A. D. 1593. Anno triciTnno quinto EUgkUB Ej 1 fuch Clotli {hall contain above twenty-fi yen ^ u I in Length, and Tore exprefled, the Maker of every fuch. Cloth (hall in ur doubl fourth and fifth Years of the Reigns oi Kin;; Philip and Queen .1/ Del ■ appointed. Vartbir Prvvlfam conunwg Cloth, f,c "J«t. . t, :*,. tJ<V.I.C.i6, UO.lidMr !«t':)Cjr:. (. !. 1 1 i ' I lAm.c.iy ioWwn. c. 16. i Gw. I. r. 15 flf 41, 116V.-. 1.4.14 . 1 1 1, . i. .. .-. CAP. X. An Act for the Reformation of fundry Abufes in Clothes, called Devonjhire Kcrfies or Dozens, according to a Proclamation of the thirty-fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady the Queen that now is. IN their moft humble am! dutiful wife fhewen and bcfecchcn your Hi Subjects, the Clothiers, Merchants and Chapmen of your County ol D and the 4 Proclamation, for the Reformation of the Infufficiences grown in the Clothes called ' or Dozens, (a Commodity heretofore in great Requeft, Price and Estimation, both amongft your natu- " ral Subjects, and in foreign Nations and Countries) but of late marvcloufly (and not without Occafion)
- di (credited by the Inventions and new Devices of the Weavers, 'Puckers and Artificers, To comn.
' th. : the Laws before that Time made, and (landing in Force not repealed, for and concerning the !' ' miffes, fhould be duly accomplilhed in all Things : And that every Officer fhould diligently perform
- his Office accordingly : (2) And that the Weight of the faid Kerfics or Dozens, being raw, and wrought
' wi;h clean Stuff, without any deceitful Addition, fliould weigh fifteen Pounds, and contain in the
- Market at leaft between fifteen and iixteen Yards in Length, and that the fame fliould be fewantly
- woven throughout of like forted Yarn, forbidding all other Deceits in weaving, and all dimiilifhinc and
- unreafonable drawing, ftretcbing and other Deceits in Tuckers: (3) And that each Weaver mould
- weave his Shop-Mark in each Dozen, and a Purrel in each End thereof: (4) And that Officer? ihould
- be appointed in Market-Towns, to view, weigh and try the fame Kcrfies, whether they were if,
- Length, Weight or Goodncfs, according to the Rate and Proportion let forth in the fame Proclama-
' tion : The fame Proclamation to endure till the firft Day of this prefent Parliament, a> bj
- more at large may appear.'
'•II. Now, molt gracious Sovereign, forafmuch as by the faid Proclamation, great Order and better ;&6Ed.6.c8.
- Making of the faid Clothes for Weight and Length thereof hath enfued,' and to tbe End that hereafter ** S ^ * M -
further Difcovcry and Rcftraint of all Abufes and Deceits contrary to the former Laws and Statutes o! c " this Realm may be provided for, to the Reviving of the Reputation of fo good, profitable and necelTary a Commodity, (2) It may pleafe your Majefty, with the Affent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the whole Commonalty, aflembled in this prefent Parliament, and by the Authority of the fame, That it may be enacted and eftablifhcd as followeth, that is to fay, That from and after the firft Day of July now next coming, each Kcrfic called Devon/hire Kerfie or Dozen, which fhull be made and woven ^^ ^. within the faid County of Devon, or any other County next adjoining thereunto, being raw, unfeoured, a p, 'untucked and unwet, as it cometh from the Weaver's Beam, and being made of clean and pel that is to wit, of Wool {horn, cleanfed and throughly warned or fcoured after the (hearing, and before raw. the weaving, without any Fraud, Deceit, Policy or Device, or any Stuff thereunto deceitfully or un- lawfully added in the Working or after the Working thereof, for Increafe of the Weight, ihall weigh in the Market fifteen Pounds or upwards. ill. And that from and after the faid firft Day of July, every raw Devonjhire Kerfie or Do7en from thenceforth to be woven and made in the laid County of Devon, or any of the other Counties adjoining, being a Rudge-wafh Kerfie, that is to fay, being made of Fleece Wool wafhed only on the She* Backs, and the Wool not being cleanfed, wafhed and fcoured after it is {horn and before it is woven, fhall (without any Fraud, Deceit, Policy, Device or Addition of Stuff whatfoever, to mere; - ight theseof) weigh in the Market feventeen Pounds at the leaft, being raw as it cometh oft the Weaver's Tbe Wefcfct ud Beam ; (2) and each and every of the fame Devonjhire Kerfies or Dozens, fo being raw, and as it cometh U gi 1 forth of the Weavers Loom (without Racking', Stretching, Straining or other Device to encreafe the Rote-WaOi Length thereof) ihall contain in Length between fifteen and iixteen Yards by the Meafure ot aid and ««& Inch by the Rule, (3) without which Obfervation of Weight being raw, they cannot fall out (after they "-• be well fcoured, thicked and fully dried) to contain the Length and Weight exprefled and limited m the Statute of the fourth and fifth Year of Philip and Mary, viz. twelve Yards in Length, and twelve 1 oi in Weight, as hath been fufficiently made known and teilified to your Highnefs laid Pi ivy Council, be- fore the laid Proclamation. IV. And if any Weaver (hall work or make any of the faid Kinds of Kerfies of Ids eight fure than is before mentioned after their Kind, every fuch Offender fhall forfeit for every CJuarter ot a The Forfe;tTlre Pound in Weight, which any of the faid raw Kerfies or Dozens which fhall be brought to any Market, cf [hc offeockr . fir fold or offered to be fold, fhall want oi their Weight aforefaid, Twelve-pence: .(*j And bra Vol. II. '4S Charier
