English Economic History: Select Documents

by Unknown

Further, that in all sorts of pleas, saving the ease of crime for which the penalty of death shall be inflicted, where a merchant shall be impleaded or shall implead another, of whatsoever condition he who is impleaded shall be, stranger or native, in fairs, cities, or boroughs, where there shall be a sufficient number of merchants of the aforesaid lands, and inquest should be made, one moiety of the inquest shall be of the same merchants, and the other moiety of other good and lawful men of that place where that plea shall happen to be, and if a sufficient number of merchants of the said lands be not found, there shall be put on the inquest those who shall be found there fit, and the residue shall be of other men good and fit of the places in which that plea shall be.

Further, we will, ordain and decree that in each markettown and fair of our realm aforesaid and elsewhere within our power our weight be set in a certain place, and before weighing the scales shall be seen to be empty in the presence of buyer and seller, and that the arms be level, and that then the weigher weigh level, and when he have put the scales on a level, forthwith move his hands away, so that it remain level; and that throughout our whole realm and power there be one weight and one measure, and that they be marked with the mark of our standard, and that each man may have scales of a quarter and less, where it shall not be against the lord of the place or a liberty granted by us or our ancestors, or against the custom of towns or fairs hitherto observed.

Further, we will and grant that a certain loyal and discreet man resident in London be assigned as justice for the said merchants, before whom they may specially plead and speedily recover their debts, if the sheriffs and mayors do not full and speedy justice for them from day to day, and that a commission be made thereon granted out of the present charter to the merchants aforesaid, to wit, of the things which shall be tried between merchants and merchants according to the Law Merchant.

Further, we ordain and decree, and for us and our heirs for ever we will that that ordinance and decree be straitly observed, that for each liberty which we or our heirs shall hereafter grant, the aforesaid merchants shall not lose the above written liberties or any of them. But for the obtaining of the aforesaid liberties and free customs and the remission of our prises to them, the said merchants, all and singular, for them and all others of their parts, have granted to us with one heart and mind that on each tun of wine which they shall bring or cause to be brought within our realm or power, whereon they shall be bound to pay freight to the mariners, they shall pay to us and our heirs by name of custom 2s. beyond the ancient customs due and accustomed to be paid in money to us or others within forty days after the said wines be put ashore out of the ships; further, on each sack of wool which the said merchants or others in their name shall buy and take or cause to be bought and taken from our realm, they shall pay 40d. of increment beyond the ancient custom of half a mark which had before been paid; and for a last of hides to be carried out of our realm and power half a mark above that which before was paid of ancient custom; and likewise on 300 woolfells to be taken out of our realm and power 40d. beyond the xed sum which had before been given of ancient custom; further, 2s. on each scarlet and cloth dyed in grain; further, 18d. on each cloth wherein part of the grain is intermixed; further, 12d. on each other cloth without grain; further, 12d. on each quintal of wax.

And whereas some of the aforesaid merchants deal in other merchandise as avoir-du-pois and other fine goods, such as cloths of Tars, silk, cendals and other diverse wares, and horses also and other animals, corn and other goods and merchandise which cannot easily be put at a fixed custom, the same merchants have granted to give us and our heirs on each pound of silver of the estimation or value of such goods and merchandise, by what name soever they be known, 3d. in the pound at the entry of those goods and merchandise into our realm and power aforesaid within fifteen days after such goods and merchandise shall have been brought into our realm and power and there unladen or sold; and likewise 3d. on each pound of silver at the export of any such goods and merchandise bought in our realm and power aforesaid, beyond the ancient customs before given to us or others; and touching the value and estimation of such goods and merchandise whereon 3d. on each pound of silver, as is aforesaid, are to be paid, credit shall be given to them by the letters which they shall show from their lords or fellows, and if they have no letters, it shall stand in this behalf by the oaths of the merchants, if they be present, or of their yeomen in the absence of the same merchants. It shall be lawful, moreover, for the fellows of the fellowship of the merchants aforesaid to sell wools within our realm and power aforesaid to other their fellows, and likewise to buy from the same without payment of custom, so, nevertheless, that the said wools come not to such hands that we be defrauded of the custom due to us.

And furthermore it is to be known that after the said merchants shall have once paid in the form aforesaid in one place within our realm and power the custom above granted to us for their merchandise, and have their warrant thereof, they shall be free and quit in all other places within our realm and power aforesaid of payment of such custom for the same merchandise or wares by the same warrant, whether such merchandise remain within our realm and power or be carried without, except wines which shall in no wise be taken out of our realm and power aforesaid without our will and license, as is aforesaid. And we will, and for us and our heirs we grant that no exaction, prise or prest or any other charge be in any wise imposed on the persons of the merchants aforesaid, their merchandise or goods, against the form expressed and granted above. These witnesses:—the venerable fathers, Robert, archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, Walter, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, Henry de Lacy, earl of Lincoln, Humphrey de Bohun, earl of Hereford and Essex and constable of England, Aymer de Valencia, Geoffrey de Geynvill, Hugh le Despenser, Walter de Bello Campo, steward of our household, Robert de Bures and others. Given by our hand at Windsor, 1 February in the 31st year of our reign.

[251] From the confirmation by Edward III, see Fædera, II, ii, 747; the charter is not among the enrolments of Edward I. These customs were known as the petty custom, and this charter as the Caria Mercatoria.

[252] Tolls for the repair of walls, bridges and streets.

[253] i.e. Wholesale.

7. Administration of the Search for Money Exported [Chancery Miscellanea, 60, 5, 153], 1303.