Controlers do imbezel the Kings Customes the Merchants be greatly hindred because that the Warrants might plainly shew and declare their due custome when they be often and unduly impeached in the Kings Exchequor in consideration of the said deceits it was Enacted that the said Customers and Controlers shall write and deliver sufficient Warrants sealed with the Seal of their Office to that end ordained to the said Merchants not anything to begiven for the same but their due Custome And that in case any Customer or Controler do the contrary then the Merchant may have an action by vertue of this Ordinance to pursue every Customer or Controler that doth the contrary in every Court of Record and being thereof attainted shall forfeit to the King for every default ten pounds and to the Merchant grieved that sueth five pound 11. Hen. 6. 15. See Chap. 45. E. The great danger occasioned by small Riots B In the 37. year of his Reign began such Riots Routs and unlawful Assemblies that it produced a worse effect then in King Richard the seconds daye◠which was occasioned between a Yeoman of the Guard and a Serving-man of the Earle of Warwick which so far increased not being timely prevented that it proved the root of many a woful Tragedy brought to death the Duke of York who was proclaimed Successor to the Crown the King Prince Edward his Son all or most of the Peers of the land destroyed by sidings and at least six and thirty thousand of the common people cut off at one battel at Toughton in Yorkshire the King Queen and Prince put to flight to Barwick See Richard the second what was done See Chapter 37. A. 3. Hen. 6. See Rich. 2. E. Sheriffs Fees none of his Officers shall be returned upon Inquests letting to Bayl c. C Stat. 23. Hen. the sixth Chapter 10. The King considering the great-Perjury Extortion and Oppression which be and have been in his Realm by his Sheriffes Under-Sheriffs and their Clerks Coroners Stewards of Franchizes Bayliffs and keepers of prisons and other Officers in divers Counties of this Realm have ordained by the Authority aforesaid in eschewing of all such Perjury Extortion and Oppression and that because the Sheriffe of every County is a great and necessary Officer in the Commonwealth and used as a special instrument to the furtherance of Justice in all Suits pursued at the Common-Law and his service is imployed in the beginning prosecuting and ending of the most of them therefore as the Law hath alwayes had a special regard of him and foreseen that he shall be a man of wisdome of worth of credit countenance and ability this is not William Fenwick of North-Riding in Northumberland for he derogates from them all and that he shall be allowed a convenient stipend and sallary for his pains in most cases so doth she carry a vigilent and watchful eye upon him and his inferiour Officers or Substitutes knowing what grievous Oppressions might ensue if she should leave a man of his Authority and necessary imployment at liberty to dive at his pleasure into other mens purse and to take what he would as William Fenwick doth therefore she hath restrained him his Under-Sheriff Bayliffe of Franchizes and other Bayliffes most of which are forsworn within certain Lists and assigned them what they shall take for Arrests Attachments Mainprizes letting to Bail and serving of Executions which if any of them do exceed he shall forfeit forty pound a time and shall be adjudged an extortioner in which said Statute it is Enacted that no Sheriffe Under-Sheriffe or any Bayliffe by occasion or under colour of his Office shall take any other thing by themselves or any other person to their use or to their profit of any person by any of them Arrested or Attached nor of any other for them for the omitting of any Arrest or Attachment to be made by their bodies or of any person by any of them by force or colour of their Office Arrested or Attached for Fine Fee Mainprize letting to Bail or for shewing any ease or favour to any such person so Arrested for their reward or profit but such as follows the Sheriffe twenty pence the Bayliffe which maketh the ☜ Arrest or Attachment four pence the Gaoler if the prisoner be committed to his Ward four pence for making of a Return or Paniel and for the copy of a Paniel four pence no Bond to be made by them under colour of their Office but onely to themselves for the appearance of any prisoner at the day prescribed and what Bond is otherwise is void and he shall take no more for making such Obligation Warrant or Precept by him to be made but four pence And all Sheriffes Under-Sheriffes Clerks Bayliffes Gaolers Coroners Stewards Bayliffes of Franchizes or any other Officer or Ministers which doth contrary to the aforesaid Ordinances in any point of the same shall lose to the party in this behalf endamaged or grieved his treble damages and shall forfeit forty pounds at every time that any do the contrary in any point of the same whereof the King shall have the one half to be imployed only to the use of his house and the other to the party that will sue for the same by Bill Plaint c. I shall lay open the excessive Fees extorted by the Sheriffs of Northumberland against the Law viz. Return a tales 6 s. For allowance of a pony 9 s. 2 d. For allowance of a Writ false judgement 16 s. 6 d. Upon Execution granting out 15 s. And all upon the Defendant after Execution 1 l. 11 s. 6 d. For breaking open an original Proces 2 s. 6 d. For the Warrant thereof 6 d. Bayliffs for the Arrest from the Plaintiff 1 s. From the party Arrested 1 s. 8 d. To file Bayl above and taking the Declaration 8 s. This is costly Law This Justice is both bought and sold c. A Bill of Indictment before a Judge would reduce these c. The Form of an Indictment for Sheriffs D London ss The Juros for the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland c. Upon their Oaths do present That John Butler of London Sheriffe the 20. day of August in the year of our Lord God 1652. being then Sheriffe and Keeper of the Prison of the Newgate in London the day and year aforesaid did by force or colour of his said Office as Sheriffe and Keeper of the said Prison unlawfully and extortionously exact and take of one John Cuthberton then and there being arrested and imprisoned in the said Prison under the custody of the said Sheriff at the Suit of John Roe the sum of six shillings and eight pence for the Fee of the said Sheriffe and Keeper for the custody of the said John in the said Prison from the 20. day of the Month of May in the year aforesaid untill the 20. day of August then next following to the great damage of the
any difficulty and the whole Realm was sworn thereunto And soon after subtlely and privately sends to the Pope and other Nations for Armies to make void those Charters and Liberties granted to the Barons and to subdue England and promised them great rewards Forty thousand Souldiers that were to have Norfolk and Suffolk to conquer England for King John were all cast away on the Sea The Pope sends in great strength who landed at Dover and destroyed many Towns by fire and with the sword slew many thousands of people the Pope excommunicating the Barons particularly by their names great subversion and dissolution thereupon fell laying all Hedges and Ditches level tormenting the Barons with their wives c. L The Barons were necessitated to send for Lewis Son to the King of France for to come with an Army to joyn with them to conquer King John whose cruelties were intollerable which was done and King John overthrown and forced to flee towards Lin being poysoned by a Monk at Swinsted the reason he gave was that if he had lived half a year longer a half penny loaf would cost 20 s. he died and was buried at Worcester and King Henry the third Son to King John of nine years of age was crowned at Glocester c. M The reason of King John his granting Charters in England and making Corporations was for that he had but little land to raise great Rents from them and to assist him with strength by out-voting the Knights of M the Shires as is hereafter exprest For all Free-holders of England that had forty shillings a yeer met two times a yeer at Sessions Meadows neer Rockingham Castle in Northampton-shire and there made such Laws as the Nation was governed by and confirmed by the King N King John resolving to have Monies and Aid of men to go to Normandy to conquer them could not conveniently motion it by reason of the numerousnesse of the Free-holders but made a speech to them that he had contrived a very â—it and convenient way for the making Laws for the good of the whole Nation which was that by reason he conceived it a great trouble for all them to come so far for that purpose onely to make Laws that they would chuse two Knights of every Shire and County in England and Wales and give to them the full power of the Nation and then the said Knights to come and fit with him in Parliament at Westminster and also to allow them four shillings a day out of the County stock which more plainly appears in the Statute of 35. Hen. 8. Ch. 11. Knights to have 4 s. per diem and Burgesses 2 s. per diem O King John when he had got the hundred and four Knights in Parliament they having the full power of the Nation from the Free-holders immediately required from them great Subsidies and Armies to go for Normandy to recover such Lands as he had lost P The Knights answered they onely were intrusted to make Laws and not to taxe the Free-holders who had intrusted them and not