Anno octavo Reginæ Elizabethæ.
CAP. X.
An Act for Bowyers, and the prices of Bows.
"MOST humbly complaining, sheweth unto your Highneaae, and to your high Court of Parliament, your obedient subjects, the Bowyers, dwelling and inhabiting within the Citie of London, and the Suburbs of the aame: That where in the Parliament of the late King of mod famous memorie, King Henrie the eight, begun and holden at Weatminater, the xvi. day of January, in the xxxiii. yeere of the raigne of the aayd late King, and there continued untill the firat day of Aprill then next following, there was one Act and Statute then made and provided, intituled: an Act for the maintenance of Artillerie, and debarring of unlawfull games. In which Act and Statute, amongat other things there is one branch contained and specified: the tenour whereof is, as heereafter followeth. That is to say: And to the intent, that every person may have Bowes of meane price, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that every Bowyer, dwelling out of the Citie of London, shall after the feast of the Purification of our Lady then next comming, for every Bowe that be maketh of Ewe, make three other Bowes meet to shoote in, of Elme, Witchhasell, Ashe, and other wood apt for the same, under the paine to loose and forfeit for every such Bow so lacking iii s. 4 d. And every Bowyer dwelling within the Citie and Suburbs of London, shall after the sayd feast of the Purification of our Lady then next comming, for every Bow of Ewe, make two other Bowes apt for shooting, of Ashe, Elme, Witchhasell, or other wood, meete for the same, under like paine and forfeiture, as by the sayd Statute more plainely it doth and may appeare. And although the said branch of the said Statute, be needfull and expedient to remaine and continue for such Bowyers as doe dwell and inhabite in the Countrie, and other places out of the Citie of London and the Suburbs of the same: Yet for as much as there be very few or no Bowes of Elme, Witchhasell, or Ashe, or of any other wood then onely of Ewe, used or occupied by any perfon within the sayd Citie and Suburbes of the same, therefore the said branch of the said Acct and Statute before rehearsed, was not, nor is needfull to be had and made for the Bowyers dwelling within the said Citie and Suburbes. And yet neverthelesse, your sayd Subjects, for the avoiding of the danger and penalty contained, in the said branch, are daily inforced to make such great number of Bowes of Elme, Witchhasell, and Ashe, that they cannot in convenient time utter and sell the same, but are constrained to keepe such Bowes by them so made, untill they be putrified, and not meete for any good use or purpose. By reason whereof, much of the sayd wood of Elme, Witchhasell, and Ashe, is daily wasted and consumed in making of the said Bowes, and your said subjects, by such losses as they daily sustaine in making such Bowes, greatly impoverished, and the common Wealth therby nothing advanced, but rather hindered; And where also in the severall Statutes of the noble King of famous memorie, King Edward the foorth, made in the xxii. yeere of his raigne, and in the third yeere of the raigne of King Henrie the seventh, Graundfather to our. said Soveraigne Lady the Queenes Majestie, and in the sayd, xxxiii. yeere of the raigne of our said late Soveraigne Lord King Henrie the eight, Father to our said Soveraigne Ladie, there is mention made of the prices of Bowes, which at those severall times was appointed to be but iii s. iiii d. and not above to sell the best. At which said times, such Bowes might well have beene sold to any person or persons according to the rates and prices expressed in the sayd severall Actes, untill now within this twentie yeeres, the prices of Bowe staues have diversly beene raised and inhaunced from five pounds a hundred, to twelve pounds, or thereabouts: for which causes, the prices contained in the sayd severall Statutes cannot be observed, and yet your Majesties said Subjects the Bowers, are presently in danger of the said severall Statutes concerning the prices of Bowes: which they humbly beseech your Majestie, with the assent of your high Court of Parliament, may be released unto them and the penalnalties appointed for the same."
II. Be it therefore enacted, ordained, and established by the Queenes Majestie our Soveraigne Lady, with the assent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authoritie of the same, that the sayd Statutes of King Edward the foorth, and King Henrie the seveuth, concerning the prices of Bowes, and all the branches contained in the sayd Statute of King Henrie the eight, so farre foorth as the same extendeth to the prices of Bowes therein expressed onely, from the firsst day of this present Parliament, and so for ever, be thereby clearely repealed and made voide and frustrate, to all intents, constructions, and purposes: and also all and every clause and sentence of the said, Statute of King Henrie the eight, before recited, tending to the making of Bowes of Elme, Witchhaslell, Asfhe, and other wood, besides Ewe before rehearsed, or any penaltie therein contained for any the sayd last rehearsed premiums, from hencefoorth for ever shall not be intended, construed, or taken to extend to any Bowyer now dwelling or inhabiting, or which heereafter shall
