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REDRESS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

[It does not appear by whom this "Note of things to be passed by Parliament" was drawn up, nor in what shape, if at all, it was brought forward. The date, 3rd March, 1549, is ascertained from the indorsement, which, like the body of the MS., is in a handwriting of the time. It seems to be merely a rough sketch of projects of various laws, and the different subjects could scarcely have been included in any single statute, however comprehensive its enactments.]

Indorsed "Notes for redresse of the Commyn Welth, iii March, 1549."

A Note of things to be passed by Parliament.

In Primis, to make it felony to cary any money, wood, or victailes out of the Realme, saving for the victailling of their ships and Calais, and except corn out of that cuntrey where wheat is not above six shillinges the quarter.

To ordain that no man having so much land a yeir shall, after such a yere of our Lord, occupye any ferme in hyre, but only for the provision of his hous, nor yet for that, if he have sufficient in his hand of his own land for that purpose.

That no one man shall kepe, after such a daye, above twoo fermeholdes.

That no man under the degree of a knight, or of a man that bath CCC mark land, or their heyre apparent, weare any silk in their upper capps, scabbardes, hosen nor shoen, except a silk lace on the cappe; nor shall weare any silke in his gowne, cloke, cote, gabardyn, casack, or any other his upper garmement, except a welt or one garde of velvet or satin.

That no man under the degree of an Erle, weare any cloth of gold, silver, tissue, or purple silke, any embroderye, passamen lace, sabel, luzarnes, or black genetes, except it be in apparaill for the coronation, parliament, order of the garter, or for the office of an herault or pursuivant, except also a baron may weare luzarnes.

To ordeyn that whosoever have so many acres of grounde in his occupation, shall sowe so many of them with flex and hemp.

That no fermer of any ferme, his wief, children, nor servauntes, shall, after such a daye in such a yere of our Lord, weare any shirtes or smockes but of the spynning within their houses; or at the least of that which shalbe sponne within the Realme.

That every clothier, after such a daye in such a yere, shall dwell in market townes, and kepe no ferme in hyre.

That for thaulnage, or any other kynde of taske or tolle, the lynen cloth made in the Realme shalbe free in all places.

That for every cloth truely made and sold to be worn within the Realme, there shall no aulnage be payd.

That for every cloth caryed out of the Realme, after such a day, shalbe payd so much for custume, and so after the rate.

That for every sack of woll, and the wolfettes, thenglish shall paye after the rate of iiij markes custume, and to cary the same to Callais, and no straunger to buye any wolle but at the stapler's handes.

That all kinde of artificers (except horse-smithes and ploughwrightes) shall dwell in market townes.

That all kinde of straungers, artificers of such thinges as be not made in Englande, shall have liberte to dwell and occupye freely their mesteries in any citie, borowe or town, with such their servauntes as cum with them, so as they take of newe to serve non other but English.

That by such a daye every port town do furnish in commun, at the charges of the town, so many fisher boates or ballingars, over and above such as every man hath or shall have of his own in private.

That no inhabitant in any towne upon the seesyde shall, after such a daye, buye any fish taken by any straunger, except it be stockfish, and such other fish as cummith from Irlande.

That the Kinges benevolence to such as set up a shipp of so many tonnes be contynued.

That wine and woade may be brought in straunger's botoms. That no man cause any tree to be felled, in such a shire and such a yere, but he set or sowe and mainteyn an other for it.

That the Justices shall inquire of the faultes against every of the pointes aforesaide in every their Sessions, and see thoffendours punished, upon pein of every default of the Justice so many poundes.

GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND.

[These instructions to Sir Anthony St. Leger and the Privy Council of Ireland are very minute, and relate to all the more important objects of government in that country, beginning with the performance of divine service in English wherever the language was spoken, and elsewhere in Irish, until the people could be brought to understand English. Next, they advert to the upright administration of the laws, to the proper application of the public money, to the employment of the natives, to the collection of the revenue, to the letting of the royal farms, to the exchange of Irish for English lands, to the reducing and ordering of conquered countries, &c. In Haynes's State Papers, 141, will be found Articles sent two years afterwards to the Lord Deputy requiring him to inform the King and Council on many points connected with the then state of Ireland.]

