A DECLARATION Touching the Weighing of GOODS AND merchandises AT THE King's Beams: WITH An Act of Common-Council for the Regulation thereof.  
Printed by Samuel Roycroft, Printer to the Honourable City of London. 1681.   

Ward mayor.  
Commune Concilium tentum in Camera Guildhall, Civitatis London, Die Veneris, 17o die Junij Anno Dom. 1681. Annoque Regni Regis Caroli Secundi Angl ', &c. xxxiijo.  
IT is Ordered by this Court, That the Declaration and Bill touching the Kings Beams, which were passed at the last Common-Council: As likewise the Bill for raising four Fifteens now passed, shall be forthwith Printed and Published.  
wagstaff.   

Commune Concilium tentum in Camera Guildhall Civitatis London, die Veneris, xiijo die Maij, Anno Domini 1681. Annoque Regni Domini nostri Caroli Secundi, Angl ', &c. 33o coram Patient ' Ward mill ', Majore Civitatis London, Thoma Aleyn mill ' & Baronet ', Johanne Frederick mill ', Thoma Bludworth mill ', Willielmo Turner mill ', Georgio Waterman mill ', Roberto Clayton, mill ', Aldermannis, Georgio Treby mill ', Recordatore dictae Civitatis, Johanne Moore mill ', Willielmo Pritchard mill ', Henrico Tulse mill ', Jacobo Smith mill ', Roberto Jeffery mill ', Johanne Shorter, mill ', Thoma gold mill ', Johanne peak mill ', Thoma Beckford mill ', Johanne Chapman mill ', Thoma Pilkington Ar ' Aldermannis, & Henrico Cornish Ar ' Aldermanno, ac uno Vicecom ' dictae Civitatis, Necnon majore parte Communiariorum ejusdem Civitatis in Communi council ' tunc & ibidem Assemblat '.  
A Declaration touching the Weighing of Goods and merchandises at the Kings Beams: With an Act of Common Council for the Regulation thereof.  
FOrasmuch as it appertaineth to Iustice and true Dealing, That to all men be uprighty given, true weight, and for that cause there are, and from the time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary, have been within the City of London and Liberties thereof, Common Beams, usually called the Kings Beams, for the more just and equal weighing of all Goods and merchandises sold or bartered within the City aforesaid, and Liberties thereof.  
And whereas the Office of Tronage, or weighing of all Goods and merchandises within the said City and Liberties thereof, hath time out of mind been used, exercised, and enjoyed by the mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London, and by several Royal and Ancient Charters and Acts of Parliament confirmed unto, and vested in the mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the said city.  
And whereas the ancient usual Rates and Duties paid for weighing of Goods and merchandises at the said Kings Beams, are as followeth; Viz. for Iron the Ton xx d. for Madder the Bale xuj d. for every draft from 14 l. weight to 4 C. weight, vj d. For every draft from 4 C. weight to 6 C. weight, xij d. For every draft from 6 C. weight to 8 C. weight, ij s. For every draft from 8 C. weight to 10 C. weight, iij s. iiij d. For every draft from 10 C. weight to 12 C. weight, iiij s. viij d. And for every draft from 12 C. weight and upwards, vj s. viij d. The which Rates were at all times paid by the Buyer and Seller, viz. three fourth parts thereof by the Seller, and the other Fourth part by the Buyer. Now the Right Honourable the Lord mayor, the Right Worshipful the Aldermen and Commons in this Common-Council Assembled, taking into their serious Consideration the increase of the Trade of this City, and being desirous to encourage both the Seller and the Buyer of all Goods and merchandises usually bought and sold by weight, to make use of the said Kings Beams, to the intent that Right may be done between the Buyer and Seller, Do hereby declare that an Abatement shall be made of the said Ancient Rates and Duties unto all Persons that shall be Sellers to the freemen of the said City, in Manner and under the Provisoes and Conditions following; ( Viz.) That the freeman of this City buying of a foreigner or Vnfréeman, any Goods and merchandises usually sold by weight, shall from henceforth be wholly acquitted of the said Fourth part of the said Duties and Rates which have been paid by the freeman buyer thereof. And that Vnfréeman and foreigners selling to a freeman of the said City, shall henceforth be abated out of the said Ancient Duties and Rates, and pay as followeth; Viz. Whereas the Seller being an Vnfréeman or Foreigner, for his part of the said Ancient Duties and Rates, due by Prescription, ought to pay for every draft from 14 l. weight to 4 C. weight, Four pence half penny: The foreigner and Vnfréeman shall pay from 14 l. weight to 1 C. weight, but ij d. And also for the weighing of figs and Lippory raisins by the Barrel, not exceeding 2 C. weight, ij d. and from 1 C. weight to 4 C. weight, but iij d. And whereas the Foreigners and Vnfréemen ought to pay for every draft from 4 C. weight to 6 C. weight, ix d. there shall be paid but vj d. And whereas the Foreigners and Vnfréemen ought to pay for every draft from 6 C. weight to 8 C. weight, j s. iiij d. there shall be paid but x d. And whereas the Foreigner and Vnfréeman ought to pay for every draft from 8 C. weight to 10 C. weight, ij s. vj d. there shall be paid but xuj d. And whereas the Foreigner and Vnfréeman ought to pay for every draft from 10 C. weight to 12 C. weight, ij s. vj d. there shall be paid but xx d. And whereas the foreigner and Vnfréeman ought to pay for every draft from 12 C. weight and upwards v s. there shall be paid for every draft from 12 C. weight to 19 C. weight, but ij s. and for every draft from 19 C. weight to 22 C. weight, but ij s. iiij d. and for every draft from 22 C. weight and upwards, to any weight that may be conveniently weighed, but iij s. And the foreigner and Vnfréeman, Seller, shall hereafter pay for the weighing of every Ton of Iron xiiij d. and for every Bale of Madder x d. and no more.  
