A. D. 1606. Anno quarto Jacobi L Cy—q. 71 or Information, wherein no Wager of Law, Eflbin or Protedion fliall lie or be allowed; the one Mo'ety FariierPnmifans ef the faid Forfeiture to be unto the King our Sovereign Lord, his Heirs and Succeffors, and the other ".'^^^j^;'^'"' Moiety unto fucH Perfon or Perfons as Ihall fue for the fame. uv.&M^s'cj)i'. f. 33. 9 ^Bji. c. 6. /eff. 4. ■siAnn.St.i.c.q. 3CW. i. f,4, 5 Gm. i. f.». an<i 12 C?w. i. c,25. CAP. vn. An AA for the founding and incorporating of a Free Grammar- School in the Town of Northleech inpR, the County of Gloucejier. CAP. VIIL An A<51 touching the drowned Marflies of Lefnes and Fants in the County of Kent. 23 El. c. 13. Mairhes, 27 El. c. 27. CAP. IX. An Aft to explain a former Aft made in the laft SefTion of this Parliament, intituled, An A^ to enable all his Majejlfs loving SubjeSis of England and Wales to Trade freely into the Domi- nions of Spain, Portugal and France. WHEREAS it pleafed our late Sovereign Lady Q^een Elizabeth of famous Memory, by her ^ corporation Highnels Letters Patents under the Great Seal oi England, bearing Date the feventeenth Day of pranted by June in the fecond Year of her Highnefs Reign, (in Conlideration of the sood, true and faithful Obe- QH"" Eii^beth' dience and Service done by the Mayor and principal Citizens of the City of Exeter, as well in the cha"ts ofExe-' Time of King Henry the Seventh as of King ^iw^yr^f the Sixth, againft divers Treafons and Rebel- ler, duii cor- lions moved and ftirred in thofe Days, as alio for the taking away, abolifhing and amoving of many tinue of Force and fundry Abfurdities and Inconveniencies which within the laid City and County did increafe, by rea- the'statut^e"of"^ fon of the exceffive Number of Artificers, and other inexpert, ignorant and unworthy Men, which did 3 Jac. r. c 6,. take upon them to ufe the Art, Science and Myftery of Merchandize and Traffick of Merchant Wares, to the great Detriment of the Commonweahh of this Realm of England, and to the manifeft Impo- verilhment of the faid City) to incorporate certain Merchants therein named, and their Succeffors, . (being Citizens and Inhabitants of the faid City and County) and to give and- grant unto them the per- petual Name of the Governor, Confuls, and Society of the Merchant-Adventurers of the City and Coimty of Exeter, trafficking the Realm oi France and the Dominions of the French King ; (2) which faid Incorporation or Company of Merchants are found to be of great Ufe, Honour and Service to the State in general, as well in the Advancement of his Majefty's Cufcoms, as alfo for that the faid In- corporation for the Space of forty and five Years have relieved twelve poor Men with Gowns, Money and other Neceffaries, to their great Comfort, and do ftill yearly fo apparel and comfort them, and by their faid Charter they are bound to continue and keep the fame for ever: (3) And likewife they have The feveral St- and do not only charitably from Time to Time fet up fundry young Merchants with the Loan of Mo- nefits done by ney at their firft Entrance into the Trade, but alfo have raifed, and alfo do raife divers ancient Mer- [o^the'Kinantr chants, who by Loffes at the Sea have been decayed, by Means whereof they have proved afterwards commonweaUhi piofitable both to the King in Cuftoms and other Payments, and good Members to the Common- wealth of the faid City : ' II. And for that many particular Merchants of the faid Corporation, have in the Time of Dearth and Scarcity of Corn, adventured great Smns of Money out of their own private Stocks for Corn into foreign Kingdoms, for the Relief of the Poor, as well of the faid City, as of the County of Devon, to whom they have fold the fame Corn in Time of -great Dearth and NecelTity fometimes for two Shil- lings fix Pence, three Shillings, and three Shillings tour Pence lefs in every Bufhel, than the Prices In- the Markets have then been : ' III. And further, for that fundry Members of the faid Incorporation have by their Wills and Tefta- The Sedefy ments given divers Sums of Money to the faid Company to good Ufes, which muft return to- their eomfonabie to Executors, if this Company be difiblved, as alio for that the faid Society hatlifrom the Beginning thereof^"' ^"^ hurtful been ever -found comfortable to all, and offenfive to none : (2) Therefore whereas ia the lalt Seffion The°sta'tuteof and urged, to extend to the annihilating and diftblving of the faid particular Charter and Company ,-pany. Contrary to the Meaning of this High -Court of Parliament, and the Intent of the Makers of that. Law, as is conceived by the Opinion of fundry learned in the Laws :' May it therefore ple'afe your.; .noft excellent Majefly, with the AiTent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons,, in' this prefent Parliament affembled, that it may be enadled, explained and declared, (3) and: be it enadtedjTrfe statute pf explained and declared, by the Authority of the fame, .That the laid general Law fo made as aforefaid, nither'doiifnoi helther doth nor Ihali diffjlve, annihilate or impeach the faid Charter^ or the faid Company, in any their fhaii impeach- Privileges, Liberties or Immunities granted unto them by the faid Charter j any Thing in the forefaid the Liberties general A(5t to the contrary thereof in any wife notwithftanding. O^ren EhL- , ,,.' . , - ■ , beth'sCliaiten,- ■ ' ' ■ 4 ■ . , " C A P.. . ■ .-
