Chap. 1.

IF the care which the Anti­ent Romanes hadde, to per­forme the iudgement and decrees of their law-makers be well weighed and obser­ued: amongest the rest of great respect and honor, the obedience of Fabius Maximus to the ordinan­ces of his sonne, is to be admired: who beeing a Maiestrate and in place of iudgement, and see­ing his father a farre off comming towards him on horsse backe (a thing forbidden amongst the [Page 2] Romanes) he commanded his father to set foote on ground, the which the father obeied, and embracing his sonne, made greater account of him, then if he had doone otherwise. And on the other side, one Vestius was put to death be­cause he arose not when the Tribune of the pe­ple passed before him, the which he with obe­dience and patience endured. And diuers Ci­tizens of Rome were disfranchised for breathing and yawning a little to lowd, in the presence of the Censors: wherat they nothing repined. This we set foorth, for that it should be remembred, that if the common breach of lawes & decrees be permitted, then ensueth not onelie the con­tempt of the Maiestrate, but also the very ruine of that, for whose cause such ordinances were aduanced: a thinge befallen to the subiect of this matter now in hand; namelie in the fact of Garbelling of spices. The necessitie of clensing and purifieng whereof, in the time of the raigne of king Henry the sixt was then debated, and the office of Garbelling was by the same kinge giuen to the Lord Maior & Cominaltie of this The office of Garbel­ling was by K. Henrye the vi. firste giuen to the Lorde maior and comminal­ty of londō.famous Citie of London, but in such wise, not­withstanding, that it is verie apparant, that as­well the Marchantes owners of such spices, as the Grocers retaylors of the same Cittie, were called to giue aduice for the conceiuing & cre­ating of such ordinances therein, as might best tend to the benefit of the Marchant, the vtte­rance and sale of the Grocer, and the goodnes [Page 3] of the thing garbelled for the health of the peo­ple of this realme: vpon the which ordinances the Art of garbelling was pronounced to con­sist, it being an habite of working according to right, reason, and mechanicall or a handicraft, the full knowledge whereof was partlie gotten by vse, at that time by Richard Hackdie and Wil­liam Hackdie & Aunsell, first garbellers after the said gift. Aunsell Citizens, and partly by instructions and reason, taught & shewed by the marchants and Grocers then being, and was left to the ex­ecution of the said persons the officers aforsaid, the which aduises, aswel of the said Marchants, Grocers, and of the saide officers, are thus sette foorth.

Chap. 2.

FOrsomuch as euery thing hath his natural, proper and inward corruption, of which it is ea­ten and at the last consumeth Euery thing hath his naturall corruption, whereof at the last it is consumed.and beginneth to spread it self in the best part to mar all, as rottenesse in spices is their proper euill. And for that also, the same spi­ces are also subiecte (as all other thinges are) to accidents, and thereby also may be destroi­ed [Page 4] before their naturall ouerthrow, as bruses, water, dust, and age in spices. Therfore for the auoiding and curing of such naturall corrupti­on when it hapneth, & thorowly to meet with all such hurtfull accidents to such spices, being aliments and nutrimentes to restore and pre­serue the health of man, or to preuent some in­firmitie and diseases, ready to ouerthrow their good estate: We (say they as skilfull physiti­ons, preuenting diseases and labouring in for­seene mischiefs, according to the causes wher­on the effects of such corruption doo depend) haue ordained these deuisions to be obserued in the setting forth those spices, with their qua­lities by way of garbelling and first of:

Chap. 3.

