[Footnote 459: This system did not by any means insure good workmanship. It was noted in the middle of the century that when the make of cloth deteriorated, the clothmaking towns still set the seal upon the material, "and so abased the credit of their predecessors to their singuler luker" (Lamond, _Common Weal_, 77).] [Footnote 460: _Rot. Parl._, v. 569. There is a petition concerning the hindrance of the navigation of the river Severn; Coventry, among other towns, is spoken of as being injured thereby.] [Footnote 461: The mercers' and drapers' apprentices were compelled to pay the admission fines on the sealing of their indentures, whereas in other fraternities these were not demanded until the period of apprenticeship was past (_Leet Book_, 655).] [Footnote 462: _Warw. Antiq. Mag._, pt. vi. 110.] [Footnote 463: _Leet Book_, 658.] [Footnote 464: _Leet Book_, 639.] [Footnote 465: _Rot. Parl._, iv. 75. I am indebted for the explanation of the significance of this petition to parliament against the dyers to Mrs J.R. Green.] [Footnote 466: The terms "degree of a mayor--of a bailiff" were used in assessing fines. In the year 1449 a list of the craftsfolk of the city enables us to find out to what calling the members of the corporation belonged (_Leet Book_, 246 _sqq._)] [Footnote 467: _Leet Book._ The mayor, recorder, and bailiffs were to take eight or twelve of the general council of the city, and to summon before them the wardens of the crafts with their ordinances, and these "poyntes that byn lawfull, good and honest for the cite be alowyd hem and all other throw[n]asid [_sic_], and had for none." And this order was in substance repeated many times.] [Footnote 468: _Leet Book_, 657.] [Footnote 469: This rule was embodied in the fullers' rules. See _Book of the Fullers_ (in possession of the fullers' company at Coventry), f. 6.] [Footnote 470: _Leet Book_, 698.] [Footnote 471: _Ib._, 697-8.] [Footnote 472: _Leet Book_, 654. A part of the proceeds of the craft fines frequently went to the repair of the town wall in the early fifteenth century. Among the cappers fines for breach of regulations went "half to the mayor and half to the craft" (_ib._, 573.)] [Footnote 473: Corp. MS. B. 46; B. 63.] [Footnote 474: The corporation proposed in a petition to parliament that the twenty-four who elected the mayor should choose two drapers and two dyers to overlook the craft, and "present" them for any "fault or confederacy." See above p. 217.]