A. D. 1738. Anno undecimo Georgii I[. C. 28. 315 Cloth (hall forfeit the Sum of twenty Shillings, and every Mill-Man, or Owner or Occupier of fuch Fulling-mill, and every fuch Searcher lhall refpeclively forfeit for every fuch Neglect or Offence the Sum of five Pounds. Ill And be it further enacted, That the Juftices of the Peace for the faid IVeJl Riding of the faid Juftices at County of York mall, at their Quarter-Seffions of the Peace to be holden for the faid Weft Riding, or Ss^jSiui the major Part of them prefent, next after Midfummer next, and afterwards at their General Quarter- Searches, Seffions of the Peace to be holden next after Eajler yearly and every Year, choofe and appoint fo many Men of good Character and Repute within the faid Riding, who have ferved Apprenticeship to the Trade of making Narrow Cloth, or who lhall have exercifed fuch Trade for the Space of three Years, as they (hall think reafonable, to be Searchers for the Year enfuing, and may allow to each of them and allow thcra fuch a Salary, as they in their Difcretion (hall think fit ; which faid Searchers (hall and may; have Sala "« to be over-ftretche'd or (trained in Length or Breadth : And all and every fuch Searcher and Search- Searchers to be ers, before he or they (hall enter upon the Execution of his or their faid Office, (hall take the following WQrn " Oath before one of the Juftices ot the Peace for the faid Riding ; that is to fay, I A. B. do fwear, That I will well and truly execute the Office of a Searcher of Narrow Woollen The 0ath - Cloth within the Weft Riding of the County of York. ' So help me God: IV. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That if any Perfon who (hall be fo appointed to [? c j£ e ° f ^ h c e k _ be a Searcher of fuch Cloth, (hall happen to die during the Year for which he is fo appointed to n eh of°any C be a Searcher, or (hall, by Sicknefs or any other Accident, be rendered incapable of executing the Searcher, faid Office, that then, and in fuch Cafe, it (hall and may be lawful for any one Juftice of the Peace of anotl ^ e d > b= the faid Riding, living near to the Place where fuch Searcher did or, (hall refide, to appoint fome other appoin proper Perfon (qualified as aforefaid) to fupply the Place of fuch Searcher until the next Quarter-Seffions, to be there by the major Part of the Juftices prefent confirmed, or another Perfon appointed in his Place ; and the Perfon fo confirmed or appointed (hall take the fame Oath, and be inverted with the fame Powers, and liable to the fame Penalties for any Breach or Negledt of Duty, as the Searchers elected or to be elected at the Quarter-Seffions by virtue of this Act are or ought to be. V. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That every Piece of fuch Narrow Cloth (hall Cloths ftamped be meafured by the Maker or Owner of the faid Coth after it is brought from the Mill, and before it be ^XmiKd, fet upon the Tenter ; and if fuch Maker or Owner finds fuch Cloth, upon meafuring thereof, to be lefs than the Meafure ftamped thereupon at the Mill, either in Length or Breadth, or if fuch Cloth, by ly- ing wet in an improper Seafon for drying, (hall fall fhort of the Meafure fo ftamped thereupon, that then, and in fuch Cafe, the Maker or Owner of fuch Cloth (hall carry or fend the fame to the Mill- Man, or Owner or Occupier of the Fulling-mill, and to the Searcher who meafured and ftamped the fame, to be by them re-meafured and re-ftamped with the true Length and Breadth thereof; and in cafe any Maker or Owner of fuch Cloth (hall neglect fo to do, every fuch Maker or Owner (hall, for every on Pen aIt y of fuch Offence, forfeit the Sum of Five Shillings. ss " VI. And be it further enacted, That from and after the firft Day of Auguft one thoufand feven hun- Makers to dred and thirty-eight, it (hall and may be lawful for the Maker or Owner of fuch Cloth, to .ftretch ftretch cl °t" - every fuch Piece of Narrow Cloth one Inch in every Yard in Length, and two Inches in ever^ three portions'. Quarters of a Yard in Breadth, and fo in Proportion for every Piece of Narrow Cloth of greater Length or Breadth ; but if any Maker, Buyer, Owner, Drefier or Dealer in fuch Narrow Cloth (hall, from and after the faid firft Day of Augujl one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-eight, (train or ftretch, or caufe any fuch Cloth to be (trained or ftretched, above the Proportions herein before-mentioned, either in Length or Breadth, every fuch Perfon fo offending (hall forfeit for the firft Half-yard in Length, or firft Inch in Breadth, fo over-ftretched, the Sum of ten Shillings, and for every other Half-yard in Length, or Half-inch in Breadth, the Sum of twenty Shillings. VII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Perfon or Perfons (hall take Stamps not to off, or in any Manner alter, deface, obliterate, counterfeit or cut out any of the faid Seals, or any f be obliterated. the Figures or Letters ftamped thereupon, or any Letter or Letters fet or woven in fuch Cloth, before the fame (hall be fold or cut by the Retaler, or exported to Parts beyond the Seas by the Merchant or Dealer, every fuch Perfon or Perfons fo offending, (hall, for every fuch Offence, forfeit the Sum of forty Shillings. VIII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That a Sum not exceeding three Pence for Expences of • every fuch Narrow Cloth made or milled within the faid Weft Riding of the faid County of York (which the Aft, &c. Sum (hall be fettled and ascertained by the Juftices of the Peace for the faid Riding at their General t0 paK ^ Quarter-Seffions, or the major Part of them then prefent, next after Midfummer next, and afterwards at their General Quarter-Seffions after Eajler yearly and every Year) (hall be paid by every Maker or Owner of fuch Cloth, before the fame is carried to the Fulling-mill, to fuch Perfon or Perfons as the faid Juftices of the Peace (hall appoint to receive the fame ; and that all and every of the Sums of Money fo raifed (hall be applied to defray the Charges and Expences in obtaining this Act, and to pay the Salaries of Searchers, and to defray the other neceffary Expences of putting this Act in Execution, in fuch Manner and Proportion as the faid Juftices of the Peace at their faid Quarter-Seffions yearly, or the major Part of them then prefent, (half direct and appoint. S s 2 IX. And
