Recital of Stat. 15 Hen VI. c. 6 against unlawful Statutes made by Corporations; Expired;

Wher in a plement holden at Westminster the xv. yere of the reigne of the blessed King Herry the vjth , for that, that Maister Wardens & people of Guyldes fratnytees, and other companyes corporate dwellyng in divers properties of the Realme, often tymes by colour of rule & gouvernaunce to them graunted and confermed by Chartours & letters patents of divers Kings, made amonge them selfe meny unlawefull & unresonable ordinaunces aswell in pricis of weyres as other things for ther owne singler profit & to the comen hurte & damage of the people; It was enacted that ther shulde fromethensforth no such Maister Wardens nor Companyes make nor use none ordinances in disheritaunce or diminucion of the prerogative of the King nor of other, nor ayenst the common profite of the people, nor none other Ordinaunce of charge make & use, but yf it wer fyrst discussed & approved be good & resonable advyse by the Justices of the Peace or the cheffe governours of Cities, & before theym entered of Recorde, & that uppon payne to lose & forfett the force & the effect of all the Articles in ther seid letters patents & Chartours conteyned concernyng the same, and over that to lose & paye x ti. to the King for every ordinaunce that eny of them made or use to the contarie, & this ordinaunce to endure at the Kings pleasour; as in the same Acte yt appereth; whiche acte is noweexpired & syth the expiryng of the same, divers & meny ordinaunces have ben made be meny & divers private Bodys Corporate within Cities Townes & Boroughes contarie to the Kings prerogative his Lawes & of the Comon weyll of his Subgiectes

I Corporations shall not make or enforce any Ordinances, without the Approbation of the Chancellor, &c. C1

No Maisters Wardens & felishippes of Craftes or mysters, nor eny of them, nor eny rulers of guyldes or fraternities, take uppon them to make eny actes or ordinaunces, ne to execute eny actes or ordinaunces be them here afore made, in disheritaunce or dimunucion of the preogatyffe of the of the King, nor of other, nor ageynste the comen profite of the people, but yf the same actes or ordinaunces be examyned & approved by the Chaunceller Tresorer of Englonde & cheffe Justices of ether Benche, or thre of them; or before bothe the Justices of Assises in ther cyrcuyte or progresse in that Shyre wher suche actes or ordinaunces be made, uppon the peyne of forfeytoure of xl ti. for every tyme that they doo the contarie.

II No Order by Corporations to restrain Suits in the King’s Courts.

And over that it is enacted that none of the same bodies Corporate take uppon theym to make eny actes or ordinaunces to restreyne eny persone or persones to sue to the Kyngs Highnesse or to eny of his Courtes, for due remedie to be hade in ther causes, ne putte ne execute eny penaltie or punishment uppon eny of them for eny suche sute to be made, uppon peyn of forfeyture of xl ti. for every tyme that they doo the contarie.

IIIF2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .