220 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



following extract from the " Miners' Customf?," first framed in the 

 reign of Edward III., and reprinted at various times up to 1800, will 

 illustrate some of the royalties and rights exercised by the crown. 

 The notes I have added will explain the local terms, many of which 

 are still in use : — 



" Clause 15. — And at all times" the king's man shall come into the 

 mines without any costs asked of him, and shall be the third better 

 man of the fellowship in maintenance and helping of the mine and of 

 the fellowship ; but the king's man, neither the lords, ought not to 

 enter within the mine till the pit is gavelled, (-") (that is to say) for 

 every dole (f ) a penny to the king at the first time, and after, if the 

 fellowship do make anew any other dole of which the mine ("|) of every 

 miner travelling (§) within the said mine, the king shall have every 

 week a penny; if so be that the miner win (H) three seams of mine 

 measured by the standard of the kings of old time used at the least 

 and be it the king shall have no more. 



Clause 16. — And the king shall have every quarter of the year, of 

 every miner travelling within the mine, a seam (^) of mine, the which 

 is called law-oare ; and every week the gaveller (^••') shall visit on 

 Tuesday the whole mine, or, at the least, within two weeks, to receive 

 the customs due to the king aforesaid ; and, if not, the miner for the 

 said time shall not be accountable. But if the gaveller come in the 

 quarter to visit the mine, as is aforesaid, and find not the miner at that 

 time, the gaveller shall receive so much of the mine as is due to the 

 king, without leave of anj. 



" Clause 30. — Also, that no stranger, of what degree soever he be, but 

 only that have been born and abiding within the Castle of St. Briavells and 

 bonds of the Forest (that is, from Chepstow to Gloucester Bridge) as is 

 aforesaid, shall come within the mine to see and to know the privities 

 of our Sovereign Lord the King, in his said mine." 



The last clause, relating to the privileges of the free miners, has still 

 a modified existence under the rules and regulations appointed to be 

 observed by the Act at i)resent in force (1 and 2 Yic. cap. 43), which 

 provides that free miners shall have the exclusive right of having gales 



(*•) («. c.) Levied of rent or royalty, (f) A sliare. (|) Ore. (§) Working. 

 (11) Reach and work. 



(■,[ ) Bag. C^*), This office is still retained under the present Act of Parliament 

 relating to the Forest (1 and 2 Vic. Cap. 43), and the duties are the same. 



