Charles II, 1660: An Act for the Regulating of the Trade of Bay makeing in the [Dutchy] Bay Hall in Colchester.

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 [Dutchy (fn. 1) ] 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 [Dutchy (fn. 1) ] 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 [Dutchy (fn. 1) ] 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 [of (fn. 3) ] 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 [Dutchy (fn. 1) ] 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 ( (fn. 4) ) 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

II. All Bays made at Colchester must be carried to the Bay Hall and searched.

Fuller, &c. working any Bays not stamped; Penalty 40s,; How applied where Bay made by English Maker; where by Dutch Maker.; Second Offence, £5.; Third Offence, disabled.

And bee it further Enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That if any person or persons whatsoever from and after the twentyeth day of September in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred and sixtie shall weave or cause to be woven within the said Towne of Colchester or the Libertyes therof any Bay knowne by the name of fower and fiftyes Sixtyes Sixty eights, Eightyes and hundred Bayes, and shall not within two dayes after such weaving carry or cause such Bay to be carryed to the [Dutchy (fn. 1) ] Bay Hall called the Raw Hall there to be viewed and searched to the intent it may appeare whether the same Bay be well and substantially wrought before as the said Bay shall be carryed to be scoured and thicked, or if any Fuller or Thicker or other person useing the Art or Trade of Fulling or Thicking of Bayes shall receive any such Bay to be fulled and thicked before such time as the said Bay hath beene carryed to the said Raw Hall, and there stamped and marked as by the Orders of the said Hall it ought to be, That every such Weaver that shall soe convey the said Bay, and every such Fuller or Thicker that shall receive such Bay before the same be stamped and marked as aforesaid shall forfeite for the first offence the summe of Forty shillings to be leavyed by distresse and sale of the Offenders goods returning the overplus, the necessary charges of destraining being first deducted, and such Forfeitures, in case such Bay be made by an English Master maker, then the same to be accounted for to the Maior and Commonalty of the said Towne for the benefit of the poore of the said Towne, and in case such Bay be the Bay of a Dutch Master maker then the same to be disposed by the Governours of the said Dutch Bay Hall for the use and benefit of the poore of the said Dutch Congregation, and for the second offence shall forfeit the summe of five pounds to be leavyed and disposed in manner abovesaid and for the third offence not to be permitted to worke any more within the Towne of Colchester or Libertyes thereof.

III. No Bays to be carried out of the Town until searched and stamped.

Penalty.

And be it further Enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That if any person or persons shall buy any of the aforesaid Bayes or convey or carry or cause such Bay to be conveyed or carryed out of the said Towne of Colchester before such time as the said Bay hath beene viewed searched stamped sealed and measured as aforesaid by the sworne Officers of the said [Dutchy (fn. 1) ] Bay Hall therunto appointed that in such case the said Bay soe bought or carryed, or offered to be carryed or conveyed away as aforesaid shall be confiscated, the one moyetie to him or them that shall seize the same, and the other moyety to the poore of the Parish where the said Bay shall be taken and seized.

IV. Counterfeiting Corporation Seal;

or unduly affixing Seal to Bays.; First Offence, Penalty £20.; Second Offence, Pillory.; Third Offence, Felony and Forfeiture of Bays.

And be it further Enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That if any person or persons whatsoever shall from and after the said twentyeth day of September counterfeit or cause to be counterfeited any of the seales used by the Corporation or Congregation of the Dutch Bay Hall in Colchester, or shall, not being the Officer thereunto by the said Corporac[i]on appointed, and in the place by them thereunto appointed affix any such seale or seales to any Colchester Bayes whether counterfeited or not counterfeited that every person soe offending, being therof lawfully convicted shall for his first offence forfeit and pay to the use of the said Governours of the said Dutch Bay Hall the summe of twenty pounds to be recovered in any of His Majestyes Courts of Record or in the Towne Court of Colchester by any Action of debt bill plaint information or otherwise, wherin noe essoygne protection or wager of the Law shall be allowed, and for the second offence being convicted as aforesaid shall stand in the Pillory in the Market or most publique place where such offence shall be committed for the space of one houre, and for the third offence being as aforesaid convicted shall suffer as a Felon, and if any Bayes shall be taken carrying or carried out of Colchester without the marke of the maker that all such Bayes shall be forfeit.

V. Powerto Governors to search Carts and Packs;

to search Houses, &c. with a Constable, and seize.; Deceitful Bays forfeited.

And for the better discovering finding out and punishing of the fraudes and deceits aforesaid Be it further Enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull for the Governours of the said Dutch Bay Hall or their Officers, or any of them from time to time in the day time to search any Cart Waggen or Packe wherein they shall have notice, or suspect any such deceitfull Bayes to be, and alsoe from time to time with a Constable, who are hereby required to be aiding and assisting to them to make search in any house shop or warehouse where they are informed any such deceitfull Bayes to be, and to secure and seize the same, and carry the same to the said Dutch Bay Hall, and that such Bay soe seised and carried to the said Hall shall be confiscate and forfeit to be disposed in such manner as the forfeitures herein before mentioned to be paid by the Weavers and Fullers are herein before limitted and appointed.

VI. Power to make By-Laws.

And bee it further Enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That for the better managing and regulating of the said Art or Trade of makeing the Bayes aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull to and for the Governours of the said [Dutchy (fn. 5) ] Bay Hall from time to time to make constitute and appoint such Orders, By-lawes and Constitutions as to them shall seeme meete and reasonable.

VII. Who are to approve of them.

Provided That noe such Order By-Law or Constitution to be made either in diminution of the Kings Prerogative or the Lawes of this Kingdome be used or executed untill the same Orders By-Lawes and Constitutions have beene examined and approved by the Lord Chauncellour, Lord Treasurer of England, or Cheife Justices of either Bench or any three of them, or before both the Justices of Assize in their Circuit or Progresse in the said County of Essex, upon paine of forfeiture of twenty pounds for every time they shall doe the contrary, This Act to begin and take effect from the twentyeth day of September One thousand six hundred and sixty.