698 C. 20. Anno triceflmo nono Reginas Elizabeths. A. D. 1597. A Seal of Lead (hall be iet to every Northern Cloth, contain- ing the Length and Weight thereof". The Forfeit lor want of by the Juflices of Peace or Head Officer of Corporate Towns. Greys, Periftor.es, Kighley Whites, Frizes, or by what Name or Names it or they be called : In which faid Seal of Lead fhall be contained the true and jufl Length, and the true and juft Weight at the leaft of every fuch Cloth, Kerfie, Dozen, Cotton, Peniftone, plain Greys, Kighley Whites, Frizes, or by what Name or Names foever it or they fhall be called, as it fhall be duly found by due Proof thereof to be tried, by Water or Weight ; (3) upon Pain to forfeit every Cloth, Dozen, Cotton, Kerfie, Peniftone, plain Greys, Kighley W hites, Frizes or other Cloth, by what Name or Names foever it or they be called, which fhall be made within any the Counties aforefaid, whereunto fuch Seal as is aforefaid fhall not be put and fct : (4) And in Cafe, upon Proof to be made by Water or Weight, of any fuch Clothes, Ker- fies, Dozens, Cottons, Peniftones, plain Greys, Kighley Whites, Frizes, or any other Cloth as is afore- faid, fhall be found of lefs Weight, or of fmaller Content in Length, than is contained or fpecified in any of the faid Seals, that the Owner of every fuch Clothes, Kernes, Dozens, Cottons Peniftones, plain Greys, Kighley Whites and Frizes, or any other Cloth, by what Name or Names foever they be called as aforefaid, or any other Perfon or Perfons in whofe Hands or Poffeffions any fuch Clothes, Kerfies, Dozens, es Cottons, Peniftones, plain Greys, Kighley Whites, Frizes or any other Cloth, by what Name or Names, foever they be called, fhall be found, fhall forfeit for every Yard wanting in Length, four Shillings, and w"v"t m ° f° r ever Y Pound wanting in Weight, two Shillings. IV. And for the better and more fpeedy and effectual Reforming of all fuch Abufes as is aforefaid, Be it further enaited, That in every Parifh, Town, Village and Hamlet within the Counties aforefaid, where any Clothes, Kerfies, Dozens, Cottons, Peniftones, plain Greys, Kighley Whites, Frizes or any other Cloth, by what Name or Names foever they be called, fhall be made or fold, the Juftices of Peace of the fame Shire or Riding, or two of them at the leaft, and in every City, Borough or Town Corporate, the Head Officer or Officers of every of the fame City, Borough or Town Corporate, together with fome one or two of the Juftices of the Peace of the Shire or Riding next adjoining to fuch City, Borough or Town Corporate, fhall have full Power and Authority, and fhall by Virtue of this Act once every Year at the leaft, and as often as they fhall think good, to convent and call before them by their Precept or Overfeers of otherwife, two, four, fix or eight, or more, as they fhall think good by their Difcretion, of the moft ho- Cioth-making n eft, difcreet and able Men of eArery fuch City, Town, Village, Hamlet or Parifh where any fuch Cloth £ r "^ e T»fl?™. ted ^ a ^ k e mac ^ e or f°'d» anu them fhall conftitute, ordain and appoint to be Overfeers for one whole Year, or fix Months, or fhorter Time, at their Difcretions, then next following, within the City, Borough, Town, Village, Hamlet or Parifh where the fame Overfeers fhall be dwelling, (2) and fhall and may take them fworn and bound in Recognizance of forty Pounds a-piece, to the ufe of your moft excellent Majefty and your Succeflbrs, to do their beft Endeavour by all Lawful Ways and Means for their Time, to fee that this Statute in all Points fhall be truly obferved and kept within the Limits of their Charge The uverieers in every Part thereof; (3) and that the fame Overfeers, or two of them, fhall. once every Month at the ■P ut y? and they ez {^ or fo often as need fhall require, or they fhall think fit by their Difcretions, by Force hereof vifit Search™ 3 * an ^ £° *- lto a ^ or an y Houfe or Houfes, Shops or other Rooms of any Clothiers, Drapers, Clothworkers, or of any ether Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, where any of the faid Cloth fhall be, and there to make due Search, and view the fame made or remaining to be fold, and to take, fearch and try, as well by Weight, Water or any other Way whatfoever, the faid Clothes, Kerfies, Dozens, Cottons, Peniftones, Kighley Whites and Frizes, or any other Clothes, by what Name or Names they be called : (4) And if any Clothes aforefaid, upon Search thereof, fhall not be found to be fealed with a Seal, containing the The Forfeiture Length and Weight as aforefaid, then the Clothier and every Owner of the faid Cloth, fhall forfeit every of the Cloth for fuch Clcth, Kerfies, Dozens, Cottons, Peniftones, Kighley Whites and Frizes, or any other Cloth, by. Default of Seal- wna t Name or Names foever they be called, made within the Counties aforefaid, not fo fealed, and fold or offered to be fold ; ( 5 ) and the faid Overfeers and every of them fhall and may feize and carry away the fame fo forfeited as aforefaid, and prefent the fame to the Juftices of Peace at the next Quarter-Seffions, to be by them difpofed of as hereafter is in thefe Prefents limited and appointed. V. And if the laid Overfeers fhall find any falfe Seal or Mark to be fet upon any Cloth aforefaid, or fhall upon Search as aforefaid find the fame Clothes aforefaid to be ftrctched or ftrained, then the fame Overfeers fhall prefent jthe fame Defaults unto the Juftices at the next Quarter-Seffions, and the Names of the Owners or PofTelTbrs of fuch Clothes, Kerfies, Dozens, Cottons, Peniftones, Kighley Whites and Frizes, or any other Clothes by what Name or Name they be called, fo found defective ; (2) and if any Manner of Perfon or Perfons, at any Time after the faid twentieth Day of September fhall deny, withftand or Withold any Clothes, Kerfies, Dozens, Cottons, Peniftones, Kighley Whites and Frizes, or any other Cloth by what Name or Names foever they be called, from the faid Overfeers or any of them, or The Forfeitures will not fuller them to enter into any of the Houfes, Shops, Rooms or other Places where any fuch Clothes for with- holding f na j] k e . that "then every fuch Perfon or Perfons fo denying or withftanding fhall for the firft Offence for- ordenvmBoV' ^ lt an( ^ ^ e ten P° unui >> allQ f° r the fecond Offence twenty Pounds, .and for the third Offence, being Search; thereof lawfully convicted by Verdict of twelve Men and two fufficient Witneffes, fhall ftand upon the Pillory in the next Market-Town. (3) And if any of the faid Perfons fo commanded to appear to be made Overfeers as aforefaid, and having no reafonable Excufe, refufe to come and take upon him or them to be Overfeers as aforefaid, that then every fuch Perfon fo refufing, and having no reafonable Excufe fo to do, fhall forfeit for every fuch refufing five Pounds ; the one Half thereof to be to your moft excellent Majefty, and your Succeflbrs, and the other Half to the Juftices of the Peace or other Head Officer or Officers by whofe Commandment he was appointed to appear to be Overfeer ; (4) and the fame Over- The Penalty for fetring a falfe Seal, or for ftraining or ffretchfng of Cloath. The Forfeiture tor refufing to be Oveflec;, feers fo offending, to remain in the Ward of the Sheriff", Bailiff or other Head Officer, until fuch Time as he hath made Payment of the Forfeiture, or otherwife put in fufficient Bond for the Satisfaction of the fame. VI. And
