A. D. 1399. Anno primo H e n r i c i IV. Cap. 12. Ex Roi. In Turr. Lond. contees noftre Seignur k Roi confiderant les mef- chiefs fuifditz de ladvis & affent des Seignurs & communes fuifditz ad ordeinez & eftabliz qe defore en avant les vifcontz des countees dEflex & Hert- ford' en efpeciale & les vifcontz des autres contees fuifditz pur le temps efteantz accomptent a lefcheqer & aient allouance par lour ferement de les iflues des ditz contees fibien puis la date de lour patentes a eux faitz par le dit nadgairs Roi Richard come pur tout temps avenir. Et fi aucun vifcont defore enavant face aucun extorfion a poeple & de ce foit atteint qil foit duement punis pur mefme lextorfion a la volunte du Roi. 429
- ties :" ' (2) Our Lord the King confidering the
Mifchiefs aforefaid, by the Advice and Affent of the Lords and Commons atorefaid, hath ordained and eftablifhed, That from henceforth the Sheriffs of the County of Ejjcx and Hertford in fpeciai, and the Sheriffs of other Counties aforefaid, for the Time being, fhall accompt in tire Exchequer, and have Allowance by their Oath of the Iffues of the faid Counties, as well after the Dates of their Patents made to them by the faid late King Richard, as for ■ all Times to come. (3) And if any Sheriff from The p unl!h henceforth do any Extortion to the People, and be 1Tent or - a ^ e . thereof attainted, he fhall be duly puniihed for the riff for Extor- fame Extortion at the King's Will.' tisn. CAP. XII. A Confirmation of former Statutes touching pulling down of Wears. TEM come Seignur Edward nadgairs Roi dEngleterre aiel noftre Seignur le Roi qoreft Ian de fon regne vingt & quint pur ce qe communes paffages des niefs & bateux en les graunds rivers dEngleterre fi feurent fouventfoitz deftourbez par le lever des gors molyns eftankes eftakes & kideux en graunde damage du poeple accordez feut h eftabliz qe touz tielx gors molyns eftankes eftakes & kideux qi feurent Ievez & mys en temps le Roi Edward fitz a Roi Henr' & depuis en tieulx rivers par queux les niefs & bateux font deftourbez qils ne poient paffer come ils foloient foient ouftez & nettement a'batuz faunz eftre relevez & qe ! riefs ferroient fur ce maundez as vifcontz des lieux ou meftier ferroit de furveier& denquere & de faire ent execution & auxint qe Juftices ferroient fur cs affignez a tons les foitz qil buffoigneroit. Et apres a la grevoufe pleint des graunts & des communes fait en parlement du dit Roi E. laiel Ian de fon regne quarant & quint compleinantz par lour petition qe le dit eftatut neftoit pas duement execut ne gardez felonc lefferSr. dicelle eftoit accordez & eftabliz qe le dit eftatut en ceo point foit tenuz & gardez felonc leffeft dicelle adjouftant a ycell qe fi null tiel anufance foi: abatuz par due procefle con- tinue en le dit eftatut cellui qi ferra relever la dite anufance & de ce foit atteint duement encourge la peine de cent marcz devers le Roy a lever par ieftrete en lefcheqer & autiel loy fe teigne danufance fait par lenhancer de tieux gors molyns eftanks eftakes & kideux come par novel lever come en les ditz eftatutz plus pieinement apiert. Et ore a la requeft des ditz Communes monftrantz par lour petition qe les communes paffages des nie s & bateux en les graundes rivers dEngleterre & auxint 'prees & paftures & terres femez adjoinantz as ditz rivers font graundement deftourbez furondez gaftez & deftruz par les outrageoufes enhancer & eftrei- ture des gors molyns eftankes eftakes & kydeux aun- cienement faitz & levez devant le temps le dit Roi E. fitz a Roi Henr' dont graundes damages & perdes font aveauz foveat a poeple de Roialme h i TEM, Whereas .by Edward, late King of J3 Co. -6. England, Grandfather of our Lord the King that 2.5 Ed. 3. iiat. now is, the five and twentieth Year of his Reign, 5- c - 4- becaufe that the common Paflage of Ships and Boats * Sat fi"' 4< in the great Rivers of England were oftentimes di- fturbed by the levying of Wears, Mills, Stanks, Stakes, and Kidels, in great Damage of the Peo- ple, it was accorded, That all fuch Wears, Mills,, Stanks, Stakes, and Kidels, which were levied and fet up in the Time of King Edward, Sen to King Henry, and after in fuch Rivers, whereby the Ships and Boats be difturbed, fo that they cannot pafs as they were wont, fhall be wholly pulled down, and not be levied again ; (2) and that Writs be there- upon fent to the Sheriffs of Places where Need fhall be, to- furvey and inquire, and to make thereof Execution ; (3) and alfo that Juftices be thereupon, afligned at all Times when Need fhall require. (4) And after at the grievous Complaint of the great Men and the Commons, made in the Parliament of the faid King Edward the Grandfather, the five and fortieth Year of his Reign, complaining by their Petition, that the faid Statute was not duly- executed nor kept after the EffecT: of the fame, it was accorded and ftablifhed, That the faid Statute in this Point be holden and kept after the EffecT: of the fame ; (5) added to the fame, That if any fuch Noifance be pulled down by due Procefs contained E j c „ in the faid Statute, he that will caufe the faid Noi- fance to be repaired, and thereof be duly attainted, fhall incur the Pain of an hundred Marks to the King, to be levied by the Eftreats of the Exche- quer ; (6) and like Law to be holden of a Noifance made by the enhanfmg of fuch Wears, Mills,. Stanks, Stakes and Kidels, as by new levying, as in the fame Statutes more fully doth appear. (7) The Inconva- And now, at the Requeft of the faid Commons,! 1 '™'^™' 11 - fhewing by their Petition, that the common Paffages J^ a ^ n "*"' of Ships and Boats in the great Rivers of England, ftraitening of and alfo Meadows and Paftures, and Lands lowed Wears, Mills, adjoining to the faid P.ivers, be greatly difturbed, Stanks, (Sc. drowned, wafted, and deftroyed by outragious en- I0 Co * I38 ' hanfmg and ftraiting of Wears, Mills, Stanks, Stakes and Kidels, in old Time made and levied before the Time of the faid King Edward, fon of King Henry, whereof great Damage and Lofs hath come to the People of the Realm, and daily will come, if " Remedy
