An Acte for the free Trade of Weich Clothes (1623)
| Artifact Summary | |
|---|---|
| Artifact type | Statute |
| Creator/author | Parliament of England |
| Date | 1623 |
| Period | Stuart |
| City and country of origin | |
| Abstract | |
Entry
[Statutes of the Realm, Vol. IV, Part II, Anno 21° [& 22°] JACOBI, I. A. D. 1623-4. [& 1624], CHAPTER IX.]
THEREAS the Trade of makinge of Welsh Clothes Cottons Frizes Lining and Plaines within the Principalitie and Dominion of Wales, is and hath bene of long Contynuance, in the using and exercising whereof many Thousand of the poorer Sort of the Inhabitant there in fcedent Ages have byn sett on worke in Spinning Carding Weaving Fulling Cottoning and Shering, whereby they (having free Libertie to sell them to whome and where they would) not onlie releeved and mayntayned themselves and their Families in good Sort, but also grew to such Wealthe and Meanes of Living as they were thereby enabled to pay and discharge all Duties Mizes Charges Subsidies and Taxacions which were uppon them imposed or rated in their several Counties Parishes and Places wherein they dwelled, for the Releife of the Poore, and for the Service of the King and the Comonwealth; And whereas also the Drapers of the Town of Shrewsburie, in the Countie of Salop, have of late obtayned some Orders of Restraint, whereby the Inhabitante of Wales finde themselves much pjudiced in the Freedome of their Markett for buying and selling of their Clothes, to their greate Damage as was verefied by the generall Voice of the Knightę and Burgesses of the Twelve Shires of Wales and of the Countie of Monmoth: For remedie whereof, be it declared and enacted by the King most excellent Majestic the Lorde Spirituall and Temporall, and Comons in this Psent Parliament assembled, and by the authoritie of the same, That it shall and may be lawfull to and for all and every his Majesties Subjectę inhabiting or dwelling, or which at any Time hereafter shall inhabite or dwell within the said Dominion of Wales, or any parte thereof, freelie to sell by way of a Barter or otherwise, all or any their Welch Clothes Cottons Frizes Liningť or Plaines, at their Wille and Pleasures, to any pson or psons who lawfullie by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme may buy the same, And that it shall and maye also be lawfull for any peon and psons who by the Lawes or Statutes of this Realme may lawfullie buy such Clothes, and other the pmisses, freely to buy the same of any peon or psons Inhabiting or dwelling or which hereafter shall inhabite or dwell within the said Dominion of Wales: Any Charter, Grant, Act Order or any Thing else heretofore made or done, or hereafter to be made or done to the contrary notwithstanding
AND be it further enacted by the authoritie aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for any peon or or psons using or which shall use the Trade of Marchandize, to transporte into any the parte beyond the Seas any of the said Welch Clothes Cottons Frizes Lining and Plaines, out of any Portf or Havens within this Realme of England or Dominion of Wales, or out of any the Members thereof, where his Majestie his Heirs or Successors have or shall
then have Officers attending to search view and controll the same, and to receive the King Majesties Customes and other Duties due and payable for the same; So as alwaies the Customes and other Duties payable for such Clothes and other the pmisses so to be transported, shalbe justlie and dulie paid for the same; And so as alwaies the said Welch Clothes Cottons Frizes Lyning and Plaines, before the transporting thereof, shalbe fulled cottoned and sheared as in former tymes they have used to be; And that no pson shall transport the said Clothes in other manner then as aforesaid, uppon paine to forfeit the whole value of such Clothes so to be transported contrary to the true meaning of this Act, the one halfe of all which Forfeitures to be to his Majestie, his Heires and Successors, and the other Halfe to such poon or psons as will sue for the same by Informacion Bill Plaint Accion of Debt or otherwise, in any of his Majesties Court of Record, wherein no Essoine Proteccion Priviledge or Ley Gager shalbe allowed to the Defendant
IIL of the Act
THIS ACT to indure and contynue for the terme of Seaven yeares from the end of this Session of Parliament, and Conce from thenceforth to the end of the next Session of Parliament ensuing after the end of those Seaven yeares
PROVIDED alwaies, That this Act or any thing therein contayned, shall not give Power or Authoritie to any Forreiner or Forreiners to buy and sell by way of Retaile any the said Welch Clothes Cottons Frizes Lining of Plaines within the Towne of Shrewsbury, or in any other Corporate Towne or priviledged Place, contrary to any lawful Charter Graunt Custome Priviledge or Libertie in the same Towne or Place now being or used
Foregurre shall not retail Welsh Cinthe
in Shrewsbury, ac
