26 Antiquity and Early 



wrongly asserting that they are able to ornament girdles 

 with metal not prohibited without offending against 

 such ordinance, which ought not of right to bind them, 

 and which manifestly tends to the damage of the people 

 of our Realm, that the said Girdlers have mis-used their 

 Mystery aforesaid and by seeking thereupon a remedy 

 by us to be afforded for the good of the Commonwealth. 

 We have caused the execution of the said v/rit to be 

 postponed, as well for such causes as on account of 

 various doubts which seem here and there to arise in 

 that business, until the next Parliament, that then the 

 same business may be fully discussed and determined 

 with deliberate counsel. And therefore we command 

 you that you in the meantime wholly refrain from 

 making the execution of our mandate aforesaid if it has 

 not already been made, forewarning the parties afore- 

 said that they be present in Parliament, that is to say, 

 the aforesaid Girdlers (are) to exhibit their Letters Patent 

 aforesaid there, and as well they as the said Saddlers, 

 to put forth their grievances and reasons thereupon and 

 further to do and receive what upon the premises should 

 then happen to be ordained in that Parliament if they 

 should see it to be expedient to themselves. And that 

 you then have there the names of those by whom you 

 have caused those parties to be forewarned, and this 

 writ, wholly returning without delay to him, or them, to 

 whom it shall belong, whatsoever work of the aforesaid 

 Saddlers touching girdles has been presented before 

 you, if any, by colour of the said ordinance by the said 

 conservators in the said City. Witness the King at 

 Westminster on the twenty-sixth day of October 

 [A.D. 1356]. 



" By the King himself and his Council."^ 



^ The Parliamentary Rolls do not show the issue. 



