Bay Making, Colchester Act 1660

Recital that under Queen Eliz. Dutch Bay and Say Makers at Colchester were tolerated, and confirmed by Letters Patent 10 Jac. I.

Benefits resulting from the Constitutions of the Dutch Bay Hall there; and that; Grievances had arisen by false Commodities.; Confirmation of the Privileges of the Dutch Bay Hall.

Whereas by the speciall Favour of Queene Elizabeth there was a Congregation of Dutch people tolerated to practise the Art and Trade of Bay and Say makeing in the Towne of Colchester in the County of Essex, and for the upholding the Credit of the said Trade, and for the avoiding and punishing all Unjust and Fraudulent dealings therin, there have beene diverse Good and Laudable Orders and Constitutions made which were confirmed by Letters Patents under the Great Seale of England in the tenth yeare of King James and by severall Orders made by the late Kings Privy Councell the Strict and Exact Execution of which said Orders and Consitutions by the Governours of the [X1 Dutchy] Bay Hall, there hath brought that kinde of Drapery into high Credit not onely at home but alsoe in Forraigne parts, and that by reason of the said Trade many thousands of poore people both within the said Towne of Colchester and places thereabout are dayly Imployed and Sett to Worke, Notwithstanding which said Orders, and the care of the Governours of the said [X1 Dutchy] Bay Hal lmany fraudulent and deceitfull Commodities and slight and naughty Bays have beene and dayly are by the secret and crafty practices of some men made in the said Towne, and are weekely brought and conveyed to London by certaine persons useing the Trade of buying and selling of Colchester Bayes before such time as the said Bayes have beene viewed searched measured and sealed by the sworne Officers of the said [X1 Dutchy] Bay Hall, which said Bayes soe deceitfully and fraudulently made are transported beyond the Seas under the name and oftentimes with the Seale of Colchester Bayes whereby the Bayes there made are not of that Credit and Esteeme as formerly, For the preventing [X2 of] which said practices and deceits Bee it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majestie with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by Authoritie of the same That the Governours of the said [X1 Dutchy] Bay Hall in Colchester, and the Dutch people there liveing shall and may from henceforth peaceably and quietly use and exercise the free Trade of makeing Bayes Says and other forraigne Draperies within the said Towne of Colchester and be permited to governe the said Trade in their Assemblyes and Congregations with all such libertyes priviledges X3 immunityes and in as full and ample manner as they have at any time heretofore enjoyed the same by vertue of any Order Grant or Toleration to them made by Queene Elizabeth King James or the late King Charles of blessed memory or any of them

Editorial Information

X1 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: Dutch O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]

X2 interlined on the Roll.

X3 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: and O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]