62 2 C. 5. Anno vicefimo o6lavo Henrici VI. A. D, 1449. The Remedy ■when an Officer of the Cuftoms doth ruake any Diftrefl'es or Ar- reft upcn any .Ships tor an un- laiviul Caufe. and fpecially within the Ports of Forney, Plymouth, Dartmouth, and Pool, by Colour of their Offices daily do wrongfully take, by Conftraint of Diftreffes, and Arrefts upon the Ships, Barges, Balengers, and other Veffels, Goods, and Merchandifes of the King's liege Merchants of this faid Realm, and ' among all other upon the King's liege A^erchants of ' Gaf coign, Giiien, Ireland, Guernfey, and Jerjey, in ' their coming and going in the faid Ports, great ' Charges and Impofitions, that is to fay, for every ' Piece of Crefcloth iv. d. for every hundred of Can- ' vas vi. d. for the Weight of every Ton of Iron xii. d. ' and fometime more, and likewife of all other Goods ' and Merchants of the faid liege People, -and other ' Merchandifes of the King's Amity ; (2) and by ' fuch wrongful Diftreffes, Arrefts, Charges, and Im- ' pofitions, they do difcourage the faid Merchants ' freely to come into this faid Realm, and to return, ' contrary to all Law and Confcicnce, to the great ' Prejudice of our faid Lord the King, in Lofs of his Cuftoms and Subfidies, and to the great Damage of ' the faid Merchants and their Succeiibrs, unlefs due ' Remedy thereof be had in the fame ;" ' (3) by Ad- vice, Affent, and Authority aforefaid, it is ordained and eftablifhed, That the laid Merchants, and their Succeffors, and every of them, of all fuch Injuries, Diftreffes, Arrefts, Charges, and Impofitions afore recited, to be made to them, or any of them, as well by fuch Waterbailiffs, Searchers, and Comptrollers of the Search, as by Collectors of the faid Cuftoms and Subfidies, Comptrollers of the fame, Surveyors of the Cuftoms and Subfidies, and of the Search- packers, or any other Officers, or their Deputies or Servants by their Commandment, or any of them hereafter, may have thereupon a general Writ of Trefpafs againft fuch Offenders, and every of- them, according to the Form of the Law, and to recover againft them, and every of them thereof fo convicted, Forty Pounds ; (4) and that the faid Merchants, their Succeffors, and every of them fo grieved as afore is faid, fhalj purfue the faid Writ of Trefpafs againft the faid Offenders, and every of them, for fuch In- juries, Diftreffes, Arrefts, Charges, and Impofitions fo to be made as afore is faid, within two Months next after fuch Injuries, Diftreffes, Arrefts, Charges and Impofitions to be made by them, or any of them, as before is faid ; (5) and in cafe that the faid Mer- chants, their Succeffors, or fome of them, do not purfue the faid Writ of Trefpafs of fuch Injuries, Diftreffes, Arrefts, Charges, and Impofitions aforefaid, againft the faid Offenders, nor any of them, within the faid two Months, that then it fhall be lawful to every other Perfon of the King's liege People to pur- fue the faid Writ of Trefpafs of fuch Injuries, Dif- treffes, Arrefts, Charges, and Impofitions, to be made as is aforefaid, againft all fuch Offenders, and every •of them, according to the Form of the Law, and to recover againft them, and every of them thereof fo conviit, Forty Pounds, the King to have the one half, and he or they which will purfue, the other half,' Ex P.ot. In Turr. Lond. en efpeciall dedeins les portes de Fowey Piym- mouth Dertmouth & Pole par colour de leur offices torceoufment chargeont & priegnont ore de jour en autre par dureffe de deftrefi'es & areftes fur les niefs barges ballengers & autres veiffaulx biens & mer- chauniifes des lieges du Roy merchauntz de ceft dit Roialme et entre toutz autres fur les lieges du dit P.'jy marchauntz c'e Gafcoigne Guyan Iriand Gernefey & Gerfey en lour venaunt & alant en les ditz portz graundz chargez & impofitions ceftafla- v'eir pur chefcun pece de crececloth iiij. d. pur chefcun centz de canvas vj. d. pur pois de chefcun tonell de ferre xij.d. & afcune foitz pluis & fem- blablement de toutz autres biens & merchaundifes de les ditz lieges & dautres merchauntz damitee noftre dit foveraigne Seignar le Roy ct par tielx enjuriofez deftreflez areftes charges & impofitions empechent les ditz merchauntz franchement a venir en ceft dit Roialme et a paffer encountre toutz leyes & confcience outre toutz cuftumes & fubfidies duez a noftre dit Seignour le Roy en anientifment des fes ditz cuftumes & fubfidies & en grand da- mage & arrerifnent de.les ditz merchauntz St lour fucceffours fmon du remedie ent ne foit eue par advis affent Sc auftorite deffuifditz ordeignez eft & eftabliez qe les ditz merchauntz lour fuccsiiours & chefcun deux de toutz tiels enjufiez de'ftreffes
- ireftes chargez & impofitions defuis recitez affaires
a eux ou a afcun deux fibien par tielx baillifs del eaus fercheours & countrollours de ferche come par collecfours des ditz cuftumes & fubfidies countrol" lours de les mefmes furveiours des cuftumes & fub- fidies & du ferche pakkers ou afcuns autres officers lour deputees ou fervauntz par lour commaund- ment ou afcun deux enapres peuffent avoir fur ceo generall bref de trefpas encountre tielx meffaifours & chefcun deux folonc la fourmc de ley & a recpu- vcrer encountre ceux & chefcun deux enfi de ceo convictz xl. li' & qe lez ditz merchauntz lour fuc- ceffours & chefcun deux enfi grevez come devaunt eft dit purfueront & purfuera le dit brief de trefpas encountre les ditz meffaifours & chefcun deux de tielx enjuries diftreffes areftes charges & impofitions ainfi affairez come devaunt eft dit dedeins deux mois profchein apres tielx enjuries defreffes areftes charges & impofitions affaires par eux ou afcun ' deux come devaunt eft dit et en cas les ditz mer- chauntz lour fucceffours ou afcun deux ne purfuent mie le dit brief de trefpas de tielx enjuries deftreffes ' areftes charges & impofitions deffuifditz encountre les ditz meffaifours ne null deux dedeins les ditz ' deux mois qe lors il lirra a chefcun autre perfone de les lieges du Roy a purfuer le dit brief de trefpas de tielx enjuries diftreffes areftes charges & impo- fitions affaires come devaunt eft dit encountre toutz tielx meffaifours & chefcun deux folonc la fourme de ley & a recoverer encountre ceux & chefcun de ceux enfi dent convictez xl. li.' le Roy davoir ent lune moitee & il ou ilz qi purfuer vorroiet ou vor- roient Jautre moite. ,
