Part 11

Riley, Memorials of London, 532.

1320. Be it remembered that on the Monday next before the feast of St. Katherine the Virgin in the 14th year, the pork and beef of John Perer, John Esmar, and Reynald ate Watre, alleged to be foreign butchers, were seized because that they against the custom of the city (of London), had exposed the said meat for sale at Les Stokkes (the Stocks Market on the site of the Mansion House), after curfew rung at St. Martin's-le-Grand: whereas it is enacted that no foreign butcher standing with his meat at the stalls aforesaid shall cut any meat after None rung at St. Paul's; and that as to all the meat which he has cut before None rung he is to expose the same for sale up to the hour of Vespers, and to sell it without keeping any back or carrying any away.

Riley, Memorials of London, 142.

See previous footnote.

SUPERVISION OF SALES.

The quality of wares and the prices asked for them were supervised, and fair dealing was enforced, by officers. Sometimes, as at Oxford, these were specially appointed for the discharge of their duties. In London they were the masters or wardens of the crafts, otherwise the associations of members of one trade. When many of the crafts had developed into the livery companies the officials of the latter inherited the inspectorial functions of the wardens.

1393. Ordinance by the mayor and aldermen of London as to markets of West Cheap and Cornhill.

... That the masters or those assigned thereto of each trade of which the wares are brought to the said markets shall have power, together with the beadle of the ward or other officer thereto assigned, to survey, assay and stop all false and defective wares, in the markets aforesaid or elsewhere exposed for sale, and to present the same to the chamberlain to be there adjudged upon as to whether they are forfeitable or not; and further to arrest to the use of the said chamber all other things and wares in hostels or other places exposed for sale against the form.... Of the which forfeitures so by the said masters, or others thereto assigned, taken and adjudged as forfeited, the said masters or persons thereto assigned shall have one third part for their trouble.

Riley, Memorials of London, 532.

1556. Of the clerks of the market of Oxford and of the fixing of prices.

The clerks of the market should be chosen of such as have experience of the prices which, for necessity or convenience, pertain to food and clothing, and of such as have knowledge, power and will faithfully and diligently to fill the office enjoined on them. Especially it behoves them to see that no fraud is committed as regards the measures and weights and quality of all foodstuffs and of all things which belong to clothing, and to observe the statutes and ordinances issued in this behoof; and since, for the most part, among these commodities, high prices greatly flourish, the clerk should summon to his aid the presidents of colleges and such others of the university as he knows to be fit for the business, and should consult with them as to what course can be taken to render the prices lower.

Oxford Hist. Soc., Collectanea, II. 104.

1468. The assize of a tallowchandler is that he selleth salt, oatmeal, soap and other divers chaffer, that his weights and measures be assized and sealed and true beam. For when he buyeth a pound of tallow for an halfpenny, he shall sell a pound of candle for a penny, that is a farthing for the wick and the wax and another farthing for the workmanship. And right as tallow higheth and loweth, so he for to sell his candle. And if his stuff be not good, or any he lack of his weight, or any he sell not after the price of tallow, he to be amerced, the first time twelvepence, the second time twentypence, the third time fortypence, and to forfeit all that is forfeitable; and he to be judged according to the form of statutes.

Printed in Strype's edition of Stow's Cal. of Close, Book V. 344.

Regulation.

According to regulation.

1327. John de Causton, citizen of London, has shown the king, by petition before him and his council, that John Dergayn, the late king's ulnager, in the eighth year of his reign, took five pieces of John's striped cloth of Gaunt (Ghent) outside his shop in Boston Fair, asserting that they were not of the assize, and that they were therefore forfeited to the late king, and delivered to Ralph de Stokes, then keeper of the king's wardrobe, and that it was afterward found, by enquiry made by the said king's order before the treasurer and barons of the Exchequer, that the cloth was of the assize and ought not thus to be forfeited, and that the cloth was worth 22-1/2 marks; ... and he has prayed the king to cause that sum to be allowed to him.

Cal. of Close, 1327-30, 86.

1366. On the 14th day of October ... John Edmond of Esthamme (East Ham), cornmonger, of the county of Essex, was brought before John Lovekyn, mayor, and the aldermen at the Guildhall, for that he had exposed for sale at Grascherche (Gracechurch) one quarter of oats in a sack, and had put a bushel of good oats at the mouth of the sack, all the rest therein being corn of worse quality and of no value, in deceit of the common people.

Being questioned as to which falsity, how he would acquit himself thereof, the same John did not gainsay the same. Therefore it was adjudged that he should have the punishment of the pillory, to stand upon the same for one hour of the day.

Riley, Memorials of London, 333.

1363. On the 9th day of the month of November ... William Cokke of Hees (Hayes) was taken because that on the same day he, the same William, carrying a sample of wheat in his hand, in the market within Newgate in London followed one William, servant of Robert de la Launde, goldsmith, who wanted to buy wheat, from sack to sack, and said that such wheat as that he would not be able to buy at a lower price than 21 pence; whereas on the same day and at that hour the same servant could have bought such wheat for 21 pence.

Upon which the same William Cokke being questioned, before the mayor, recorder, and certain of the aldermen, he acknowledged that he had done this to enhance the price of wheat, to the prejudice of all the people. It was therefore awarded by the said mayor and aldermen that the said William Cokke should have the punishment of the pillory.

Riley, Memorials of London, 314.

1362-90.

To Wye and to Wychestre I went to the faire, With many menere marchandise as my Maistre me hight, Ne had the grace of guile ygo amonge my ware, It had be unsolde this sevene yeare, so me god helpe!

The Vision of Piers the Plowman, Lines 205 et seq.

Told.