For the new custom which is granted by all the great men of the realm and at the prayer of the communities of the merchants of all England, it is provided that in every county in the largest town where there is a port two of the more lawful and able men be elected, who shall have one piece of a seal in keeping, and one man who shall be assigned by that King shall have another piece; and they shall be sworn that they will lawfully receive and answer for the King's money, that is to say, on each sack of wool 1/2 mark, and on each 300 fells which make a sack 1/2 mark, and on each last[247] of hides 1 mark, that shall go out of the realm, as well in Ireland and Wales as in England, within the franchise and without. Furthermore in every port whence ships can sail there shall be two good men sworn that they will not suffer wools, fells or hides to leave without letters patent sealed with the seal which shall be at the chief port in the same county; and if there is any man who goes otherwise therewith out of the realm, he shall lose all the chattels which he has and his body shall be at the King's will. And forasmuch as this business cannot be performed immediately, it is provided that the King send his letters to every sheriff throughout all the realm, and cause it to be proclaimed and forbidden through all the counties that any man, upon forfeiture of his body and of all his chattels, cause wools, fells or hides to be taken out of the land before the feast of Trinity this year, and thereafter by letters patent sealed with the seals as is aforesaid, and not otherwise, upon the aforesaid forfeitures. And the King has granted of his grace that all lordships, through the ports whereof wools or hides shall pass, shall have the forfeitures when they are incurred, each in its port, saving to the King 1/2 mark on each sack of wool and fells, and 1 mark on each last of hides.[248] [Footnote 247: 12 dozen.] [Footnote 248: This and the two following documents fix the normal rates of customs on exported and imported goods for the mediæval period. The custom on wools, woolfells and hides, came to be known as the great or ancient custom.] 5. THE CUSTOM ON WINE [_Charter Roll_, 30 _Edward I, m._ 2], 1302 The King to Archbishops, etc., greeting. Touching the prosperous estate of the merchants of our duchy aforesaid [Aquitaine] a special care weighs upon us, in what wise under our lordship the immunity of tranquillity and full security may be secured to the same merchants for times to come; so, therefore, that their desires may be the more abundantly increased to the service of us and our realm, we, favourably inclining to their petitions, for the fuller assurance of their estate, have deemed fit to ordain and to grant to the same merchants for us and our heirs for ever in the form that follows: