woodcut of arms By the Mayor. Orders set down for Blackwellhall.  woodcut of arms  
WHereas by Common Counsel holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London, before the right honourable the Lord Mayor of the same City, and the right worshipful the Aldermen his brethren, and the Commons in the same Common Counsel assembled, on the Ninth day of this instant month of May. One Act was made and agreed upon, the tenor whereof hereafter followeth in these words. Whereas divers good laws, statutes, and ordinances, have been heretofore devised, and made, for the true and perfect making of clothes, and other the commodities hereafter mentioned, and for the viewing, and searching of the same: And yet by reason that a great part of the clothes and commodities, brought to the City of London to be sold, have not been brought to the open market place, or places appointed for that purpose. But have been bought, and sold, in secret and private houses, and places, by such as have transported and vented them, in foreign parts beyond the seas, or retailed them in their shops at home or otherwise at their pleasure: The said clothes and other commodities neither have been, or could be conveniently viewed and searched, according to the true meaning of the said laws, statutes and ordinances, and thereby as experience hath set forth, much deceitful and evil cloth, and other commodities, have not only been uttered, sold, and transported, from this City of London, to foreign parts out of this Realm, to the great discredit of the said City and whole Realm, and the commodities thereof, But also retailed and uttered within the same City, to the great offence, loss, and prejudice of many her majesties loving subjects, the wearers of the same. For remedy whereof. Be it enacted, ordained, and established, by the authority of this Common Counsel, in manner and form hereafter following. That is to say, that all, and all manner of Clothes, Kerseys, Frizes, Rugs, Bays, Cottons, and stockings, and all other commodities made of wool, or mixed with wool, or of flax, tow, or hemp, or mixed with any of them, or of silk, cruel, or thread, or mixed with them or any of them, and which are or shallbe made, wrought, woven, or knit, within her majesties dominions or any the parts thereof. And also all Dowlasse, Lockeram, and Linen clothes, made or to be made in Britain, in the parts beyond the Seas, which shall be brought to this City of London, or the Liberties of the same, or to any part thereof, be it bought by former bargain, or to be sold at any time from and after the tenth day of june next, shallbe brought to the common market place, or places thereunto appointed, in, at, or near Blackewellhall, within the said City of London, and there in the same market place or places or some of them, put to sale and absolutely sold and not else where, within the said City of London or the Liberties thereof, upon pain to lose and forfeit, all and every the Cloth, Clothes, Wares, Merchandizes and other the said commodities that shall be vented, sold or uttered, otherwise then in manner, and form aforesaid, or the value thereof, Except always that all such Hampshire Kerseys as hereafter shallbe bought in the market of Southwark in the county of Surrey, shall and may be brought from thence into the City of London or liberties thereof, to the house of him or them that hath or shall so buy the same. So that such duties be paid for the hallage thereof unto the clerk of Blackwelhall, as if the same had been brought to the said market of Blackwelhall, and except also that all such Cloth and Clothes, and other the commodities aforesaid as shall at any time or times hereafter be bought upon any former bargains, to be made before they shallbe brought unto the said City of London, and which shallbe afterwards brought to the said Common market place or places, or any of them, and there presented, registered, and the duties of market room paid, and a note in writing received from the Clerk for the same duties which shall be delivered to him or them that so bought the foresaid Clothes and other commodities before they or any of them shallbe pitched or harboured in any other place or places, within the said City of London, or liberties thereof, and also except all such Cloth and Clothes or other commodities aforesaid, which shallbe carried to any known Merchant's house, and there laid down without his knowledge, if such Marchante, or any for him shall make it known to the Clerk of Blackwelhall within three days next following, and then pay the duties due for the same, and cause the same to be registered as aforesaid. And for that all and every person and persons may take knowledge of the lawful market places in the said City of London, for selling and buying of all the Cloth, Clothes, Wares, and other commodities above specified. It is hereby notified, declared, ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid, that Blackwelhall within the said City of London, and the rooms therein or near thereunto adjoining, now or hereafter to be used a common market place or places, for the said Cloth, Clothes Wares and other commodities are and shallbe the ordained assigned and appointed market place or places for all foreigners to sell every of the said several Cloth, Clothes, Wares and commodities in manner as thereunto heretofore, and now they have been and are accustomably used and not elsewhere. And it is also enacted, ordained, and declared, by the authority aforesaid, that from the said tenth day of june next, the lawful times for selling and buyng in any of the said Markets, or market place or places, shall be and begin weekly on every Thursday at one of the clock in the after noon, and continue until four of the clock of the same after noon, and on every Friday at eight of the clock in the forenoon, and continue until eleven of the clock in the same forenoon, and shall likewise begin in the afternoon of the same Friday, at one of the clock, and continue until four of the clock of the same Friday in the afternoon, and shall begin again every Saturday, at eight of the clock in the forenoon, and shall continue until eleven of the