ACT OF HENRY VI. re "HOSTS."
By an Act of 1439 (Henry VI., not repealed until this century), it was enacted, "That all alien merchants shall be under the survey of certain persons, to be called Hosts or surveyors, to be appointed by the mayors of the several cities, and to be good and creditable natives expert in merchandise; such Hosts to be privy to all sales and contracts of the aliens. Aliens to sell all their merchandise within six months on paying a forfeiture. The Hosts to keep books only to register all contracts, etc., of aliens, and deliver a transcript thereto to the Exchequer. The Hosts to have two shillings in the pound on all such contracts, and to be sworn to be faithful, and any alien refusing to submit to these regulations, to be imprisoned until security be given to comply with them."
ACT OF RICHARD III.
In 1543, in the reign of Richard III., it was enacted—"That no person not born under the King's obeysance shall exercise or occupy any handicraft, or the occupation of any handicraftsman, in this realm of England; and shall (after date then fixed) depart into their own country again; or else be servants of such of the King's subjects only as be expert and cunning in such feats, wits, and crafts, which the said stranger can occupy."
PROCLAMATION HENRY VII. EXPULSION OF SCOTS.
In the reign of Henry VII. 1491, when the death of James III. of Scotland had strained the relations between the two kingdoms, an Act was passed simply in these words—"All Scots, not made denizens, shall depart this realm within forty days after proclamation, upon paying a forfeiture of all their goods."
MARY I. EXPULSION OF THE FRENCH.
In the reign of Queen Mary there is a Statute against the French, which also directed their departure from the realm, and based it by the preamble not only on political grounds, but because the influx of such strangers tended to the diminishing of subjects of the realm, and the treasury of the sovereign.