FOr the approouing of which Deuisions, besides the antient remembrance therof, lefte with Maister Blaze Saunders late gar­bellor, the same may plainelie appeere in this. That in Flaun­ders, Marchantes before then, and long since, brought from Antwerp, Brudges and Roane, their Nutmegs and other spices in such condition and sorts as is beforesaid, with a seale of the fi­gure of the right hand vppon euery vessell or bagge of case nutmegs and other spices in such condition and sortes as is aforesaid. And on their baile Nutmegs, a hand with a barre ouer­thwart, and the other sort without marke. And in such sorts the same were bought and sold, as by an acte of Common councell, holden by your predecessors it may appeare in Anno. 4. of K. Henry the viii. To the which deuisions, the Marchant, Retailor, and Garbeller (say they) shall hold themselues contented without alte­ration; vnlesse there shall bee cause of correcti­on of those sorts, vppon search of them by the Garbellor in London: as also by another act of [Page 7] Common counsell made in An. 18. of K. Hen­ry the eight, it is set foorth: the which may ap­peare at the end of this present discourse. The filth and dust of which said spices, were helde vnwholsome and not vendible but to be reiec­ted as vnseruiceable: your predecessors then were mooued with those reasons, to allowe and confirme those deuisions as reasonable and full of equitie betweene the marchant and the retailors, and were desirous that the same shuld also remaine and abide, for the auoiding of de­ceipt or losse of the common people, who haue in such measure noted and felt the benefite of the said deuisions, that now in open faires and places corporate, they doo daielie procure the spices sorted to the contrarie, to be seysed on as goodes forfeited, and not garbelled as they ought to bee; to the great trouble of the retay­lors, and notable detriment. Vppon these and such like beginnings, and by the acts of Com­mon councell ensuing, the facte of garbelling Couetous­nesse dooth worke con­fusion of all right. The fact of garbelling a bond of vnitie be­tweene the marchant and the grocers. hath had continuance, vntill now of late that couetousnesse or ignorance in the principall of­ficer, hath bred the change and ouerthrow of the pollitike deuise of this Art. These our pre­decessors also thought the fact of garbelling (as is before appointed) to be a bond of great vni­tie, for the retailors with the marchants, and of no lesse seruice for the Common-wealth: and in that sence, they all (by the humble petition of the garbeller) agreed, that it should be ena­cted [Page 8] by a common councell therefore especial­lie made, that he might visite the garbelling of Antwerpe and Brudges, onely to refine if neede were, but not to alter their said deuisions: and that the Marchants and retailors should not af­terwards alter their sortes of garbelled spices, but put the same to sale, in such wise as the same spices were garbelled (in such manner as is by the premises iustlie to be inferred) and not be­fore they were so garbelled or refined, vppon a penaltie therein expressed; and to be accounted as an enimie to that forme, appointed therein for common good, as we before haue remem­bred, for the obseruation of which indifferen­cie, There is but one way to goodnes.the said officer taketh his corporall oth. And forsomuch as the fact of garbelling cannot bee good, but after one sort, but to the euill it may be many waies done: as to hit a white, there is but one waie, but to misse it there are many waies. We say as commonlie it is said, that that thing is rightly don, which is done to the order and institution of good pollicie. And for such we esteeme those deuisions to be, and that they are the only way of cleane garbelling, for the The Mar­chant fee­leth the hart by the garbellers presence in his house.common wealth, whereon that art dependeth, and for whose sake the Marchant is contented to make the Garbeller the maister of his mar­chandize for the time, (the inconueniences whereof he best feeleth, but least knoweth) and the retaylor is appointed his instrument to put the same to sale, according to the deuisions so [Page 9] made bought and sold, whereby it is made ve­ry apparant to your wisedomes, that the soue­raigntie of that and euery other good order, is the sure foundation thereof, with the vnion and bond of all the particulers, for whose cause the same was conceiued, made and aduanced, and heerein as in all other cases, if euery man should haue no other respect but to his owne, their vnity would soone be dissolued.

Chap. 4.

BVt to resume & to continue the speech by vs alreadie begun, of the abuse of this art. We saye, that iniury is offered to those goods of Marchants, and by the sale of those goodes, to the ho­nor and person of the seller: the which iniurie is not doone by force, for force may bee repel­led by force, but by fraude, and by this fraud an iniustice passeth to all, the which is to be remo­ued by reformation. And heerein wee are not called to do, but to demand iustice, the which wee require, euen no further, then that those lawes of your predecessors, made as touching the fact of Garbelling may be kept and obeyed [Page 10] by those workmen, who are parties therevnto: the which belongeth to your offices to see per­formed. And vnder this obedience, is contei­ned The garbeller is not to make lawes at his plea­sure, nor to place nor displace a­ny without consent of the l. maiorthat moderation which the officer in this Art of garbelling, ought to obserue, namelye, that hee must not of his owne motion directe such maner of Garbelling as himselfe pleaseth, nor abuse the manner of garbelling firste vsed; nor by the same abuse, take vpon him any parte of the maiestrates office, in iudging and making forfeit what hee liketh. It is for the Common­wealths sake (whome he may thanke) that hee commeth into the Marchantes dores: & ther­fore it is meet for him to speake, say, and do all thinges for the preseruation thereof by his fa­cultie, as it was first appointed by your prede­cessors, who were as you are, armed with po­wer, to enforce his obedience to these their or­dinances, or to punish the contrarie, or to re­moue him. But forsomuche as couetousnesse, wherewith a man beeing surprised, shall want knowledge howe to command himselfe, maye entice him to fall from all antient orders, and to practise strange deuisions, as well of spices, as of profit and honestie, the which are neuer se­parated in matters of good qualitie; for no­thinge is iust nor profitable if not honest: and Nothing is profitable that is not honesthe that maketh a deuision of them, by setting foorth and separating his actions in this wise, saieng; this deed is honest, but that deed is pro­fitable for me, he cannot be without fraud: but [Page 11] will rend a sunder all equitie ordained by pub­like power. Therefore wee haue set foorth the abuses nowe offered, and wherein the antient deuisions are not obserued, and howe these de­uisions nowe vsed, bringeth detriment to the Marchant and losse to the retaylors, as we haue taken in hand, being the second point by vs set downe in the premises of this discourse, and to shewe wherein the antient order is obserued though corruptlie, and whye the garbeller of late sued to haue his manner of garbling, with further authoririe to be allowed to him, by acte of Common councell.

Chap. 5.

Hast makes wast. ANd first in Nutmegs, for expe­dition and hast (the first point of his gaine) though it make wast to all others. He woulde and oftentimes dooth drawe them into one sort, casting out [Page 12] some of the Rompes, and by that one sorte he may vppon occasion of bribes, displeasure or ignorance, conuert the same somtimes to the benefit of the Marchante, and otherwhiles to the grocer retailor, as is heereafter declared: but to whomsoeuer it is, the common people haue the harme thereby, and the retailor is very often discredited: and by these meanes, con­tentions are, maye bee, and haue beene mo­ued, betweene the marchant, seller, and buier. For by this workemanship this fraud is maintai­ned: Nutmegs falselie pac­ked vp.that on the top of his vessell or bag, there are bestowed nutmegs of faire condition, and in the bottome or a foot downwards, there are found Nutmegs not so good, by vi. viii. and xii. pence in the pound: And to the contrarye when he list, the worst are laid vppermost, and in such sorte, that the retaylor must make sale thereof vppon forfeiture of the same; a thinge which could not happen by the ancient deuisi­ons, for thereby the best are set foorth by it self, by the name of case, being such as is aforesaide, full of oile, faire and of good perfection, and more permanent and lasting then others, and is knowne by his marke. The next sort beeing called baile, is not halfe so oilie as the case, but declining and apt to corruption, and are not to be put vp among the best, for that it wil disgrace them speedilie, and in short time change into a Rompe: the which matter common and dailie experience proueth, the which by a man skilful, [Page 13] and a cunning Garbeller may easilie be drawne frō the best, but not by the vnskilful; so that the remainder being rompes are left to themselues. The which we wish, for that the same is a spice of choise and prise, that the garbelling and put­ting vp thereof, were committed to menne of better iudgement and skill, as by the garbellers owne petition it is required, and not to those whoe nowe are artificers therein, for that they know not how, or malitiouslie will not deuide the same as they ought to be, being a matter of great importance and of regard. Heereby and by the sequell, you may see the abuses, and easi­lie discerne the differences of his garbelling to one sort (the which is no garbelling, but a prac­tise tending to abuses as is heereafter prooued) & the ancient deuisions, & heerwithall you may The mar­chant doth forfeit his wares by the manner of garbel­ling nowe vsed.note the danger (if we may call it a danger) that by this practise of the deuiding of Nutmegs in­to one sort, the marchant and the retaylor pre­sent and to come heereafter, may and do incur by the said Act of common councell, made An. 18. of king Henry the viii, the said deuision be­ing contrarie to the ancient custome: for where it is said, that no marchant nor other, doo sel in grosse or retaile within the Cittie of London, any manner of spices before it be garbelled, tri­ed, and made cleane by the officer, as of olde time accustomed: whereby it may or shall eui­dentlie appeare to the buiers therof, to be good perfect, cleane and wholsome, vppon paine of [Page 14] forfeiture of the same spices so sold. The which matter is not nor can be performed in this one sort of deuiding; but to make it a danger (as we take it) the garbeller hath humblie besought The prac­tise of the garbeller is to intrappe the Mar­chant.your honour and worships of late, to giue him power by order and acte of common councell, to seize vppon all such wares and spices, as are made forfeitable by the same act, and other acts since made, the which authoritie (hee saith) is wanting in the same Acts. This being conside­red, we cannot sufficientlie maruaile, what hath moued him to enter into so preposterous a course; for from this abuse in nutmegs, he hath fallen further to abuse the antient sort and man­ner of garbelling of

Chap. 6.

FOrsomuch as the Garbeller af­firmeth, that this maner of gar­belling is a lawefull manner of garbelling: therein we (as our predecessors did) do not repute it lawfull garbelling, to put wet and dry pepper togither: a thing by him vsed.

Item, To giue licence to any man to buy spi­ces garbellable, and to licence one and not an­other, to carrie the same hither and thither vn­garbelled, vnder his passing seale, is not lawfull; a matter very notorious and enterteineth suspi­cion of much euill.

Item, to arrest some marchantes, and not o­ther some for keeping their goods vngarbelled, longer then the Act of Common councell ap­pointeth, is (so farre as hee can allowe) partia­litie.

[Page 18] Item, To take money of marchants before their goods be garbelled, and to take more mo­ney of one then of another for garbelling of like commoditie, is partialitie: likewise to take more money, then by the act of common coū ­cell is limitted, is vnlawfull.

Item, To garbell Nutmegs into case & baile according to the ancient custome in one place, and not in another, is partialitie.

Item, By skill and pollicie, to hinder the sale of marchants in their goods, requireth disfran­chisement, the which may arise, by puttinge Nutmegs into one sort together in one place, and to hinder the sale of the like in another place, he wil deuide them into two sorts, wher­in the retaylor, so long as hee may finde them so deuided, will neuer looke to him with one sort: and heereby oftentimes, the Marchant is constrained to regarbell them. But to wade further into these or other particularities of his proceedings were too tedious; & are not heer­in for diuers good causes to be discouered: by these it is euident, that the Art of garbelling is not lawfully vsed, but by him vnlawfully abu­sed, and the skilfull ruling or gouerning of a companie is to begin in himselfe: but the head being such, let vs behold the proceedinges of his ministers.

Chap. 7.

NOt long since, a marchant had a commodity wherin the work­men garbellers laboured, by the space of xiiii. daies: the which commoditie, for that it was bought or at the least agreed for, before the garbelling thereof, by certaine retailors, the Marchant promised his reward to these ministers, the retaylors also promised their reward, to haue the same well and duelie garbelled: but secretlie and vnder-hand, one of the said ministers required of one of the retay­lors xx. shillings, promising therefore to leaue good garbell, if he bought the same garbell: the The decei­uer is de­ceiued.retaylor made his countenance to gratifie this friendship, but he would not parte with any of the mony required, vntill he saw this promise to succeed; in this hope these garbellers labored to [Page 20] make good garbell vntil the end, and the retay­lor made hast to buy this garbel at a good prise, hoping to haue had store of good stuffe in the same; and also to reteine his promised reward: the which by delaies these garbellers suspected. And therevpon one of them maketh sute to the marchant that he might buy the said garbell, he had his answer, that he came not in time, it was sold to the retaylor: to this the said workeman and his consortes gaue countenance of their good liking, but withall to couer their abuse, and to reuenge the breach of the retaylors pro­mise, one of them closeth with the Marchant, and saith: Sir you promised vs a reward to take paines in this commoditie, for the true garbel­ling thereof, the which is perfourmed on our parte, but if you will giue vs xx. s. the garbell shall be againe cast ouer, and thereby we doubt not, but to profit you very much. Whye saith the Marchant, my masters you know my mind, they that pleasure me, to them I will not be vn­gratefull.

Heere [...] and by regarbling of the garbell, the marchant saued v. pound, or more in money; their rewarde was giuen, and the garbell is packed vp, the which the retaylor with some gladnes and cost receiued, knowing nothing of the regarbling thereof, and in lieu of his reward, giueth fewe and cheape wordes of thankes to the Garbellors; whoe commen­ding the same in derision, leaueth the same to [Page 21] his further and gentle consideration. By this (beeing one of the least of their bad practises) your Lordshippe and worships may see the vn­due regard, the saide Garbeller and workemen doo beare in these affaires to their duties, the rather for that there is as yet, no good lawe ap­pointed to hold them therevnto: by these also we enforme our selues (and so some of vs haue This losse may be compared to the Ecco which cannot bee found but yet is sensi­bly heard & knowne.heard it deliuered, by the mouthe of some of those ministers) that the marchants in this citty (if reformation were heerein had by an expert garbeller) might saue 2000 poundes yearelie, whereof in this wise they are deceitfully defrau­ded, besides the harmes the retaylor and the common people do sustaine by their bad prac­tises, a great impietie in the suffrance therof, the rather for that vnder the colour of garbling, for the health and wealth of the people, the pro­per owner of such goodes, dooth receiue abuse within his owne doores. Truelie the question why euery such proprietary of such goods, may not clense the same, aswell as to haue an officer therof, hath waightie reasons on both sides, but it is out of our purpose to dispute thereof.

And for further proofe of the second point of our determination; the which is, that the de­uisions nowe vsed, are contrarie to the causes, for the which the saide Act was conceiued. We say as is beforesaid, That by the impunitie of these offences; and from thence many shiftes and sleightes are raunged and deriued, the [Page 22] which by the weakenesse and ignorance of the principall garbeller, is fostred in the members his workemen, cheeflie by the small account which is made of the accomplishment of the antient manner of garbelling, the which being misregarded, these mēbers (good fellows, right Honourable, that wil make you to beleeue that flies doo carry pyke-staues, in those countries from whence these spices doo come) are com­forted, contrarie to the fourme and fashion of this Art, in the retch of the said principall offi­cer, and before his face, strangelie and notablie to defraud him of his dutie, and corrupt theyr whole affaires, to the preiudice of the retay­lors, but chieflie of the Marchants; & amongst many others, this one we thinke meete to haue it remembred for his auaile.

A Marchant hath a commoditie of Cloues, Maces, Wormeseed, or such like to bee garbel­led, the quantitie is waied, or otherwise known to this head garbeller, and founde to bee some 600. pound waight, it being clensed, the good of some one of these commodities, ariseth to 300. or 400. pound waight, from which quan­titie, these members beeing confederates with the Marchants man (who maketh it no sinne to deceiue the deceiuer) withdraweth the thirde or halfe, hauing ready the like waight of olde garbell. Now this head garbeller, for the leuy­eng of his dutie, reuisiteth the waight aforsaid; then to disguize him, they will thrust the olde [Page 23] and new garbell togither to hold waight, and thereby measure and leuie his dutie, according to the good remaining: and the rest of his du­tie is good prize to them, in which ouer-reach, the sealer likewise in his office is as handsome­ly disguised: the manner howe is vnfit heere to be set downe.

Chap. 8.

