442 APPENDIX III.— CORN LAWS 



B. PRINCIPAL ACTS OF PARLIAMENT AFFECTING THE 

 CORN TRADE. 



1360. 34 Edw. III. c. 20. — Prohibiting exportation of corn, except by the 

 King's hcense for the supply of Calais and Gascony. 



1393. 17 Ric. II. c. 7. — Permitting the export of corn, except to the 

 King's enemies, subject to the power of the King's Council to restrain exporta- 

 tion in the interests of the nation. 



1436. 15 Hen. VT. c. 2. — Permitting the exportation of corn, without the 

 royal hcense, when the price of wheat at the place of shipment did not exceed 

 6s. 8d. per quarter, and at proportionate prices for other grains. 



1463. 3 Edw. IV. c. 2. — Prohibiting the importation of foreign corn, 

 when the price of wheat at the place of import did not exceed 6s. 8d. per 

 quarter, and at proportionate prices for other grains. 



1533. 25 Hen. VIII. c. 2. — Prohibiting the export of corn without the 

 royal license. 



1551-2. 5 and 6 Edw. VI. c. 14. — Persons engrossing corn {i.e. buying 

 com to sell again) were subjected to heavy penalties, and, on a tliird offence, 

 to the pillory, forfeiture of goods, and imprisonment. Persons were, how- 

 ever, permitted to engross corn, provided that they did not forestall it, or 

 regrate it {i.e. hold it for a rise), when the price of corn did not exceed 6s. 8d. 

 per quarter. Farmers buying corn for seed were compelled to sell an equiva- 

 lent amount, or forfeit double what they had bought. 



1554. 1 P. and M. c. 5. — Restoring freedom of exportation when the 

 price of wheat did not exceed 6s. 8d. per quarter, and of other grains in 

 proportion. 



1562-3. 5 EUz. c. 12. — Corn-badgers, i.e. persons buying com at open 

 fairs and markets, were required to take out licenses and to give security 

 not to engross, forestall, or buy otherwise than at open fairs and markets. 



1562-3. 5 Ehz. c. 5. — Freedom of exportation from ports specially licensed 

 by the Crown extended when the price of wheat did not exceed 10s. per 

 quarter and of other grains in proportion. 



1570. 13 Eliz. e. 13. — Providing for the annual settlement of the average 

 prices by which exportation was regulated. The Lord President and the 

 Council in the North, the Lord President and the Council in Wales, and the 

 Justices of Assize, within their respective jurisdictions, were yearly, upon 

 conference, had with the inhabitants of the country, on the cheapness and 

 dearth of all kinds of grains, to determine the averages for the year, and 

 permit or prohibit the exportation of grain. 



Corn could be exported freely to any foreign country subject to a customs 

 duty of Is. per quarter of wheat and other grains in proportion, when no pro- 

 clamation was issued to the contrary. 



1593. 35 Eliz. e. 7. — Permitting exportation of grain subject to a customs 

 duty of 2s. per quarter of wheat, and other grains in proportion, when the 

 prices of wheat did not exceed 20s. per quarter and other grains in proportion. 



1604. 1 Jac. I. c. 25. — Raising the limit of price for the export of wheat 

 to 26s. 8d. per quarter and other grains proportionately. 



1623. 21 Jac. I. c. 28. — Raising the export limit for wheat to 32s. per 

 quarter and for other grains in proportion. 



1660. 12 Car. II. c. 4. — The export of corn was permitted whenever the 

 prices at the port of exportation did not exceed, for wheat, 40s. per quarter ; 

 rye, pease, and beans, 24s. ; barley and malt, 20s. ; oats, 16s. The poundage 

 on exportation amounted to Is. per quarter for wheat, 4d. for oats, and 6d. 



