2 2 Antiquity and Early 



France, and Lord of Ireland, to the Mayor and Sheriffs 

 of London, greeting. Whereas it has been ordained 

 and agreed, among other ordinances lately made by us, 

 [our] prelates and nobles assisting us, for avoiding the 

 dearness of workmen and other servants, that Saddlers, 

 Skinners, Cordwainers, Cobblers, and all workmen and 

 artificers soever, shall not take for their labour and 

 work more than was accustomed to be paid to such in 

 the 20th year of our reign over England, or in the five 

 or six common years next preceding, in places where 

 they happened to be working, under a certain penalty 

 in the aforesaid ordinance contained, as is more fully in 

 the same ordinance contained, and we have charged you 

 that you should cause that ordinance to be publicly pro- 

 claimed and observed in places within that City and 

 suburbs of the same. And now, from information of 

 noblemen as well as others who, by our command as 

 well as for divers causes, flock both to the same City and 

 suburbs and there remain, we have learnt that notwith- 

 standing the ordinance aforesaid having been proclaimed 

 in the aforesaid places, yet, inasmuch as the penalty 

 contained in the said ordinance is not enforced against 

 those who do not observe the same, the said workmen 

 and artificers not considering the ordinance and pro- 

 clamation aforesaid, nor fearing the penalty in the same 

 ordinance contained, sell the work of their labour for 

 what they will, and take more for their work of this 

 kind than was wont to be paid to them in the said 

 years before the ordinance from the same noblemen and 

 others, to the loss and prejudice of the same noblemen 

 and others, and contrary to the ordinance and pro- 

 clamation aforesaid. And because it is in vain that 

 laws are made unless they be duly executed, we com- 

 mand you that you cause the aforesaid ordinance to 

 be observed in the City and suburbs aforesaid, and that 

 you punish and chastise those who act contrary to it, 



