

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 203 



undated. The assises of wine 4 and 27 Edward III, of her- 

 rings 31 and 35 Edward III, of hay, oats, and housebread 

 13 Richard II, of salt fish 31 Edward III, of poultry 37 and 38 

 Edward III, of imported cloths 2 Edward III, of home-made 

 cloth 27, 47 and 50 Edward III, of wool 25 and 34 Edward 

 III, and that defining the measure of land, of uncertain date, 

 testify to the anxiety with which the government sought to 

 enforce uniform standards. Similar to these provisions were 

 the prohibitions issued against certain fraudulent modes of 

 measuring and weighing. 



As early as 16 Richard II it was enacted that local 

 measures were to be tested by a standard preserved in the 

 exchequer, and to form a model for that used by the clerks of 

 the Market. In 9 Hen. V, statute 2, cap. 8, authority is given to 

 Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs' escheators, and other sufficient 

 persons, to be nominated by the Commission, to apprehend 

 and imprison falsifiers of weights, and counterfeiters, i.e. 

 imitators of false weights, the punishment in the case of con- 

 viction being fine and ransom at discretion, and imprisonment 

 till the fine be satisfied. 



By 8 Hen. VI, cap. 5, it was enacted that in every English 

 city, borough and town there shall be a common balance, with 

 common weights sealed, after the standard of the exchequer, 

 to be provided at the cost of the city, borough, or town, and to 

 be kept in the custody of the mayor and constable. The in- 

 habitants of the town shall have free use, without payment, of 

 these balances and weights ; strangers shall pay a farthing 

 for weighing goods to any amount under 40 Ibs., a halfpenny 

 between 40 Ibs. and 100 Ibs., and a penny for the use between 

 100 Ibs. and 1000 Ibs. Goods, especially woollen yarn or 

 cloth, must be weighed, and penalties are to be inflicted for 

 disobedience or fraud. The authorities of city, borough or 

 town are to provide these weights under penalties ; a city of 

 10, a borough of 5, a town, where a constable is, of 2, 

 within two months after the ordinance is proclaimed, and the 

 statute is declared to be perpetual. 