to raise Armies and that by so doing they could not discharge the trust reposed in them Q The King finding his expectation frustrated having nothing doubted but to have wrought his design on so small a number Mastered his passion and not long after acquainted the Knights that he was sorry for the great burden which lay upon them for making Laws being for a publick and that they were too few in number and that he had found out a way how to ease them and bring in a great revenew to free the Nation from impositions R Which was that he resolved to Incorporate all the great Towns in England and Wales and depute Magistrates to govern as his Lieutenants and every Corporation should hold their Town in Fee-Farm from him and his heirs at a certain Rent some more others lesse according to the quality c. S Also that every Corporation should chuse two Burgesses to â—it and vote with them in Parliament they knowing the state of every County and the Burgesses of the Corporation by which means the Burgesses being more in number then the Knights might out-vote them and vote for him the Knights medled not therein at all but were out-voted by these Vassals and Tenants to the King they granting to him what ever he demanded or else must forfeit their Charters And he granted to them what ever they demanded c. T The Free-holders of England were represented in Parliament by their Knights in their Election And if the Burgesses were Free-holders then represented in the same Knights V But if the Burgesses were no Free-holders then no power in England to make Laws or to â—it in Parliament to out-vote the true Representative which are the Knights especially representing no body further then the will of the King who was onely to confirm Laws but not to make them King John had four considerations in making great Towns Corporations 1 To assume â— Prerogative 2 To raise vast sums of Mony 3 To divide the Nation 4 To enslave bodies Corporate by being his Vassals and Slaves Charters are no Laws and nothing is binding that is not lawful no Laws are made but by Parliament read Stat. 2. Edw. 3. 8. CHAP. II. Newcastles first Charter A KIng John by his Letters Pattents dated the day of in the fourteenth yeer of his Reign and in the Yeer of our Lord 1213. Granted Demised and Confirmed to the honest men of the Newcastle upon Tyne and to their Heirs his Town of Newcastle upon Tyne with all the Appurtenances to Fee-farm for one hundred pounds to be â—endred to the said King and his Heirs at his Exchequer to wit at the Feast of Eaâ—ter fifty pounds and at the Feast of St. Michael other fifty pounds saving to the said King the Rents Prizes and Assizes in the Port of the said Town Further he grants to them and confirmeth one hundred and ten shillings and six pence of Rent which they have by the gift of the said King in the said Town of Escheats to be divided and assigned to them who lost their Rents by occasion of a Ditch or Trench and of the new work made under the Castle towards the River or Water so that thereof they might have the more that lost the more and they that lost the lesse should have the lesse He also granted to them for him and his Heirs that in nothing they should be answerable to the Sheriffe nor to the Constable for those things which belong to them as the said Charter testifieth Wherefore he willeth and firmly commandeth that the said men and their Heirs may have and hold the same Town with its Appurtenances to Fee-farm for the said hundred pounds yeerly to be paid as is aforesaid well and in peace freely quietly and intirely with all Liberties and free Customes which they were wont to have in the time of King Henry the 2. Father of the said King
the Council for aâ— explananation upon some of the said two and twenty Articles and for further power for the preservation of the said River especially upon the one and twentieth Article to whom the bonds should be made It was Ordered to the Mayor for the time being c. B Also prayed resolution who should repair and mantain the Ballast shoars and Coal-Wharf as is exprest in the nineteenth Article Ordered that as well the Owner as the Tenant be bound to such reparation during the time use was made thereof and onely the Owners afterwards They also humbly craved their resolutions of the sixth Article and twelfth Article who should be at the charge of cleansing the River of the Ballast and pay the Watchmen c. It is Ordered that the Town-chamber defray both the one and the other by reason they receive the profits of the River c. See Chap. 12. 6 Chap. 34. 39. 