CHAP. V.

RESTRICTIONS ON GOLDSMITHS.

81

merchant

one kind

of mer

only.

in the autumn of 1363, the King ordained "at the A.D. 1362. request of the Commons and by the assent of the Prelates, Dukes, Earls, Barons, and other Great Men," "for the great mischiefs which have happened, as Every well to the King, as to the Great Men and Commons, to deal in of that that the Merchants, called Grocers, do ingross all manner of Merchandise vendible, and suddenly chandise do inhance the price of such Merchandise within the realm, putting to sale by coin and ordinance made betwixt them, called the Fraternity and Gild of Merchants, the Merchandises which be most dear, and keep in store the other, till the time that dearth or scarcity be of the same," that merchants should deal in one sort of merchandise only, and that each should choose between then and Candlemas what it should be. It was also ordained that "Artificers, Handicraft People, hold them every one to one Mystery, which he will choose between this and the said feast of Candlemas;" but an exception was made in Exceprespect of certain workwomen, it being added that "the intent of the King and of his Council is, that Women, that is to say Brewers, Bakers, Carders and Spinners, and Workers as well of Wool as of Linen Cloth and of Silk, Brawdesters, and Breakers of Wool, and all others that do use and work all Handy Works, may freely use and work as they have done before this time.' The Goldsmiths, too, were put Restricunder great restrictions, it being ordained that "no goldGoldsmith making White Vessel shall meddle with smiths. Gilding, nor they that do gild shall meddle to make white vessel." 1

In accordance with this statute, in July of the following year, in order to "make the price more 1 Stat. 37 Ed. III. c. 5, 6, and 7.

tions as to

women.

tions on

Trade in fered with

fish inter

in like

manner.

A.D. 1363. reasonable," the King made the following regulations about the sale of fish, viz.: that "no one shall meddle with the mystery of fishmongers except those that belong to it;" and that "the fish shall be sold only in three places, that is Bridge Street, Old Fish Street, and the place called Lestokkes (i.e. The Stocks market,' which was held where the Mansion House now stands), except stock-fish which belongs to the mystery of stock-fishmongers." It was also ordered that it should be landed during daylight, and only in particular places, in order that its quantity might be certified, "so that people may know how much fish there is," that it was not to be sold to sell again, excepting in gross, and so forth. Drapers. An ordinance for a similar purpose was also made relative to drapers, ordering that "no one shall use this mystery, unless he has been apprenticed to it," and that "those who have drapery to sell shall sell it to no one except to the drapers enfranchised in the mystery, except in gross to the Lords and others who wish to buy them for their own use, and never by retail." The Vintners were subjected to like regulations,1 and the price of poultry was also regulated by the same ordinance.

It is worthy of notice that in this Parliament the King asked whether "they would have the things agreed to, put by way of ordinance or of statute, and they answered that it was better by ordinance and not by statute, so that if there were anything to amend, it might be amended in the next Parliament."2 The wisdom of this answer was soon made apparent. Another matter, taken in hand by this Parliament,

1 Rymer, vol. iii. pp. 741, 742.

2 Rot. Parl. vol. ii. p. 280.

CHAP. V. PARTIAL REPEAL OF THE STATUTE.

83

dress.

is one which appears even less suited to regulation A.D. 1363. by law. It was the dress of the people, and the Regulareason given was, "the outrageous and excessive ap- tions as to parel of divers people against their estate and degree to the great destruction and impoverishment of all the land." A few of the details, selected from the long and minute regulations embodied in this statute, are as follows:-All servants were forbidden to wear cloth of a greater value than two marks for the entire dress, or to wear embroidered gold or silver or silk, and their wives and daughters were not to wear veils of above 12d. value. Esquires of a certain income were forbidden to wear furs; but the wives of those of a higher income might wear fur turned up with miniver; "carters, ploughmen, oxherds, shepherds and all other keepers of beasts, threshers of corn, and all manner of people attending to husbandry," not having 40s. worth of goods or chattels, were not to wear any manner of cloth, except blanket and russet wool of 12d. a yard, and girdles of linen according to their estate; and it was added, "that they come to eat and drink in the manner as pertaineth to them and not excessively."1 Many parts of this statute were repealed in the Repeal of following year. The Commons presented petitions the statute. stating that they were "hardly grieved "2 by the ordinance of the last Parliament, and prayed that it might be repealed. Accordingly, after confirming the "Great Charter and the Charter of the Forest " for the twelfth time during his reign, the King ordained "that all People shall be as free as they were before the said Ordinance, and that all MerStat. 37 Ed. III. c. 8, 14.

2 "Durement grovez."

3 Rot. Parl. vol. ii. p. 286.

parts of

A.D. 1363. chants, as well Aliens as Denizens, may sell and buy all manner of Merchandises, and freely carry them out of the realm, paying the customs and subsidies thereof due; except that the English Merchants shall not pass out of the Realm with Wools or Woolfells, and that none carry out of the Realm Gold nor Silver, in Plate nor in Money, saving the Victuallers of fish that fish for herring and other fish, and they that bring fish within the Realm in small vessels, which meddle not with other Merchandises." By the same statute, the punishment of death, which (as it would seem almost impossible to believe, were not the fact beyond doubt) had been ordered to be inflicted. on those who passed out of the country with wools, woolfells and leather without leave,2 was repealed; the staple was restored to England, and greater freedom was given to the trade in wines.

This statute of repeal is particularly interesting as showing the progress of sound ideas on matters of trade; the impolicy of making enactments contrary to those principles; the power which the Commons had of making themselves heard; and the prudence of the King and his advisers in instantly redressing the grievances against which the Commons presented their petitions.

There was another Royal ordinance promulgated at this time relative to greater perseverance in the use of the bow, which must be here mentioned, as it gives interesting information as to the sports and habits of the people, and possibly shows the effect of the recent introduction of gunpowder.

1 Stat. 38 Ed. III. c. 1, 2.

2 "Est accorde, q la forfaiture de vie et de membre soit ouste de tout en l'estatut de le staple."-Statutes of the Realm, vol. i. p. 384.

CHAP. V. PRACTICE IN ARCHERY COMMANDed.

85

archery

ed.

On June 1st, 1363, the King, addressed a letter A.D. 1363. to the sheriffs, ordering that, "Whereas before these The times the people of the country, as well noble as practice of ignoble, commonly exercised themselves in the art commandof archery, and thereby did honour and were of use to the whole kingdom: whereas now, as if entirely putting aside the said art, the same people take to the throwing of stones, wood, and iron; and some to hand-ball, foot-ball, and stick-play; and to the fighting of dogs and cocks; and some even indulge themselves in dishonest and less useful games: it is to be proclaimed that every man in the county, of able body, on feast days, shall use bows and arrows, or crossbows and bolts, in his games, and shall learn and exercise the art of archery, and shall give up these vain games under pain of imprisonment." 1 This proclamation had, apparently, but little effect, for it became necessary to repeat it two years afterwards.

It is evident that, owing, perhaps, to some extent of demoralisation of the people-which is not unlikely when the habits of the nobles are considered -or, more probably, from a diminishing trust in the value of bows and arrows as weapons of warfare, the practice of archery had become much neglected.

It is not an inopportune moment here to remark that at this time, and indeed for centuries afterwards, the proceedings in Parliament were very different from what they are at present. What is now called "the Cabinet" did not then exist. The King's advisers were what was anciently termed the King's Council, which sprang from the Curia Regis.2 They "consisted of the Chancellor, Trea1 Rymer vol. iii. p. 704 and 770. 2 Madox, Exchequer, vol. i. p. 6.