66o A. D. 1442. 



by the regular merchants were hindered in their bufinefs, and many 

 frauds were committed. It was therefor enaded, that no perfon con- 

 cerned in fuch branches of bufinefs fhould have any employment what- 

 ever in the cuftoms. [c 5.] 



It being reprefented, that the worlled goods of Norwich and Norfolk 

 were unfairly made, and had loft their reputation in foreign markets, 

 the parliament diredled that fix wardens fhould be annually chofen to 

 infpe61: the fufficiency and uniformity of the fabric, and the due meafure- 

 of the goods *, and to feize all found defedive f. [c. 10.] 



The legal reftraints put upon the wool trade at Calais were found to 

 have very much reduced the fales, to the great injury of the king's re- 

 venue, of the merchants and mariners of England, and of the country 

 in general. The laws refpedling the bulUon were alfo attended with the 

 bad confequence of producing retaliating laws in other countries, which 

 it is wonderful that the parliament did not forefee. It was now decreed, 

 that merchants might fell their wool at Calais mider the rules of the 

 ftaple, whenever they fhould think proper. But ftill they were ordered 

 to carry a third part of the price to the mint at Calais, to be coined, and: 

 to bring the coined money into England, [c. 12.] 



1443, January iS'*" — King Henry, defirous of conciliating the favour 

 of the king of Aragon, granted all the Aragonefe trading to England 

 an exemption from the late ad: of parliament, obliging merchants to 

 tranfad their bufinefs under the infpedion of hofts. [Fadera, V. xi, 

 p. 18.] 



June 25'" — ^The water formerly brought to London from Tyburn 

 (fee above, p. 389) being found infufficient in the year 1439 ^°^ ^^ ^'^~ 

 creafed population of the city J, the magiftrates obtained from the ab- 

 bat of Weftminfter a perpetual grant of a fountain in the ma, or of 

 Paddington, together with right to break up the ground for laying their 

 pipes, for an annual rent of two pounds of pepper. The king now con^ 

 firmed the abbat's grant, and moreover authorized the magiftrates to 

 break up any public road, and any ground belonging to himfelf or to- 

 any other perfon, to purchafe 200 fodders of lead for their pipes, 8cc. 



* The following were the ttandard meafures of Norwich fluffs, agreeable to the aA. 



Beds of the greateft fize 14 yards largely, by 4 yards. 



Beds of middle fize 12 - 3 



Beds of the finalleft fize 10 largely, 2^ 



Monk's cloths - 12 - I7 



Canon cloths - 5 - ij 



Cloths called cloths 6 - 2 



(In aft 23 Hen. VI, c- 4, they 

 are called canon cloths of the 

 other fizc.) 



Double worlleds 10 - 1 -J largely. 



Half doubles - 6 • ly 



K (.11 worlleds - 30 - t largely. 



I This law was renewed, and declared to be in force for three years by an ad 23 Ihn. Vh c. 4. 

 \ The king's confiimation fays, that the founiaius were dcfeftive and dried up. But they continue 

 Vunniiig to this prcfcnt time. 



