79 



\ 



853 pieces 



" This number is far greater than hath usually been left unsold in that hall. 

 Besides, these men named affirm that there is far greater quantity of cloth of 

 these sorts lying in the country ready to be sent up, if the market were not so 

 bad. 



" There is also remaining in that hall, of Hampshire Kersies of divers mens, 

 that I cannot name particularly for they are left in packs divers mens cloths in 

 one pack, which hath not formerly been above the number of 100. 



" There is also in the same hall and warehouses near thereabout, of fustian, 

 Lynen cloth, Sackcloth, Taffies and such like things belonging to hall greater 

 quantities unsold than formerly hath been." * 



You will notice Master Cooling has in his charge packs of divers 

 men's cloths, and he says there are quantities of cloths lying in the 

 country ready to be sent up. They are with the clothiers at their 

 houses, not yet consigned to the factor for purchase by the draper, 

 for the draper, until the council had helped him, cannot " find vent," 

 and he would be only too happy to sell them to the merchant tailor, 

 or perhaps some to the haberdasher, as he had fair market. 



Now by this time you may reasonably expect to hear about how 

 things were reported to the council as to the state of the trade. I 

 think these papers, which came up from Gloucestershire, will tell 

 you: — 



"A letter from the Justices of Gloucester to the Council. 

 " Right honourable 



" Our humble duties remembered. Pleaseth your honours to be ad- 

 vertized that the complaints of the weavers, and other poor folks depending on 

 the trade of clothing (in this dead time thereof) do daily encrease, in that their 

 work and means of relief do more and more decay. And in that their masters 

 for the most part do still allege that their trade grows worse and worse, our 

 country is thereby, and through want of money and means, in these late times 



• state Papers, Domestic Series, James I., vol. 128—74. 