THese inconueniences as is most apparant, may well bee preuen­ted, by following the antient manner of Garbelling, associa­ting the same with the petitions ensuing, all tending to one vni­forme order in garbelling, to the benefit of all: for by dissorting of the said spices from the an­tient deuisions; the said workmen in this office, to the great preiudice of all parties, take libertie to packe the commoditie vppe verie corruptlie, and will giue such secret marks, either by a knot made on the third, in the bagge made vp, or by A bad prac­tise of the workemen against the marchant.a spot of Inke, that being confederate with ano­ther of their friends, who shall come to buy the same of the marchant, may thereby know how much or how deepe, the best sort doo lie vnder [Page 24] the second, or worst sort, the which is laied vp­on purpose vpon the top of the bagge, & heer­by a man of their intelligence, shall take vp the best commoditie, and leaue the worst to the retaylor; yea and pay lesse for the same, then for the remainder: the marchant beleeuing that he holdeth the best sorts stil, by reason that the best of his commodities is laid vppermost. Where­in we informe our selues, that the marchant lo­seth v. pound in the hundreth waight, by their differences in garbelling and putting vp of the same. The losse runneth not to the benefite of the retaylors, but by the bad handling thereof, his losse likewise ensueth. Besides we take that regarbling is intollerable, and falleth out as euil to the retailor, as filtching of the best falleth out to the Marchant, albeit the waight bee made vp by a little old garbel, bought of purpose (a mat­ter if it be often vsed, for the marchant to looke vnto) all which considered, with manye more wherein euery one of vs haue a sufficient feeling thereof in himselfe by his owne harme. We say that the principall officer, may thinke that these abuses are contrarie to the meaning of the firste erection of garbelling, and that the good of the Common-wealth heerein, is the lawe of this Note.Art: and that hee nor his, can commit a fault, nor yet rest from their duties without the hurt of those, whose health and benefite is cheefelie considered in this art, the which is but a deuisi­on of the good from the bad spices, and not to [Page 25] hinder the marchantes sale or his distribution thereof, or the retaylors detriment by sleightes and practises of their owne inuentions, and fur­ther if he hadde reason of the alteration of anye of these ancient ordinances; if these were euill established, and coulde obteine suche as are a­greeyng with themselues: yet in reason hee is to bring, aswell the Marchant as the retaylor, in hart and mind to helpe the estate therof, and he is not of his owne motion, to intermeddle in the reformation thereof, it being not his pri­uate affaires: and they all are to shewe it to the superiour, whom we know and take you to be, whose hands are vnbound, to dispose and to order these affaires, beeing more publike then priuate.

But to growe briefe in this matter alledged, and to set foorth some resolutions in such que­stions as may arise heerin. And first, where it is by some marchants; Ignorant in the qualitie of garbell and spices (the which sometime falleth Question.into their handes that expect not for them) alledged, that if the antient deuisions shoulde be vsed, that then they shoulde sell the best, and be constrained to keepe the other sortes: as in Nutmegges if they bee deuided into case and baile; the case may be solde and the Bayle shall remaine; And therefore they like the same to bee doone into one sorte. Heerevnto we saye, and will amende his account in this manner: That if the said marchante haue three bagges Answer. [Page 26] of Nutmegs of some 600. waight, first suppose that all the rompes bee taken out, and that the rest doo way 400. waight, being made into one sort, worth to be sold at v. shillings the pound, it ariseth to the somme of 100. pounde, the which if afterwardes they bee deuided into case and baile, the case dooth arise to 250 pound The mar­chant doth not knowe many times what hee dooth sell.waight, beeing worth six shillings the pounde, amounteth to 75. pound, and 150. waight of baile remaining, being worth iiii. shillings the pound, ariseth to 30. pound, the whole summe being 105. pound. So that it appeareth, that the Marchants gaine is greater by these deuisions, then by one sort. And it cannot be denied, but the retaylor shall know better heereby what he buieth then otherwise: and the Marchant what he selleth, being disguized as is aforesaide, and Note.as is heereafter set foorth. And thus much the officer herin could tel the Marchant; with this, that he findeth vpon the sight of the nutmegs, now sent from beyond the seas, that their fac­tors in those parts care not, if the best sorte of Nutmegs be picked out from the second sorte, the which they account will serue well enough in London, to draw into one sort; but he com­mendeth and coloureth these euils with a com­mendable title of expedition, in that one sort is quicklie doone: wherein his gaine is singular, as thus.

