A. D. 1623. Anno vicefimo primojACOBi I. C. 18. 103 CAP. XVIII. An A(5l for Continuance of a former A6t made in the fourth Year of the King's Majefty's Reign of England^ &C. intituled. An ASl for the true Making Woollen Clothes, and for fome Additions and dlttratiojis in and to the fame. , « TT7HEREAS in the fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord the King's Majefty that now The Sfatu'e of
- W is, there was amongft other, an A£t made and intituled, Jn Aci for the true Making of JVoollen*^'"^- '■ <=• *• '
- Clothes, which in and by the laid Ad is to continue in Force and EfFea; but unto the End of the tirft fn'vTnlxittii.
' Seflion of die then next Parliament : Forafmuch as the faid A&. is found by Experience to be very N'ectf- ' fary, Expedient and Beneficial for the Commonwealth, both in the providing for the feveral and rt-^Ed.^. c.i, ' fpeifUve Lengths, Breadths and Weight of the feveral Sorts of Woollen Clothes mentioned in the faid ' Statute, as alio in the Avoiding the Mixture of Flocks, Thrums, and other deceivable Things in the .' Making of Woollen Clothes, laving in thofe Points whereunto the Additions and Alterations in this
- prefent A(5t do extend:' (z) Be it therefore ena<5ted by the Authority of this prefent Parliament, That
the fame Act above remcmbred, and all and every the Branches, Claufes and Provifions in the fame con- tained, and which aie nut in this prefent A(5l altered, repealed, difcontinued or enlarged, Ihall continue and be from henceforth in full Force and Effedt, until the End of the firft Seflion of the next Par- liament. ' IL And vv'hereas in and by the aforefaid Acft it was amongft other Things enat'Jled and provided, Bvrn V, i, 5S3,
- That it (hould or might be lawful to and for any Perfon and Perfons lawfully exercifing the Trade or ^f-
' Art of a Clothier or Making of Clothes, to make Flocks, Thrums and Larnbs Wool into Cloth of one ' only Kind or Making, which IhoMld contain in Length, being throughly wet, between twelve and ' thirteen fuch Yards and Inches as in the faid Statute had been mentioned, and in Breadth one Yard at ' the leaft within the Lifts, and being clean fcowred, thicked, milled and fully dried, fhould weigh fifteen ' Pounds the Piece at the leaft;' (2) Be it enaded by the Authority of this prefent Parliament, 'I'hat the ^jjjp'p'c* 2^ faid Claufe or Provifion for the Making of Flocks, Thmms and Lambs Wool into Cloth, ihall be from conrc'rningthe henceforth difcontinued, or repealed and void; (3) ' And further, whereas fince the Making of the faid rrakingcf ' Aft, many ill-difpofed Perfons for their own private Gain and Lucre, and in Deceit of the Buyers of ■^['^"^^[i,*^;
- Cloth, and to the Difcredit and Difcrediting of good Cloth, have ufed to mix and put Flocks and pealec', '
' Thrums, and alfo Noiles and Hairs, and other deceivable Things, into, within and upon the Broad ' Woollen Clothes mentioned in the faid Acl; which faid Broad Woollen Clothes be of far greater ' Length, Breadth and Eftimation, than be thofe Clothes whereinto the faid Flocks, Thrums and Lambs ' V/ool in and by the faid Adt have been permitted to be put into ; and by the Means of mixing and
- ■ putting in or upon fuch Broad Clothes, of the faid Flocks, Noiles, Thrums, Hair and other de-
' ceivable Things, into and within or upon the faid Broad Woollen Clothes, the faid Broad Woollen ' Clothes be muchabufed and difcredited, and the Buyers of fuch Broad Woilen Clothes cozened, deceived , ' snd abufed :' IIL For Refonnation of which forefaid Wrongs, Abufes and Mifdemeanors, Be it enacted by the He that puts King's moft excellent Majefty, the Lords Spiritual and Tem.poral, and the Commons, in this prefent j'^^^'i^^^i^'^f •_ j. Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That from henceforth no Perfon or Perfons forfot five fliall mix or put any Flocks, Noiles, Thrums, Hair, or other deceivable Thing or Things, or any Yam Pounds. made of the faid deceivable Thing or Things, into, within or upon any Broad Woollen Cloth or Clothes,
- Upon Pain to forfeit only five Pounds and no more, for every fuch Broad Woollen Cloth, into, within
or upon which any fuch Flocks, Noiles, Thrums, Hair, or any other deceivable Thing or Things lliail be put into or ufed; the faid Forfeiture to be to the Ufe of the Poor of the Parifti where fach deceiv- able Cloth (hall be made : IV. And for the better finding out of every fuch deceivable Thing and- Things mixed or put into or Searchers of upon, or to be mixed or put into or upon, any Broad Woollen Cloth or Clothes, contrary to the true cioih mny enter Meaning of this Law ; (2) Be it further enadted by the Authority aibrefaid, That it ftisll and may be law- Ha°f "^^'ITd' ful to and for any the Overfeer or Overfeers, Searcher or Searchers of Cloth, of or within the feveral cieceivabiecioth, Parifn or Parillies, or Town or City where fuch deceivable Cloth or Clothes fhall be made, or fvif- pefted to be made, from Time to Time to enter into any the Houfe or Houies, Shops, Mill or Mills, Chambers or other Rooms of any Clothitr, or Perfon or Perfons fufpeited to have made any fuch de- .<:eivab!e Broad Woollen Cloth, to view, fearch and fee all or any their Woollen Cloth or Clothes, and the Mixture of their Wools for Cloths to be made; (3) and alfo it lliall be lawful for any two or more Two or more Juftices of the Peace within the County, or within the City, Borough or Town Corporate, where /ucli ^"^y'^^ram ^h^Tr' deceivable Cloth flrall be made, or fufpeded to be made, uj^on Information or Complaint of any of the Warranto faid Overfeer or Overfeers, Searcher or Searchers, or any other, of their Knowledge or Sufpicion of aiiy biing before fuch Oifence, to grant their Vv^arrant to call before them any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever that fliall be f ' "cald fo^r^ thought in their Difcretions fit to difcover any fuch Offence, (4) and to examine upon Oath fuch Per- matfi^i'gtif.eiv- fon or Perfons for the Trial and better finding out of the Offence aforefaid ; and if upon fuch Examinations 'l>ie cioih, it fliall be found by Teftimony of two WitnelTes or more, or by the Confeffion of the Party or Parties offending, that any fuch Offence or Offences have been committed, as aforefaid, then the Party or Parties that (I'.all fo' confefs his or their faid Offence or Offences, or who fhall be found to liave of- fended, fhall remain convicted of fuch his or their Ofi'ence or Offences: (;) And that then it Ihall a id may be la^sful for the faid two Juftices to certify fuch Offence or Ofteuces unto the Church-wardens and 4 " Over*