And it is hereby further declared, That if any Vnfréeman or foreigner shall at any time after the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist now next ensuing, sell, barter, and deliver any Goods or merchandises, usually sold by weight, before the same shall be weighed, at one of the said Common Beams; Or if any Vnfréeman or foreigner, Seller, after his Goods are weighed at one of the said Common Beams, shall not upon Demand pay the said Rates mentioned to be abated in this Declaration, to such Officer as is or shall be so appointed to receive the same, that then such Vnfréeman or foreigner, Seller, shall not only from the time of such omission, to weigh his, or their Goods, or refusal or omission after such Demand, to pay for the weighing thereof, loose the benefit of the Abatements intended by this Declaration, but shall for ever hereafter be subject to pay the said Ancient full Duties and Rates, due by Prescription unto the mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of this City, for the weighing of all his or their Goods and merchandises at the Kings Beams, or Common Beams aforesaid. Any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding  
And be it further declared by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Merchant or other Person, not being free of this City, being his Majesties Frée-born Subject, or made a Denizen, or naturalised according to Law, shall at any time hereafter be desirous to become a freeman of this City, That then such Merchant, or other Person Vnfrée, having first obtained his Fréedom of this City, according to the custom thereof, shall not be obliged to take upon him either the Office of Alderman or Sheriff of this City, or County of Middlesex, within the space of Seven years next after the time of his becoming a freeman thereof, Any Law, usage, or custom of this City to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.  
wagstaff.   

AN ACT For the better REGULATION Of the Weighing of GOODS AND merchandises AT THE Kings Beams.  
WHereas the Office of Tronage, or weighing of all Goods and merchandises: within the City of London, and Liberties th●reof, hath time out of mind been used, exercised, and enjoyed by the mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, and by several Royal and Ancient Charters and Acts of Parliament confirmed unto, and vested in the mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the said City, and for that cause there are, and from the time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary, have been within the said City and Liberties thereof, Common Beams, usually called the Kings Beams, for the more just and equal weighing of all Goods and merchandises sold or bartered within the said City and Liberties.  
Be it therefore Enacted by the Right Honourable the Lord mayor, the Right Worshipful the Aldermen, and the Commons of this City in Common-Council Assembled, and by Authority of the same, That from and after the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist now next ensuing, the sworn Weighers and other Officers appointed, or which shall hereafter be chosen and appointed by the Court of Lord mayor and Aldermen of this City for the time being, for the weighing of Goods and merchandises at the Common Beams of this City, and for the better Regulation thereof, and Collection of the Duties for the same, as often as notice shall be left in writing at the Weighouse of the time and place where any Goods or merchandises are to be weighed, shall bring the Weights, Triangles, and Beams to the place where the Goods are to be weighed at his own Charge, when the Duty of the Goods to be weighed amounts unto Ten shillings or more. And when the Goods to be weighed do lie upon any Key or Wharf, or in any Warehouse where the Triangles and Scales may work, the Merchants, Seller or Buyer, shall not be charged with Rolling of his or their Goods or merchandises to the Scale, but the Rolling thereof to the Scale shall be in such case at the Weighers Charge.  
Provided always, and be it Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That when and as often as the Duties and Rates mentioned in the Declaration of Common council of this City, entitled, A Declaration touching the Weighing of Goods and merchandises at the Kings Beams, to be taken for weighing of Goods and merchandises, shall not amount unto Ten shillings, That then the Merchant or other Seller thereof, shall be at the charge of the carrying and recarrying the Triangle, Beam, and Weights( unless the Goods be weighed at the Weighouse). And that the Merchant, or other Seller, shall also be at the charge of bringing the Goods out of the Vaults and Cellars, and other places where the Triangl●s and Beam cannot stand for weighing thereof, or otherwise to allow the Weighers Porters reasonable satisfaction for their Labour.  