He appointeth three men, being hired at xii. pence the daie a peece, to garbell the saide 600. [Page 27] waight of nurmegs into one sort, hee taketh as his due xvi. shillings. These three men can draw those into that sort in half a day, and do receiue xviii. pence for their labour, so his gaine is cleer xiiii. shillings vi. pence, the which if they were dulie garbelled would aske three daies worke, the labour whereof ariseth to nine. s. wherein it plainelie appeareth, that by passing this 600. waight into one sort, he gaineth xiiii. shillings six pence, in halfe a day, and by keeping the an­tient The good of the com­monwealth is the lawe of true gar­belling.deuisions, he gaineth but six shil. in three daies, the which is the cause of his expedition: without care either to the welfare of the Mar­chant, retaylor, or to the people into whose hands the same doo passe. But wee referre it to your Honourable consideration, to iudge what gaine this expedition bringeth in six daies, whē he hath xiiii. shillings six pence, in a forenoon. The which being by his workemen well noted for recreation sake, and to try the iudgement of the saide principall garbeller for a Dilemma in this expedition, they will sometime get a heape of small stones and laye them by their worke, and themselues will play the good fellowes and let all alone: wherewith if any discontentment doo grow by the master garbeller for expediti­on, then they doo shewe these stones, and aske him if that be no labour to picke them out, and thereby these poore men sometime doo gaine a daies labor or two. Wherin for that these work­men haue of themselues found out and requi­red [Page 28] certaine orders to bee kepte among them­selues, and accordinglie haue made their re­quest to the said officer, the which is correspon­dent to the matter by vs required, therefore we haue caused the same their orders to be heerein set foorth, to the end, that the said cheefe gar­beller may be enioyned to allowe thereof, as a meane and for a principall correction of theyr former abuses and conuersation, by the repeti­tion whereof, these persons our friends will bee angred (as is very like.)

But it is not materiall, so that they bee bette­red, Anger bet­ter to be tollerated thā vice.and for that purpose, we are their friendes, and anger is better to be tollerated then vice, or such inconueniences as are aforesaide. But for­somuche as reprehension will breede but small reformation heerein: we for that we know that your entent is to embrace the cause that run­neth to the auaile of the common-wealth, and to suppresse the contrarye, do sue to your lord­shippe, that by waie of your decree, confirmed by Act of Common councell, it maye bee per­petuallie and irreuokeablie ordeined, that the auntient and firste ordinances aforesayde, may be obserued and kept, and all other exercise of Garbelling to bee abolished. And that inso­much as the saide workemen therein, are fallen from their true labour, and by negligence of their gouernour, doo falsifie their workes, to the hurt of manye, partly for want of a reasona­ble sallerie, the which may bee redressed, if the [Page 29] orders by themselues contriued and heerein sette foorth may be granted, beeing such in our opinions, as doo tende to publike profite, as­well as to the priuate gaine of the saide office. That the same their ordinances may likewise be ratified with this.

He requi­reth to vse men of skil, but he will vnskilfully vse them. That none doo worke, inthe sayde office, but able menne and suche as haue skill, as the Garbeller himselfe, by his petition requireth, and to bee by your Honourable assent first al­lowed.

And further, for that the enuie of their doo­inges hath exposed and made the Retaylor; subiect to manye mislikinges with the people, whoe doo buie the saide spices (for an ease in this euill) it maye also please you, to giue your assent for the publication and confirmation of these ordinances also ensuyng; whereby ney­ther the Marchantes, Retaylors, nor Grocers, beeing Chapmen abroade, nor common peo­ple may reenter into any feare, to be abused by the enterprises of these needie workemen, bee­ing no Winterlinges nor colde-hanlers, of and in the Arte of garbelling: wherein as wee haue The reme­dies in the [...] euils.noted the mischiefe, so wee haue founde out the remedie, by this necessarie pathe, beeing accompanied with the auntient order, the which hetherto hathe beene broken vppe and disturbed, by the mysse-regarde of the firste and chiefe Garbeller, whose practise hath byn and is (more & more) vnder sundrie pretenses [Page 30] to abase the credite and authoritie of those an­tient deuisions of spices, and to gaine partakers to ouerthrowe all that stande in his waye, by him taken to ouerreache the absolute power of handeling the saide office in London, to him giuen by your Honors predecessors, as he doth by his garbelling in other places, by force of hir maiesties letters pattents to his own pur­poses: and hath indeuoured to possesse them diuerslie and their fauours, to the end aforesaid, and hath presumed to make lawes in some ca­ses, and in other cases he craueth the same to be established by an act of common councell. And that also it may bee ordeined that his ministers and workmen vnder him, may take their oathe to obserue the same to their vttermoste, the which for that they be not contrarie nor preiu­diciall to the order of the antient maner of gar­belling, but onely doo tend to this end, that we may haue and receiue our spices duly deuided and so packed vp, or else that we may compasse our remedie, if those antient deuisions shoulde be falsified or corrupted.

