 Innholders, and to such Apothecaries and Surgeons, as should make 

 use of the same by way of Medicine only. 4. That no Persons 

 keeping a publick Brandy Shop, a publick Victualling House, Coffee- 

 house or Ale-house, or being an Innholder, should be permitted to 

 vend, barter, or utter the said Uquors, but by a Licence, with a Duty 

 payable thereupon."^ These resolutions were incorporated into a 

 bill and passed after a long and spirited debate, being opposed chiefly 



1 Lib. Alb. I, LXIII, 360-61; III, 141. 



2V. C. H., Sussex, II, 261. 



»Hist. MSS. Com. Rep., V, 49a; V. C. H., Sussex, II, 261. 



W. C. H., Berks, I, 407. 



5 Gent. Mag., 1736: 575; J. H. C, 22: 638. 



