WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 205 



gallons, to pay an additional duty of i8s. when imported by 

 aliens, and to be sold at 4 ; the size and quality of tiles are 

 defined by 17 Edward IV, cap. 4; on cloth very numerous 

 statutes, both as regards its sale and its measurement (aulnage), 

 and on merchandise in general, are enacted. 



The enormous mass of legislation enacted during Henry 

 VI IPs reign contains very little which bears immediately on 

 weights and measures. There are, however, a few such 

 statutes. 



The legal measures of corn and wool had now, we may 

 imagine, become nearly universal, but some legislation was 

 still needed for liquid measures. The statute 23 Hen. VIII, 

 cap. 4, provided that no common brewer should be a cooper, 

 under a penalty of $s. 4^. for every barrel, kilderkin, or firkin 

 made in contravention. Every cooper is to brand his barrels 

 with a trade mark. The barrel of beer is to hold 36 gallons, 

 the kilderkin 18 gallons, the firkin 9. But the barrel, kilderkin, 

 and firkin of ale are to contain 32, 16, and 8 gallons. The act 

 also provides that the barrel, half barrel, and firkin of soap 

 should weigh, when empty, 26 Ibs., 13 Ibs., and 6 Ibs., and contain 

 32, 1 6, and 8 gallons. 



Again, by 28 Hen. VIII, cap. 14, it is re-enacted that the tun 

 of wine should contain 252 gallons, a butt of Malmsey 126 

 gallons, a pipe 126 gallons, a tercian or puncheon 84 gallons, 

 a hogshead 63 gallons, a tierce 41 gallons, a barrel 31 \ gallons, 

 a rundlet i8J gallons. These measures had been previously 

 defined by i Ric. Ill, cap. 19. By 24 Hen. VIII, cap. 3, it 

 was enacted that meat should be sold by avoirdupois weight, 

 beef and pork at a halfpenny the pound, mutton and veal at 

 three farthings.- This act was repealed by 33 Hen. VIII, cap. 

 1 1 ; probably for the reason that the prices were fixed too low. 

 Several statutes regulate the manufacture and measurement 

 of woollen cloths. By 21 Hen. VIII, cap. 12, constituting 

 Bridport a staple for hemp and establishing a local manufac- 

 ture of ropes and cables, the stone of hemp, the cultivation of 

 which was compulsory, was declared to be 20 Ibs. 