clock in the forenoon of the same day, and that the said hours hereby appointed and limited for the beginning and ending of every the said market times shall be known by the ringing of the market bell in Blackwellhall aforesaid appointed for that use and purpose. This to be held and continued weekly every week throughout the year, from year to year, (the twelve days in Christmas only excepted.) And that all and every such Cloth, Clothes, and other commodities before specified as shallbe there put to sale at any other time or times, then is afore limited shallbe forfeited. And it is further ordained and enacted that from and after the said tenth day of june next no manner person or persons not being free of the said City shall by himself or any other for him or by his means or practise bargain or sell in any place or places within the liberties of this City, out of the said assigned market place or places any of the said Clothes, Kerseys or other commodities, nor shall buy any of the same within any the said assigned market place or places to the intent to sell the same again in any of the said assigned Market places or elsewhere, within the said City or liberties thereof, upon pain to forfeit and lose for every such offence the Cloth, Clothes, Kerseys and other the said commodities so bought or sold, or the value thereof. And also that every person and persons being free of this City, which shall harbour or receive the said Cloth Clothes or commodities so bought or sold contrary to the tenor of this Act and the true meaning thereof, shall forfeit and lose his freedom, and not to be thereunto readmitted but by the Lord Maior, Aldermen and Common Council of the said City for the time being. And it is likewise hereby further enacted and ordained that no person or persons now free or hereafter to be made free of the said City, shall from and after the said tenth day of june next sell or cause to be sold, any Cloth, Clothes, Kerseys or any other the commodities aforenamed either in his own name, or for or in the name of any other within the said Common Markets or any of them, upon pain to forfeit and lose every such Cloth, Clothes and other commodities so sold or the value thereof. And to the intent to cut of the great fraud and abuse used by sundry persons being free of this City, and others by foreign buying and selling, contrary to the ancient laws, customs and liberties of the same City, and for the better finding out of the same fraudulent dealings. It is further enacted by the authority aforesaid that the Clerk or officer for the collecting of duties due for the harbouring and pitching of clothes at the said Market of Blackwelhall and places aforesaid shall keep a Register book weekly throughout the whole year, of the names and surnames of the said Clothmen and Freemen, owners of such Clothes and Kerseys, and other commodities, as shallbe bought upon any former bargain, before they shall be brought to the said City, and which shall be brought to the said Market place or places, according to the tenor of this Act, and shall register the true number, of such Clothes, Kerseys, and other commodities, together with the names and surnames of the said Freemen, or other buyers and sellers of the same: Upon pain that the said Officer shall for not keeping the said Book truly and faithfully as aforesaid, and for not giving a note in writing, for the duties paid to him or them that shall pay the same, according to the true meaning of this Act, shall forfeit and lose his said office. And if the owner of the said goods or his Carrier, be they foreigners or free, shall deny to the said Officer to give the true names and surnames of the buyers and sellers with the just number, of all such Clothes and Kerseys, and other commodities aforesaid, so brought to the hall aforesaid. Then it is hereby further ordained and enacted, that the said buyers and sellers whether they be free or foreigners shall have no benefit of the exception above specified in this present Act, concerning former bargains, but shallbe bound to put to sale the same Cloth, Clothes and commodities aforesaid in Blackwelhall Market, or in other the place or places appointed as aforesaid, said, as though there had been no former bargain of the same Clothes or other commodities. And for the better reformation of the offences and abuses, purposed to be reform and amended, by this present Act of Common Council, and the more ready execution of the same. It is finally enacted, ordained, and established, by the authority aforesaid, that all, and all manner Cloth, Clothes, Wares, commodities, somme and sommes of money, and other things whatsoever, that shall be forfeited by virtue of this Act shall be obtained, levied, or recovered, either by seizure, or else by Action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in the name of the Chamberlain of the said City 〈◊〉 the ●●●●ing in the Queen's majesties Court holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the said City, before the Mayor and Aldermen of the same, for the time being, wherein no Essoigne, protection, or wager of law shall be admitted or allowed. And that all the pains, penalties, and forfeitures, to be had or recovered by virtue of this Act, the charges of recovery deducted, shall be divided into three equal parts, whereof one third part shall be employed to the Mayor and Commonalty of the same City, towards the maintenance and reparations of Blackwellhall aforesaid: One other third part to the use of the poor children of Christ's Hospital within the said city, And the other third part to him that will sue for the same, being a Freeman.  
Now to the end that all persons whom the said Act may in any sort concern, may take knowledge thereof, and thereby way the rather avoid the danger of the penalties therein contained, The Right honourable the Lord Mayor of the city aforesaid, and the Right worshipful the Aldermen his brethren, Have thought good by Proclamation to publish the same. Dated at the Guildhall of the city of London, the thirteenth day of May, in the seven and thirtieth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the Faith etc.  
God save the Queen