49. C They also prayed the resolution of the eighth Article for the punishing of Masters of Ships It was Ordered that the Commissioners should take bond * with sufficient Sureties to appear before the Council to answer their contempt and to such as refuse to give bond then the Commissioners to commit them to prison till they give Sureties to answer at London c. See Chap. 41. C Ordered that the Commissioners shall have power for ordering the Wharf and new shoars in every place in that River after they are once erected as well for the strengthning as backing of them with Ballast as with other Earth See chap. 18. F E That the Commissioners there at least shall subscribe every Ticket and the Mayor * for the carrying up of every Keel of Ballast from the ships at Shields to Newcastle ballast shoars for the more faithfull execution of that service See chap. 49. G. * F Ordered that the Commissioners shall have power to order and determine of such rewards as shall be given to every Wherry-man or Fisher-man * or other that shall truly present any offence or offenders against any of the Articles prescribed to be taken out of such Fines Muâ—cts and Amerciaments as shall be imposed upon any the Delinquents against the said Articles See Chap. 39. A * G Ordered that the Commissioners shall have power to cause the ballast already become noysome or in any part of the River or like to do hurt from the Land to be removed to a new Wharf or fit place See Chap. 34. A 35. A. B. CHAP. XV. KIng James on the 14. of April in the seventeenth year of his Reign grants unto Alexander Stevenson Esq and his Assigns for fifty years the whole Castle of Newcastle with all Appurtenances thereunto any way belonging at the Rent of forty shillings per annum except the prison wherein is kept the sons of Belial it being the County prison for Northumberland the said Mr. Stevenson dyed and left Mr. Auditor Darel his Executor and left him that Lease it being all he was like to have towards the payment of the said Mr. Stevensons debts which was due to the said Executor and others amounting in the principal to two thousand five hundred pound besides damages which amounted to as much more who is kept from his right by the instigation of the Mayor and Burgesses upon an Inquisition taken the 18. of August in the 18. year of King James at Newcastle It was found to be in Stevenson and now in his Executors the said Stevenson dyed in October 1640. they claiming a right from one widow Langston relict to one John Laugston Groom Porter c. but that Title the Law will quickly decide upon a legal Trial but the County of Northumberland hath the reversion who is kept from having a free passage to the Assizes by the Mayor and Burgesses who shuts up the gates which is the right passage and at such gates which be open the people of Northumberland coming to do their service at the Assizes holden for that County in that Castle are arrested and cast into prison by Newcastle where none can bail them but Burgesses of Newcastle and often thereby such people have their Cause overthrown by such restainment In Easter Term in the 18. year of King James Sir Henry Yelverton Kt Attorny General exhibited an Information against the Mayor and Burgesses concerning the premises above mentioned where all plainly appears amongst other things of the Town not to belong to them c. CHAP. XVI A IN or about the eighteenth year of King James an Information was exhibited in the Star Chamber by the Attorny General against the Mayor and Burgesses of Newcastle by the name of Host-men for that they having the preemption of Coals from the Inheritors in Northumberland and County of Durham by their Charter of free Hoast-men 42 Queen Eliz. * they having the sale of all Coals who force ships to take bad Coals or will not load them with unmarketable Coals being brought for London prove much to the damage of the people Which grief begot great Suits between the Merchants and Masters of ships to their disquieting and high charge upon which this Information was brought against the said Hoast-men for selling of bad and unmerchantable Coals and much Slate amongst them for which they were all fined some 100 li. a peece some more others less being found guilty and ordered to do so no more but it is proved they continue the same to this day See chap. 43. A CHAP. XVII A KIng James upon the 28 of January in the 16 year of his Reign grants the Admiralty of all England c. to the Duke of Buckingham it being surrendred by the Lord High Admiral so that the Title of Newcastle by vertue of the Chrater of the 31 year of Queen Elizabeths Reign is conceived of little force See ch 10. B CHAP. XVIII King Charles The high and Mighty Monarch CHARLES by the grace of GOD King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland P. Stent exâ—udit A SIr Robert Heath Lord Cheif Justice of the Common Pleas was building a Ballast Wharf or Shoar on his own Land at Shields adjoyning upon