A. D. 1353. 547 



lead, the produce of England, Wales, and Ireland, (hould be heldjbr 

 ever in the following places, and no others, viz. for England in New- 

 caftle upon Tine, York, Lincoln, Norwich, Weftminfter, Canterbury, 

 Chichefter, Winchefler, Exeter, and Briftol ; for Wales at Carmarthen ; 

 and for Ireland at Dublin, Waterford, Cork, and Drogheda. All ftaple 

 goods were ordained to be brought to fome one of thefe towns, where 

 every fack and every farpler of wool, after being fairly weighed in the 

 prefence of the officers of the cufloms *, were to be marked, and the 

 quantity attelled under the feal of the mayor of the flaple, previous to 

 being fhipped. The goods from the flaple at York were to be fliipped 

 at Hull, thofe from Lincoln at Bofton, from Norwich at Yarmouth, 

 from Weflminfter at London, from Canterbury at Sandwich, and from 

 Winchefler at Southampton, and they were to be weighed again by the 

 officers of the cufloms at thofe ports. The cuftoms payable by denizens 

 were fixed at 6fi for a fack of wool, 6/8 for 300 wool-fells, 20/" for a 

 half laft of hides, and ^d per pound of the value for lead. The natives 

 of England, Wales, and Ireland, were mofh flridlly prohibited, under 

 penalty of death and forfeiture of all their property of whatever nature, 

 from exporting any flaple goods, having agents abroad for attending the 

 fale of ftaple goods, or being in the fmalleft degree interefled, diredlly 

 or indiredly, in the fale of them abroad, or even receiving payment 

 abroad for what they fold at home. Nay, the king even tied up him- 

 felf and his heirs from ever granting licences to any Englifh, Welfh, or 

 Irifh, merchants for exporting fuch goods, and declared, that, if he 

 fhould grant any fuch licences, they fhould be null, and fliould not pro- 

 tedl the exporters from the penalties of the law. But merchant flrangers 

 might carry them whitherfoever they pleafed, being only bound by oath 

 to hold no flaple in foreign countries. In order to replenifh the king- 

 dom with gold, filver, and foreign merchandize, full liberty was grant- 

 ed to all merchants, from countries not at war with the king, to fell 

 their goods at the flaple towns, or any other places, without being op- 

 prefTed by purveyors forcibly taking any part of their property for the 

 ufe of the king, or any prelates, lords, or ladies. All merchants, na- 

 tives, or flrangers, might buy flaple goods in any part of the kingdom, 

 provided they carried them to the flaple. Carriers, having certificates 

 from the mayors of the flaples that they were employed in carrying 

 flaple goods, were exempted, together with their carts, beafls, and boats, 

 from being taken to ferve the king or any other perfon, faving the 

 king's antient right of royal prifes of carriages and vidluals. The king's 

 judges were debarred from taking cognizance of any matters within the 

 province of the mayors and minifters of the flaples. The officers of the 

 king's houfehold were alfo prohibited from executing their office in any 



* ' Noz cuftumers.' In the beginning of the eighteenth century (vflomer fignified in Englifh an 

 officer of the cultom* ; but it would now convey a very different meaning. 



3Za 



