A Source-Book of English Social HistoryJones, M. E. Monckton (Mary Evelyn Monckton)
History
A Source-Book of English Social History
Jones, M. E. Monckton (Mary Evelyn Monckton)
Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Great Britain -- Social conditions
And besides, discreet sirs, may it please you to grant to the said
suppliants the new additions and points below written, to the profit
and amendment of the said craft, and to the honour of the said town.
First, it is ordained and agreed that, each year four men of the craft
shall be chosen as Masters, to search every house of the said craft,
twice a week, and oversee all defects in the said cloths, if any
such there be; and to present them before you at the court; so that
whosoever does such bad work shall pay for the same the full price of
the cloth: one half to go to the town, and the other half to the craft,
without any pardon or release: and this, over and above all reasonable
amends made to the buyer of the cloths.
Also, the Masters of the craft shall not give more to the men of the
said craft than fourpence a day.... And if any of the masters pays
more to the workmen than is above ordained, he shall be fined each
time ijs; that is to say xij.d. to the commonalty, and xij.d. to the
craft. And if the men take more from the masters, they shall pay, each
time xij.d.; that is to say, vj.d. to the commonalty, and vi.d. to the
craft. And if the men are rebels or contrarious, and will not work,
then the four Masters shall have power to take them before the Mayor
and Court of Gihald of the town, to be there dealt with according to
law and reason. And moreover the said servants shall work and rest in
their craft, as well by night as by day, all the year, as has of old
time been accustomed.
ADAM OF GLOUCESTER
(_Edward I Yearbook; Pleas in Common Bench, p. 306_).
1292. “One Adam brought (suit against the town bailiffs) and said that
they had tortiously taken his chattels in the town of Gloucester, in
the high street, and had taken them away to their toll-booth in the
same town tortiously ... bailiffs of the town averred the taking as
good; by reason that the custom of the town of Gloucester is this, that
no one unless he be a freeman of the town may cut cloth in the said
town, but that he can only sell it by the piece; yet nevertheless Adam,
who is not a freeman of the town, came and cut his cloth in opposition
to the custom.... Adam put forward a charter which witnessed that the
king had granted to him that he might cut cloth in the same way as
other freemen.”
(_Edward I Yearbook. Hereford Iter._)
1292. One Adam demanded a debt by tally and offered suit.
_Counsel_ We do not think that he ought to be answered on a bit of
wood like that, without writing.
_Adam_ What answer you to the tally?
_Counsel_ Prayed judgment if he ought to be answered, inasmuch as he
offered suit, and then failed to produce it.
_Note_ 1. That one shall not be answered on a tally without suit.
_Note_ 2. Note that by Law Merchant one can not wage his law against a
tally; but if he deny the tally, the plaintiff must prove the tally.
GILD OF ST. MICHAEL ON THE HILL, LINCOLN
(Toulmin Smith, _English Gilds_, p. 178)
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