the River of Tyne seven miles from Newcastle but the Commissioners of Newcastle the Mayor and Aldermen with others obstructed the building thereof pretending it would spoil the River but the Lord Cheif Justice well knowing it to the contrary by the advice of most of the antient Trinity Masters of London other experienced Traders thither went on with the building thereof upon which in the year 1632. the said Mayor and other Commissioners exhibited a complaint to the King and Council against the same at Whitehal complaining that if any Ballast Shoars or Wharfs were built at Shields it would much spoil the River and hinder Trade and Navigation at which there was a legal Tryal it appeared to the contrary the King and Council upon the 13th day of July 1632. Ordered that Sir Robert Heaths Ballast shoar should bee built D In February next the Commissioners
Bishop of Durham who killed Levisus was killed by them for which William the Conqueror sent down Odo with an Army who totally laid Northumberland to waste cut off the heads of all the people after they had dismembred them Little of Confession or Repentance was by King John as was by William the Conqueror for he upon his Arrest at the Suit of Death confessed he had committed many outrages and won England by the Sword and not by Inheritance and was heartily sorry for the wrongs he had done and required his body to be buried at Cain in Normandy when he was dead they would not affoard him a burial-place till such time as one of his relation was constrained to purchase so much ground but soon after they defaced his Tomb took up his bones and brake them and cast them away In the fifteenth year of King Richard the second the Scots burnt all the Towns of Northumberland and the North as far as York except Rippon who redeemed themselves with a sum of mony In the sixth year of King Edward the third 1332. a great Battel was fought between the English and the Scots near Barwick where was killed eight Earls fifteen hundred Horse and thirty five thousand Foot In the thirteenth year of King Edward the third 1339. An inundation of water surmounted the Wall of Newcastle and broke down six pearches in length and drowned one hundred and sixty persons neer the Wark Knowl In the year 1345. William Douglas lead into Northumberland above thirty thousand Scots and fired many Towns but was overcome by a stratagem with Bishop Ogle The next year 1346. King David King of the Scots entred Northumberland with a great Army and fought at Nevils-Crosse where he was overthrown himself taken prisoner by one Copland of Northumberland who had five hundred pound per Annum given to him and to his heirs for ever In King Richard the seconds dayes 1379. the Scots entred England and killed all men women and children in the North parts notwithstanding the plague was sorely amongst them 1383. The Scots entred England and lead all the people away prisoners that were in Northumberland and laid that County to waste 1384. They entred again and did the like 1389. The Scots again invaded England where a great battel was fought at Oâ—terborn in Northumberland where they were over-thrown and eleven hundred killed and thirty thousand put to flight who upon their flight killed men women and sucking babes and filled houses with people two hundred in a house and then shut the doors and fired the houses 1399. King Richard the second caused seventeen Counties to be indicted pretending they were all against him with the Duke of Glocester Arundel and Warwick and commanded them all to give it under their hands and seals that they were Traytors though indeed they never were And then he makes them pay some a thousand pound some more some lesse King Henry the fourth Great fights were between Doughlas and Piercy in the North. And in the years 1639. and 1643. and 1648. It being well known to all the misery they brought upon the North and heavy Impositions both upon the North and South parts as appears in the close of the Epistle to the Reader c. It is no small mercy that we now live so in peace here being none of those bloody times and our Ancestors would willingly have enjoyed this mercy and we hunger after blood which they wallowed in what bloody minded men are these I wish them in better minds and to be contented with that which in former times could not be obtained Many have admired the poverty of Northumberland as well they may for what with the bloody Tyrants the Scots on the North of that poor County and oppressive Corporation of Newcastle on the South thereof bounded in with the High-lands on the West and the Sea on the East that it can get nothing but stroaks and worried out of what they have and not being tollerated to make use of their own and cold blasts from the Sea