Indorsed, "Julye 1550, ao 4 E. 6. Kinge E. 6 Instructions to St Antonye St. Leger for the government of Irelande."

July, 1550.—Instructions geven by the Kinge's Matie, with thadvise of his highnes Councell, to his Maties trusty and righte welbeloved Counsellor Sr Anthony St. Leger, Knighte of the order, one of the gent. of his highnes' privie Chamber, and Deputy of his Maties realme of Ireland, and to Sr Thomas Cusack knighte, his highnes Chauncellor there, the Archbusshoppe of Dublin, the Bushopp of Meth, Sr Gerald Aylmer knighte, Chief Justice of the Ks Bench, Sr Thomas Luttrell knighte, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas there, Patrick Barnewell esquier, Mr. of the Roulls, James Bath esquier, Chief Baron, Sr William Brabason knighte, Vicethre

sorer, Thomas Hothe esquier, seconde Justice of the Kinge's Bench, John Travers knighte, Mr of the Ordinance, Sr Ralphe Bagnall knighte, Edward Basnet clerk, late Deane of St Patrick, and Thomas Lockwood clerk, Deane of Christchurch in Dublin, whome his Matie hath appointed to be of his highnes privie counsell in his Maties said realme of Ireland, for the better government of the same realme, and the nobles and commons resiant within the same.

First, our said Deputy shall, with the advise of the said councell or the more parte of them, sett furthe God's service to be administered within our said realme amongest our lovinge subjects there as largely as he may, accordinge to the ordinances and proceedings in the English tounge, in all places where the inhabitantes, or a convenient nomber of them, understand the Englishe tongue. And where the inhabitants understand not the Englishe tongue, they to cause the Englishe to be translated truly into the Irishe tongue, unto suche tyme as the people maye be brought to understand the Englishe, gevinge strayte order for the observation therof.

Our said Deputy, with the advise afforesaid, shall geve order that no sale or alteration be made of any church goods, bells, chantry or free chapple landes, withowt our roiall assent. And if any alteration have bene made, to refourme the same; and that they shall cause inventories to be made in every parishe, aswell of suche goods, ornaments, jewells and bells, as of the chauntry or free chapple landes, and of all other landes geven to any church for any intent, for the better knowledge, salf and sure kepinge together of the premisses, and of euery parte therof, lest some lewde persons mighte or woulde imbesill the same with the detriment of the porchians.

Our said Deputy, by the advise afforesaid, shall see our lawes uprightly ministred to all men, and justice truly donne, and our

landes, rentes, woodes, escheates, forfaytes, and all other profitts cominge therof, well surveyd and reped by thofficers therwith charged, and the rentes and profitts yearely cominge and growinge therof truly gathered and payd to our use into the receipte of our Eschequer, or into any other place where it is to be payd. And that the auditor see thaccomptes therof truly taken and fully payd to our use yearely upon the ende of the accomptes, foreseinge likewise the thresorers accompte that the same be yearely made and fully cleered upon the end of that accompte, gevinge to every accomptant ordinary allowance, aswell for reparations and other charges to be susteyned, calling into that accomptes all woodsales, fines, amerciaments, and other casualties yearely growinge upon the lande, whether the lande be of our crowne there, or come to our handes by escheate, forfeyte, suppression, surrendre or wardshippe, as wee may be therof truly aunswered once in the yeare. And if any officer do not his duety nor reforme himself upon reasonable warninge, then our said Deputy, with the advise afforesaid, to take order with him as maye be agreable with justice and with our surety. And our said Deputy, Chancellor and Barons of theschequer, the Mr of the Roulls, the two Chief Justices, and the Auditor, or any sixe of them, wherof the Deputy, Chancellor, and the Auditor to be alwayes three, shall have aucthoritie to geve to the said Vice thresorers and to euery accomptant upon the determination of his or their accomptes, a cleere discharge, which shall be sufficient for the discharginge of them and euery of them, their heires and executors, againste us and our heires. And also to the Auditor for gevinge of the same, any statute or lawe to the contrary notwithstandinge.

Our said Deputy, with the advise afforesaid, shall see the Barons and officers of our Eschequer do their office and duty truly and diligently in callinge together for us all that the same courte is charged with, as customers, serchers, controllers and other officers accomptable in that courte, so as therof we maye be truly aunswered at the tyme of payment accustomed in that court. And

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