Clerk of the Market Act 1640

Grievances by Clerks of the Market, and Inequality in Weights and Measures.

There shall be but one Measure, one Weight, and one Yard.; Selling by or keeping any other Weight.; Penalty 5s.; How to be levied.; Default of Distress.; Imprisonment.

Forasmuch as the undue execution of the Office of Clerke of the Market hath beene very greivous unto divers of his Majesties most loveing Subjects who have beene much troubled by unnecessary summons and charged with exactions of diverse sums of Money by colour of the said Office and in regard the said evills have partly arisen by meanes of an inequality of Weights and Measures throughout this Kingdom and by granting and letting to Farme the said Office of Clerke of the Market and the Execution thereof in and through all or the most of the severall Counties of this Kingdome for great sums of Money which the said Farmours or Grantees by theire unjust and undue proceedings in the said Office doe extort from his Majesties Subjects again to theire great impoverishment and yet little or no redresse at all in theire said Weights or Measures or any benefit thereby accruing to his Majestie For remedie whereof and for regulating [X1 of] all Weights & Measures according to the true intent of this Statute and the other Statutes in that behalfe formerly made and provided and preventing the said inconveniencies Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majestie the Lords and Commons of this present Parliament assembled and by the authoritie of the same That from henceforth there shall be but one Weight one Measure and one Yard according to the Standard of the Exchequer throughout all the Realme aswell in places priviledged as without Any usage or custome to the contrary notwithstanding And that every Measure of Corne shall be striked without heape And whosoever shall sell by or keepe any other Weight Measure or Yard then as aforesaid whereby any corne graine or other thing is bought or sold after six monthes after the end of this present Session of Parliament shall forfeite for every such offence five shillings being thereof lawfully convicted by the Oath of one sufficient Witnesse before any Justice of Peace Maior or other head Officer of the County City or Towne Corporate respectively where the said offence shall be committed Who by vertue of this Act shall have power to administer an Oath in that behalfe Which said sum or penalty of five shillings shall be levyed by the Church wardens and Overseers of the Poore of the Parish or some or one of them where such offence is or shall be committed to the use of the Poore of the same Parish of the Goods and Chattels of such Offenders by way of Distresse and sale of the Offenders goods rendering the Overplus to the partie so offending And in default of such distresse it shall be lawfull for any Justices of Peace Maior or other Head officer of the Countie City or Towne corporate respectively to commit the said partie to the Prison or Goal there to remaine without Bail or Mainprise untill he shall pay such su[m]ms of Money forfeited as aforesaid.

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.