but it would be otherwise if such Gentlemen might be re-imbursed for such sums of money as they would expend to vend Coals out of Hartly Blithe and Bedlington Rivers which be convenient places to vend them at after some charge which would be done by having either their money again or Custome free for some years to re-imburse them which would not onely make that poor County as rich as any is but reduce the excessive rates of Coals and Salt and bring in many thousands per Annum into the publick revenew c. enable the people to be serviceable and abundantly increase Trade and Navigation as also there being as good Coals as possibly can be burnt which now lyes c. and others not knowing their right is stript of it But if one thing they look after which is to examine some Records they may perceive what is their Rights and which was especially in a book lodged in the Exchequor made in the year 1080. it being called Domus Dei or Dooms day being a perfect Survey of all the Lands in England the Rent Value Quantity c. by which William the Conqueror taxed the whole Nation and it goeth by the name of the Role of Winton being ordered to be kept in Winchester and recites the Earldomes Hundreds Tythings Woods Parks and Farms in every Territory and Precinct with Plowlands Meadows Marshes Acres c. what Tenements and Tenants then the Corporation of Newcastle might be as glad to keep what is their own as they are to take from others c. CHAP. LVII THe reason of my Collecting these few Statutes is to shew how they are intrenched upon by an illegal Charter and pressing upon a remedy shal cite Poulton which is that seeing we have all received and allow it for truth that the ignorance of the Law doth excuse none of offence and also that the Law doth help the watchful and not the sloathful man Therefore it behoveth each person first to seek the knowledge of those Laws under which he doth live and whereby he is to receive benefit or to sustain peril and next with all industry to frame his obedience unto them or humbly to submit himself to the censure of them And though we find by experience that some men by the sluggishnesse of their natures others by the carelesnesse of their own welfares And a third sort wholly given over to pleasures and vanities do little respect to know and lesse to obey our criminal and capital Laws being things of great moment importance and therefore do oftentimes taste the smart of them and repent of their follies when it is too late Many there be that by reading desires to conceive them others for increase of their knowledge others in their actions to be directed by them therefore to content such as knoweth not as yet these heads that they may know what they condemn and do tend to the breach of the peace of
the Town of Gates-head unpunished and that often they cast Rubbish into the River and also that the Bridge went to decay very much which belonged to that Town humbly beseeching that his Majesty would be graciously pleased to incorporate that Town with them under their Government with all its members and Salt-meadows and Park and that it may be quite taken from the County of Durham and all the people therein to become subordinate to their Laws Be it Enacted that the whole Town of Gates-head with the Salt-meadows the whole Water and Bridge with all the Liberties thereunto belonging except the Common which shall still remain to the inhabitants be incorporated with Newcastle and dis-joyned from the County of Durham as Newcastle was from Northumberland by Charter King Richard The Second RICHARD the 2. borne at Burdeaux Sonne to Edward Prince of Wales begann his Raigne the 21 of Iune An o Dni 1377. he RaigÌ„ed 22. Yeares was Deposed died the 14. of February 1399. First buried at Langley in Hartfâ—dshire afterwardes of Westmister A Free Trade in all England A STat. 11. Richard 2. 7. and the 14. Richard 2. 9. Be it Enacted that all Merchants Aliens and Denisons and all other and every of them of what estate or condition they bâ— which will buy or sell Corn Wine Averdepoize Flesh Fish and all other Victual or other Merchandizes and all other things vendible from whencesoever they come in whatsoever place they please be it City Borough Town Port of the Sea Fair Market or other place within this Realm within Franchizes or without may freely or without disturbance sell the same to whom they please as well to Foreigners as to Denizons except to the enemies of the King and of his Realm And if any disturbance be done to any such Merchant c. upon his sail of the same in any of the places aforesaid the Mayor and Bayliffs of such Fanchizes shall make remedy but if they do not and being thereof convicted the Franchizes shall be taken into the Kings hand and the party grieving shall make to the Merchant grieved double damages And if such disturbance be out of the Franchized Towns then the Steward or Bayliffe of such Lord who is Lord of the Mannor shall give right or pay double damages the party offending shall be imprisoned for one whole year and that none such shall be disturbed but shall freely buy and sell for his own use or to the Kings c. except that the Merchant Aliens shall carry no Wines out of the Realm as it is contained in their Charters And that the said things be holden kept and performed in every City Borough Town Port of the Sea or any other place notwithstanding any Charter of Franchize to them granted to the contrary nor Usage Custome nor Judgement given upon their Charters Usages nor Customes which they may alleage which Charters Usages and Customes the said King the Grand-fathers the Prelates Earls Barons and great men and Commons in Parliament aforesaid Holds these said Charters c. of no force and as being things granted used and accustomed to the damage of the King the Prelates Earls Barons and great men of his Realm and great oppression of the Commons saving to the King and to other the Customes due of the said Merchandizes And the Chancellor Treasurer and Justices assigned to hold the Pleas of the King in places where they come shall enquire of such disturbances and grievances and do punishment according as is before ordained And by a Statute made the 25. Edw. 3. 2. It was Ordained and Established That the said Statutes made in the ninth year Chapter 1. in all Points and Articles contained in the same should be holden kept and maintained c. And if any Charter Letters Pattents Proclamations or Commandements Usage Allowance or Judgement were made to the contrary the same should be utterly repealed avoyded and holden for none And that it is free for any whatever that brings any provisions whatever to sell the same or other Merchandizes by Grosse or retail either in the City of London or any other Port City Borough or Town-Corporate in England without challenge or impeachment and to sell them freely to any that will buy the same notwithstanding any grant whatever to the contrary notwithstanding any Franchize Custome used since such Franchizes and Customes Usages be in common prejudice to the King and all people c. And that no Mayor Bayliff Catch-pole Minister nor other shall meddle in the sail of any manner of Victuals vendible brought to the places aforesaid And all men that will sue may have a Writ out of the Chancery to attach him by his body that offends herein as a disturber of the common profit c. The King seeing cleerly if the said Statutes were duly put in execution would much extend to the profits and wealth of the whole Nation do Ordain and Establish by assent of the Prelates Dukes Earls Barons great men Nobles and Commons in this present Parliament assembled That the said Statutes shall be firmly holden kept maintained and fully executed in all Points and Articles of the same notwithstanding any Ordinance Statute Charter Letters Pattents Franchizes Proclamations Commandements Usage Allowance or Judgement be made or used to the contrary it shall be utterly repealed avoyded and holden for none This Statute was obtained by a Petition worth reading from all the Nobles and Commons of England as you may read in the ninth of Edward the third Chapter the first it laying open the great grievance of the whole Nation in Parliament of Provisions and other Merchandizes being engrossed into private hands and restraining all others from trading but themselves c. See Chap. 29. C 30. D 32. D 35. A 38. A 51. B. C. This Statute revived would make England as happy as Venice for Riches c. Merchant-strangers shall be well used B Stat. 14. Rich. 2. 9. Be it Enacted that Merchant-strangers repairing into the Realm of England shall be well and courteously and rightfully intreated and governed in the said Realm to the intent that they shall have the courage to repair into the same See Chap. 30. B 41. A. The Duke of Venice by tollerating a free Trade all the Nobility and Gentry trades in Merchandizings which doth so improve his revenew that it maintains his Wars without other Impositions he being able to wage war with the most potentest Prince that is c. No Customers to be Traders nor to have parts of Ships C Stat. 14. Rich. 2. 10. The King ordains that no Customers nor Controlers have any ships of their own nor meddle with the fraught of ships and to eschew as well the damage of the King of his Customes as the losse of the Merchants repairing to the Port as well Aliens as Denizons And that no Customer Controler Searcher Waiter or Finder have any such Office for terme of life but onely as long as shall please the King notwithstanding