And forasmuch as the Weighouse before the late Dreadful Fire which happened in London, Anno 1666. was, and time out of mind hath been, the Common Market appointed for the buying and selling of Hops within this City, and Liberties thereof, and the said Weighouse was by the said Fire burnt and consumed, by reason whereof the said Market hath been of late time discontinued, but another Weighouse more large and commodious for the reception of Hops, hath since been built in, of near Little Escheap, in the Ward of Billingsgate within the said City of London. Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Weighouse so built, situated, and appointed, shall from henceforth be, and be deemed and used, as and for the Common Office for Tronage or weighing of all Goods and merchandises whatsoever, used to be weighed or sold by weight. And it is hereby further Enacted and Declared, That it is, and shall be also the Common Market for the Buying and Selling of all Hops of English growth brought into the said City and Liberties thereof by foreigners or Vnfréemen; And that no Hops of English growth shall at any time hereafter be weighed by the Weigher, or such other Officers of this City appointed, or hereafter to be appointed by the Court of Lord mayor and Aldermen of this City, save at the said Weighouse only, or by some of the Beams there and thereunto belonging, upon pain that if any Weigher shall act contrary thereunto; shall for every such Offence, upon due proof by one or more credible witnesses to be made before the Lord mayor and Aldermen of this City for the time being, be ipso facto displaced, and for ever disabled to intermeddle any more in weighing or attending the said Beam.  
And whereas divers Persons, usually called or known by the name of Ticket-Porters, Tackle-Porters, and Fellowship-Porters of this City, and other Porters and Labourers have heretofore frequently in secret manner, and commonly in the night time for their private lucre and gain, presumed to work in the weighing by Triangles and Beams of their own providing of foreigners and Vnfréemens Goods and merchandises, after sale hath been made thereof, before the same have been weighed at the said Kings Beams, or any of them, whereby this City hath lost its Ancient Rights and deuce, and oftentimes unjust weights have been used, to the deceit of His Majesties Subjects, and scandal of the Government of this City: For remedy whereof for the future, It is hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Tackle-Porter Ticket-Porter, or Fellowship-Porter, or any other Porter( after the sale of any of the Goods and merchandises of any foreigner or Vnfréeman, that are usually bought and sold by weight) shall from henceforth presume to intermeddle or work within this City or liberties thereof, in the weighing of any such Goods or merchandises, for any persons whatsoever, unless such Porter or Porters shall be thereunto appointed by one of the Weighers, or other officers appointed, or to be appointed, to attend the said Beams by the Court of Lord mayor and Aldermen of this City, upon pain that every such Porter that shall offend contrary hereunto upon due proof thereof by one or more witnesses to be made upon Oath before the said Court, Lord mayor, and Aldermen, shall by order of the said Court be discharged and put out of the Fellowship or Society of Porters, to which such Offender, or Offenders, at the time of his or their Offences shall belong.  
And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That one Act of Common-Council, made the second day of February, Anno Domini 1658. in the time of the Majoralty of John Ireton for the Regulation of the said common Beams, commonly called the Kings Beams; And also that one other Act of Common Council made the xxiijth nay of October, in the xxiiijth year of his now Majesties Reign, in the time of the Majoralty of Sir George Waternan Knight, entitled, An Act for the weighing of goods at the Kings Beam, and all and every the Clauses and Branches in the said several Acts of Common-Council contained, and all other Acts of Common-Council repugnant hereunto, are hereby repealed, adnulled, and made voided to all intents and purposes whatsoever.  
And it is also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Weigher of the said Kings Beams, or other Officer now appointed, or to be appointed by the Court of Lord mayor and Aldermen of this City, to attend the said Beams, shall at any time hereafter directly or indirectly, take or receive of any person, or persons, whatsoever, any fee, gift, or Reward for weighing of the Goods and merchandises appointed to be weighed otherwise than by the said Declaration of Common-Council is directed, or if such Weigher or other Officer appointed, or to be appointed as aforesaid, shall not from henceforth on every Saturday Afternoon, give a fair and just Account to the Chamberlain of this City for the time being, of the moneys by him or them Received for the Rates and Duties as aforesaid, and of whom received, and pay the same into the Chamber of London, for the use of the said mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of this City, That then every such Offender, being convicted of such Offence, either by his own Confession, or by the Oath of one or more credible witnesses to be taken before the Court of Lord mayor and Aldermen of this City, shall ipso facto be discharged and removed out of his said Place or Office.  
And it is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Chamberlain of this City for the time being, shall from henceforth pay unto the Lord mayor of the City of London for the time being, the Sum of xl l. per Annum, out of the Profits of the said Beams, in consideration of his particular care and trouble to be given in the management of this Affair, and of the Advantages formerly accrueing to the Lord mayor of this City; And that all other Profits to be made and raised out of the Duties of the said Beams, all necessary Charges being first deducted, shall wholly be to the use of the mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of this City, to be paid and accounted for accordingly to the Chamberlain of the said City for the time being, and to no other use or purpose whatsoever.  
wagstaff.   

Printed by Samuel Roycroft, Printed to the Honourable City of London. 1681.