A. D. 1565. Anno oftavo Rtginac Eli z abe ti: . C. 1*2. and |>nt, or caufc t<> he fixed and put to every fuch Cot on, Frizo or Rug, the Qucen'i Highnefj Seal of ! . i Portcullis crowned engraved on th fueh Cotton, J-'ii/.e or Rug. to he engraved on the other Side of the fame Seal : feilure of all ami every hull Clothes, Cotton., FrizCI and RugS, CO] I , in to the Intent to be fold, being unfealcd, contrary to the Meanii one Moiety thereof to be to the Ul'e of the Que n' • Hij hni f», her HeJi ty thereof to fuch Pcrfon or Perfons that (hall I ■■■ Cloth, Cotl will the fame, to be recovered in any of the Queen's High i f Record, b m in in or otherwifc ; wherein no Khom, Protection or a;;, r ot Law (hall 1 1 the Defend (ii. And be it further enafted by the Authority of thi prcfeni Parlii nt, I I lull I >.', ni //".7, (hall appoint ami hav« his lawful Deputy within ei 7,7-, RacbdaUy Bolton, Blackborn and Bery, in the faid County, where the faid Aulncgcr hath b< Hccuitonicd to have his Deputy heretofore, (-'•) there to he ready upon lawful Requeft unto him made, . without Delay, i" ry of the faid Cottons, Frizes anil Rugs, as (hall !■■; brought unto every : Deputy, and feale I with the Seal of tin- Owner or Maker ot every of the tame Clothes, in I ( .;) and to fix and let to every ot' the laid Clothes, Cotton,, Friz.es and Rugs, the '. beforefaid, to he engraven in Manner and Form before-mentioned ; (4) upon Pain of Forfeiture of twenty SI tilings for every Pack of Cottons, Frizes or Rugs fealed by tii<- laid Aulncgcr, or any of hi 1 Cud I before the fame he weighed in Form aforcfaid ; the one Moiety whereof to be to the L'fe of the Qui Kighnefs, her Heirs and SuccciVors, and the other Moiety thereof to him or thctn that will fue t« >r the fame in any of the Queen's Majefty's Courts of Record, by Bill, Plaint, Information, Action of Debt or otherwil'e ; wherein no Wager of Law, Protection or Effi in fliall be allowed. to a whole Pack, one Halfpenny, (3) and the fame to be paid by the Owner or Bringer of the faid Clothes at the weighing and fealing of the fame ; any Cultom, Ufe or Prcfcription to the contrary in any wife not- withstanding. ' V. And forafmuch as fuch Perfons as commonly do ufe to utter and fell the faid feveral Kinds of
- Cottons, Frizes and Rugs, have been and are daily molefted, vexed and troubled, to their great Loft
' and Hinderance, by Means of the Cruelty of Informers and Searchers, feeking continually their own 1 private Gain by finding of the faid Cottons, Frizes and Rugs, at no Time made according to fuch Form, ' of Weight, Lengths and Breadths, as by the former Statutes of this Realm lately made for the true ma-' ' king of Woollen Cloth is limited and appointed ; (2) and tor that the fame Perfons do alledge, That the ' Makers of the faid Cottons, Frizes and Is tigs, can by no means be reduced to obfervc the faid Weight-, . Lengths and Breadths in making of the faid Cottons, Frizes and Rugs, according to the Form of the ' (aid former Eftatute-s, without the utter Undoing of great Numbers of poor People that are commonly the ' Makers of fuch Kind of Clothes ; and that by means hereof, the laid Cottons, Frizes and Rugs, fithence
- the making of the faid Eitatutcs, have been and are more fcarce and dearer than they were before the
' making of the faid Eftatutes, and in nothing at all amended in Subilance or Form of making :' VI. For Reformation whereof, be it enacted, That from and after the firiT: Day of April next coming Thc Weight, every of the faid Cottons, being fufficicntly milled or thicked, clean fcoured, well wrought and fully dried, t^' .J a " d fliall weigh twenty-one Pounds at the leaft, and fliall contain in Length twenty-one Goads, or twenty cottons' ° Goads at the leaft, and in Breadth at the molt three Quarters of the ^ aid, or within one Nail of three Quarters of the Yard at the leaft : (2) And that every of the faid Frizes or Rugs being thicked and fully Friz:r?r : dried fliall weigh forty-four Pounds at the leaft, and (hall contain in Length betwixt thirty-five Yards and thirty-feven Yards, and fhall contain in Breadth at the molt three Quarters of the Yard, or within one Nail of three Quarters at the leaft, and not to be (trained upon the Tentors above one Nail in Breadth : (3) And alfo if any of the (aid Cottons, Frizes or Rugs, fhall be of any greater Length than is before feverally exprefled, that then every Goad or Yard fc exceeding the faid feveral Lengths, fliall weigh after fuch Rate as every Go id or Yard of fuch Cottons, Frizes or Rugs, containing the laid feveral Lengths, fhall or ought to weigh, (4) upon Fain of Forfeiture for every Goad or Yard not weighing after fuch Rate, Twelve-pence. VII. And alfo if any of the faid Cottons, Frizes and Rugs, fliall be of lefs Weight than is before fe- verally limited and appointed, that then all and every fuch Perfon and Perfons that fliall fo fell, or offer to be fold, any fuch Cotton, Frize or Rug, fhall forfeit for every Pound lacking under three Pounds, Twe' e- pence ; (2) and f>r every Pound Weight lacking above three Pounds, five Shillings. '(3) The one Half of which Forfeitures (hall be to our Sovereign Lady the Queen's Highnefs, her Heirs and Succeflbrs, and the other Half thereof to fuch Perfon or Perfons that dial! fuc for the fame by Action cf Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in any of the Queen's Majefty's Courts of Record, wherein no Fftoin, Protection or Wag r of Law lhall be admitted or allowed for the Defendant. VIII. And further be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid. That all and every Branch, Claufe, Sen- *" ;'■ tence and Article, fpecified and contained in any other Acts of Parliament before this Time made, cone* - frig the fealing and making of the faid Cottons, Frizes and Rugs, (hail be from henceforth utti i repe - void and of none Effeftj any Thing in the faid Acts contained to the contrary in any wife notwithftim : IX. Provided always, That this Act fhall not in anv wile extend to be prejudicial or hurtful unto any be void. Charter or Liberty of any Borough or Corporate Tow r ti within thciaid County Palatine oTLdncq/lh'i con- The l i .- 4 E 2 "* corning * »'««
