Complaint of the Potters, as to frauds committed in their trade.
9 Edward II. A.D. 1316. Letter-Book E. fol. liii. (Norman French.)
Be it remembered, that on the Monday next after the Feast of St.
Matthias [24 February] in the 9th year of the reign of King Edward, son of King Edward, came the good folks of the trade of
potters of London, (fn. 1) and shewed unto Stephen de Abyndone, Mayor
of London, and to the Aldermen, that many persons who busy
themselves both with buying and selling pots of brass, and more
especially one Aleyn le Sopere, buy in divers places pots of bad
metal, and then put them on the fire so as to resemble pots that
have been used, and are of old brass; and then they expose them
for sale in Westchepe on Sundays and other festival days, to the
deception of all those who buy such pots: for the moment that
they are put upon the fire, and become exposed to great heat, they
come to nothing, and melt. By which roguery and falsehood the
people are deceived, and the trade aforesaid is badly put in slander.
Wherefore they pray that the Mayor and the Aldermen will ordain
some remedy against the knavery before-mentioned.
By reason whereof, the said Mayor and Aldermen commanded
that the aforesaid good folks of the trade should choose four dealers
and four founders of their trade, the most trustworthy and the most
knowing, for making a certain assay what alloy of lead (fn. 2) belongs
to the hundredweight of brass, of whatsoever quality such lead
may be: that so all the workmen in the trade might from henceforth
work according to such [standard].
Whereupon, there were chosen William de Bristouwe, John de
Hadham, Walter de Brochtone, and Robert de Herford, dealers
in the said trade; Henry in the Lane, John atte Marche, William
de Alegate, and Robert de Raughtone, founders and workers of
pots: the which persons made oath that well and lawfully they
would make the assay aforesaid, and lawfully on the Friday next
ensuing present the same.
Upon which day the aforesaid jurors came, and said that to the
hundredweight of common copper (fn. 3) —
Punishment inflicted for selling light bread deficient in weight.
9 Edward II. A.D. 1316. Letter-Book D. fol. clxxxviii. (Latin.)
Godfrey Le Rede was attached, with his bread, on the Wednesday next after the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist [25 April], in
the 9th year, and his bread was weighed and adjudicated upon,
before Stephen de Abyndone, Mayor, and certain of the Aldermen.
And it was found that the penny loaf of light bread of the said
Godfrey weighed 15s. and was wanting of its right weight to the
amount of 8s. 2¼d. And upon this, he said that he did not make
the loaf aforesaid, nor had he any share therein for gain or for loss;
and he put himself upon the country as to the same.
And the country came, (fn. 4) by John de Kyngyestone, pelterer, and
others in the panel named. Who, being sworn, said upon their
oath, that Godfrey aforesaid is partner with John de Jernemue and
Robert de Donstaple, bakers, who keep a bakehouse without Neugate, just opposite to Cokkeslane; (fn. 5) and that he shares with them
in the said bakehouse, and is their oven-man. (fn. 6) Therefore it was
adjudged that he should have the punishment of the hurdle. (fn. 7) And
he is now so punished for the first time.
Punishments inflicted for selling bread deficient in weight, and of bad
materials.
9 Edward II. A.D. 1316. Letter-Book D. fol. clxxxix. (Latin.)
On the Saturday next before the Feast of the Invention of the Holy
Cross [3 May], in the 9th year of the reign of King Edward, son
of King Edward, Richard de Lughteburghe was attached to make
answer as to a certain false wastel loaf of his. And the same
Richard said that he was not a baker, and that he did not have
that wastel bread baked; but that, as a regrator, (fn. 8) he bought it of
a certain baker who lives in Suthwerke. And upon this, he was
charged by the Mayor and Aldermen with being in partnership
with the baker aforesaid, in baking such bread, and sharing with
him in the gain thereby, or loss, if such should happen: whereupon,
being asked how he would acquit himself thereof, he said that he
was not the partner of the said baker, nor had he any share with
him; and he put himself upon the country as to the same. Therefore the country was summoned for the Tuesday next ensuing, and
he was delivered into the custody of the Sheriffs, etc.
On which day the said Richard came, and the jury came by John
de Estwode and others in the panel named. Which jurors said
upon their oath, that the aforesaid Richard is a partner of the said
baker, for gain upon baking the bread aforesaid. Therefore it was
adjudged that he should have the punishment of the hurdle. And
he was so punished now for the first time, because his loaf was
wanting to the amount of 2s. 9d. in the proper weight of half a
mark for the halfpenny wastel loaf.
Also, Alan de Lyndeseye, baker, was sentenced to the pillory,
because he had been convicted of baking pain (fn. 9) demaign that was
found to be of bad dough within, and good dough without. And
because such falsity redounds much to the deception of the people
who buy such bread, he was committed for punishment, etc.
Ordinance of the Pepperers of Soperelane.
9 Edward II. A.D. 1316. Letter-Book E. fol. liii. (Norman French.)
"These are the points which the good folks of Soperelane, (fn. 10) of the
trade of Pepperers, with the assent of Sir Stephen de Abyndone,
Mayor of London, John de Gisorz, Nicholas de Farendone, and
other Aldermen, have made for the common profit of all the
people of the land; that is to say, Simon de Corp, John de Boreford, William Walrain, William de Bidik, William de Fourneys,
Richard de Betoygne, Ralph le Balauncer, Philip Adryan, Adam
de Salesbery, Thomas de Donleye, William de Coule, Henry de
Gildeford, John de Grantham, Thomas de Helvetone, Thomas
Hauteyn, John de Donleye, Robert Flori, William de Staunford,
Simon de Norhamptone, Thomas le Carpenter, and Richard de
Farneham, on the Wednesday next after the Feast of St. Philip
and St. James [1 May], in the 9th year of the reign of King
Edward, son of King Edward.—
"In the first place.—That no one of the trade, or other person
in his name or for him, shall mix any manner of wares, that is to
say, shall put old things with new, or new things with old, by
reason whereof the good thing may be impaired by the old;
nor yet, things of one price, or of one sort, with other things of
another price, or of another sort.
