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XV. A State of the Englifh Weights and 
Meafures of Capacity, as they appear from 
the Laws as well ancient as modern ; with 
fome Confi derations thereon ; being an At - 
tempt to prove that the prefent Avoirdepois 
Weight is the legal and ancient Standard 
for the W eights and Meafures of this 
Kingdom ; by Samuel Reynardfon Efq\ 
F. R. S. 
Rtad March 9.TT is declared by (1) Magna Charta that 
1 7481 ^ there fhould be, throughout the Realm, 
one Meafure of Wine (2), one of Ale, and one of 
Corn ; viz. the Qiiarter (3) of London 5 and that it 
fhould be of Weights as of Meafures. 
This Declaration has been repeated in many fub- 
fcquent Laws (4), and by fevcral of them the Trea- 
furer is directed to provide Standards of Bujhels , 
Gallons , 
(r) c. 25. 
(2) Bifhop Fleetwood fays, it was a good Law of king Edgar , 
that there fhould be the fame Weight and the fame Meafures 
throughout the Realm, but it was never well obferved. Chron . 
pretiofum , p. 34. — And, 2 Injl. p. 41. fays, This Law was 
grounded upon the Law of God, Deut. xxv. ver. 13, 14. — and 
that there were good Laws for Weights and Meafures made before 
the Conqueft by Canute. See Cujlum. de Norm. c. 16. 
- (3) See p. 64. of this Tranfaft. the Contents of a Quarter. 
(4) 51 H. III. St. 6. 14. 25, and 27. Ed. III. 13, 15, and 
16 R. II. 9 H. VI. 1 1 H. VII. c. 4. 16 Car. . and 22 Car. II 
cap. 8. 
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