"the One and twentieth Day of January, in the Fourth Year of the said Reign, on the same One and twentieth Day of January, to the Reverence of and for the wealth of him and his People, by the Advice and Assent of his Lords Spiritual and Tem- poral, and at the special Request of his Commons being in the said Parliament, hath ordained and esta- blished certain Statutes and Ordinances in Manner and Form following."
CAP. I.
The Length and Breadth of Cloths made to be sold. No Cloths wrought beyond Sea shall be brought into England.
The inconveniences which have ensued to this Realm by the deciteful making of cloth.[1] FIRST, Whereas many Years past, and now at
this Day, the Workmanship of Cloths, and
Things requisite to the same, is and hath been of
such Fraud, Deceit, and Falsity, that the said Cloths
in other Lands and Countries be had in small Repu
tation, to the great Shame of this Land; (2) and by
Reason thereof a great Quantity of Cloths of other
strange Lands be brought into this Realm, and here
sold at an high and excessive Price, evidently shew-
ing the Offence, Default, and Falshood of the ma-
king of Woollen Cloths of this Land;" (3) our
said Lord the King, for the Remedy of the Premisses,-
and to the Preserment of such Labours and Occupa-
tions which have been used by the making of the said
Cloths, by the Advice, Assent, and Request, and
Authority aforesaid, hath ordained and established
certain Statutes and Ordinances in Manner and Form
ensuing. The Length and Breadth of Broad Cloths.[2]First, That every whole Woollen
Cloth, called Broad Cloth, which shall be made and
set to Sale after the Feast called Saint Peter ad Vincua, which shall be in the Year of our Lord
M.CCCC.LXV. after the full watering and racking,
draining, or tenturing of the same ready to Sale,-
shall hold and contain in Length xxiv Yards, and to
every Yard an Inch, containing the Breadth of a
Man's Thumb, to be measured by the Crest of the
same Cloth; and in Breadth ii. Yards, or vii. Quar-
ters at the least within the Lifts, (5) And if the said
Cloth be longer in Measure than the said xxiv. Yards
and the Inches, then the Buyer thereof shall pay to-
the Seller for as much as doth exceed such Measure of-
xxiv. Yards, according to the Rate of the Measure
above ordained.
The length and Breadth of streitsII. And it is enacted and established by the Autho- rity aforesaid, That all Manner of Cloths called Streits, to be made and put to Sale after the same Streits, Feast, after the full watering and racking, straining or tenturing thereof, ready to Sale, shall hold and contain in Length xii. Yards and the Inches, accor- ding to the Measure aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard within the Lists.
The length and Breadth of Kerseys.III. Also it is ordained and established by the Authority aforesaid, That every Cloth called- Kersey, - to be made and put to Sale after the said Feaft, after the full watering, racking, straining, or tenturing of the same ready to Sale, shall hold and contain in Length xviiii. Yards and the Inches, as is aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard and a Nail, or at the least One Yard, within the Lifts.'
Half cloths IV. Also it is ordained and established by the Au thority aforesaid, That every half Cloth of every of the said whole Cloths, Streits, and Kerseys shall
keep his Measure in Length and Breadth according.