"Also,—that no person shall dub (fn. 11) any manner of wares;—that
is to say, by putting in a thing that was in another bale, and then
dressing the bale up again in another manner than the form in
which it was first bought; so as to make the ends of the bale
contain better things than the remainder within the bale: by reason whereof the buyer may be deceived, and so lose his goods.
"Also,—that no one shall moisten any manner of merchandize,
such as saffron, alum, ginger, cloves, and such manner of things
as may admit of being moistened; that is to say, by steeping the
ginger, or turning the saffron out of the sack and then anointing
it, or bathing it in water; by reason whereof any manner of weight
may be increased, or any deterioration arise to the merchandize.
"Also,—that every vendor shall give to his buyer the thing that
is on sale by the hundredweight of 112 pounds to the hundred,
15 ounces to go to every pound; save only, things that are confected, or things powdered. And such things confected and powdered are to be sold by the 12 ounces, the same as always has
been the custom. Also, that all their weights shall agree, the one
with the other."
Punishments inflicted for selling bread of rotten materials, and deficient
in weight.
9 Edward II. A.D. 1316. Letter-Book D. fol. clxxxix. (Latin.)
Alan De Lyndeseye, (fn. 12) baker, and Thomas de Patemere, baker,
were taken and brought before the Mayor and Aldermen at the
Guildhall, on the Monday next after the Feast of St. John Port
Latin [6 May], in the 9th year, with bread of theirs made of false,
putrid, and rotten materials; through which, persons who bought
such bread were deceived, and might be killed. Therefore they
were handed over for punishment by the pillory.
On the Thursday next after the Feast of the Holy Trinity in the
9th year, the halfpenny loaf of light bread of Agnes Foting of
Stratford was found wanting 7 shillings (fn. 13) in weight. Therefore it
was adjudged that her bread should be forfeited, and given to the
prisoners in Neugate; because her husband did not come to avow (fn. 14)
the bread.
Punishment inflicted for selling bread deficient in weight.
9 Edward II. A.D. 1316. Letter-Book D. fol. cxc. (Latin.)
On the Saturday next after the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle [3
July], in the 9th year, the penny loaf of light bread of John in
the Lane, baker, dwelling in Suthwerk, which ought to weigh
21s. 8d., was found deficient to the amount of 3s. 5d. in weight.
And upon this, being asked if he would avow that bread, he said
that he is not his own baker, nor was the bread taken in his house:
and as to this, he put himself upon the country. And Roger atte
Watre, the Serjeant, said that the bread aforesaid was the bread of
the said John, and baked in his house, and by him sold to the regrators in the City; and this he offered to prove for the King, etc.
And the said John said that it was not so, and put himself upon
the country as to the same. Therefore the country was summoned
for Friday etc.; and the said John was delivered to the Sheriff, to
be kept until etc.
Afterwards, on the Friday aforesaid, the jury which remained to
be taken as to the said John, was placed in respite until the following Saturday, for default of jurors. And the serjeant was ordered
to bring together so many and such men etc., (fn. 15) by whom etc. (fn. 15)
Upon which day the jurors appeared, by John de Wymondeham
and others in the panel named; which jurors said, upon their oath,
that the aforesaid John in the Lane did make the bread aforesaid,
and that it was stamped with his usual seal etc., and that the same
bread he sent into the City to be sold. Therefore it was adjudged
that he should have the punishment of the hurdle. And he is now
so punished for the first time.
Punishment inflicted for selling bread deficient in weight.
10 Edward II. A.D. 1316. Letter-Book D. fol. cxc. (Latin.)
The maslin (fn. 16) halfpenny loaf of Gilbert Pany, which ought to weigh
28s., was found deficient to the amount of 3s. 10d., on the Saturday next before the Feast of St. Martin [11 November], in the
10th year of the reign of King Edward, son of King Edward.
And upon this, the said Gilbert appeared, and avowed that bread
as his own; but he said that because the flour of which he made
that bread, had been drenched when coming by water from the
mill, he had baked the same bread to sell it at the rate of two
loaves for three farthings, and had made other loaves at three
farthings each, and in no other way had he sold the same; and as
to this he put himself upon the country. Therefore by the country inquisition was to be made. And the jury was summoned from
the venue of St. Swithin's Lane, Candelwikstrete, for the Tuesday
next ensuing; and the same Gilbert was delivered to the Sheriff,
safely etc.
Upon which day the said Gilbert came, and the jury appeared,
by William de Camerwelle and others in the panel named. Who,
being sworn, said upon their oath that the said Gilbert made the
loaf aforesaid to sell for one halfpenny, and some others of the same
dough for one penny, and not for three farthings, as he says etc.
And because it was found that he had been twice drawn on the
hurdle, and was now for the third time found in default, it was adjudged that he should be drawn now for the third time, and should
then forswear the trade of a baker in the City for ever. And he
did abjure it before the Mayor and Aldermen in full Court, etc.