Middlemen in English Business 301 



developed, "Carriers and Waggoners" using "Horses, Carts, or other 

 Carriage" performed "their respective and wonted Stages" and 

 travelled "constantly from their respective counties to London and 

 so back" and gave "security for their regular carriage."^ The im- 

 provement in the Post Office facilitated the above method of business 

 and in the last quarter of the seventeenth centur>^ the clothier sent 

 up to his factor "Letters of Patterns" of the cloths he had made up 

 and had ready for sale." • This practice accompHshed a better accom- 

 modation of the kind and volume of cloth to the demand of the 

 market, and saved unnecessary or ill-timed carriage thither. 



At the Hall there were numerous expenses that were charged by the 

 factor against the proceeds of sales. The factor was paid a percentage 

 of the selling price, or so many pence per cloth, or was hired on a 

 salary basis, the first method being most common; this was the ex- 

 pense called "Factorage." The charges for "pitching" and "resting" 

 have already been mentioned, as also that of "Portridge," the pay- 

 ment to the master porter for service of carrying from the Hall. The 

 use of samples coming by mail as well as the general correspondence 

 caused a charge for "postage." There were charges for "pressing" 

 because the cloth had to be redressed after its carriage to London and 

 occasionally from wear of handhng in the Hall.^ Many complaints 

 were raised against the factor, alleging abuses in the accounting of 

 these charges and the proceeds of sales. They were usually lumped 

 and without any particvilarization."* Accomits were very tardily ren- 

 dered and were confusing.^ The details of the terms of the contracts 

 were not related and the exact status of credits given and moneys 

 received was not revealed. To correct these and other connected 

 abuses the statute^ of 1696 required "weekly Registers" to be kept 

 b}- the officers of the Hall specif>dng the name of the factors, the 

 buyers and sellers, the date of sale, etc., to which registers the clothiers 

 were to have recourse at all convenient times without fee or gratuity. 

 The factors were also to render an account of the existing status of 

 their trade, specifying the stock of money and cloth on hand and the 

 credits due the clothier on past sales. This was to clear the way for 

 the operation of the "weekly Registers" and a new start in account- 

 ing. But this act was soon evaded and its provisions neglected. 



1 HajTies, View of Present, 90-1. 



- "Abstract of Grievances," 7. 



' These and other charges are listed in "Abstract of grievances," 5. 



^ Smith, Memoirs, II, 312. 



° "Treatise upon Wool and Cattell," 17; "Treatise of Wool," 17-19. 



<"' 8 and 9 Wm. Ill, Cap. 9, Sec. 4, 7. 