We therefore haue particularly set foorth the true vniformitie in garbelling of euery spice in his kind, for the more better and plaine direc­ting of the said workemen, and all other therin. And that in case in the execution of these ordi­nances and labour, the saide principall officer shall not receiue a sufficient fee, vppon euerye thing garbelled, that then his duty may bee in­creased, [Page 31] according to such iudgement as him­selfe heeretofore hath required; especially, if the amendment of his rate in the things required as to little, may not be defaulcked out of thinges, that he dooth garbell, for which hee hath too much, as is heereafter declared.

Chap. 9.

PEpper of all Spices ought to be garbelled in the selfe-same na­ture it first came in, whether case, callico, halfe barre wet or drie, the Garbeller ought not to alter the quallitie thereof, for feare of deceit; and to garbell it well, it ought to be thus handled by a workeman of skill. First the dust muste bee sifted through a siue, that ought to haue such holes, that not onelie the dust but also the grauell must go through: that being doone, it ought also to passe through an­other syue, of such holes that they may bee all [Page 32] equall, to the end that the stalks of the said pep­per, may be seperatcd from the good pepper: that beeing doone, there remaineth then no­thing, but that the garbeller doo fanne out all the light pepper, from the saide good pepper. And forsomuch as it is impossible for the gar­beller (if he respect expedition) so to fanne, but that he shall throw out much small, hard, wrin­kled pepper that is good, Therefore hee ought to regarble the saide light pepper againe. And that which he findeth to bee sound, although it be small, yet he ought to put the same into the good pepper, and so to mingle it, that hee de­ceiue neither the marchant, nor Grocer, for in such a case as this is, many times it resteth in the disposition of the Garbeller, to please or dis­please as is before recited. If he should mingle vpon the toppe, or within a little from the top it woulde hinder the sale of the pepper, perad­uenture two pence in a pound: againe if it bee mingled in the midst, or in the bottome, so farre from the sight of the Grocer, that hee is not a­ble to discerne the same, then is hee hindered many times two pence in a pound. And there­fore to preuent this fault and such like in manie other spices, which may be so garbled and min­gled togither, that the one or the other shall be mightilie deceiued. We therfore haue thoght it good, to deuise a marke for the workeman, that dooth garbell and put vp marchantes spy­ces: that when he hath made vppe his worke, [Page 33] the same marke with his name, may be set vpon the top of the bag, or other vessell; shewing thereby the deuision and sorte therein contained, and the goodnes therof (notwithstanding the seale of the garbeller to be vsed at his pleasure) the which marke may passe with Bonus, melior, optimus, according to the thing garbelled, as thus for an example.

[Page 34] A fit reme­dy heereby if the retay­lor or mar­chant be at any time deceiued. The which marks may be printed in paper, and euery of the said workemen to carrie his owne marke.

Chap. 10.

FOrsomuche as it maye bee made knowne to all persons what the Garbellors duetie is, the same at large is expressed in an act of com­mon councel heerevnto added vp­on [Page 43] purpose, and the rather that it maye also ap­peere to all, the exaction doone by the garbel­ler in exceeding the same without warrant. And for that he is not satisfied with the antient rates, nor with his owne exactions therein, but still practiseth to haue a higher rate, it beeing pro­bable that he by the easie labour of three men in the weeke, may by the wages he now recey­ueth, gaine cleerelie fiue pound and vpwardes, all his charges borne. Therefore wee haue par­ticularlie set foorth some parte of his labours, with diuers reasons, prouing that he hath small cause to find himselfe agreeued, or to bee tedi­ous to the marchant about his allowances, or to sue for higher rates, esteeming it a matter of more indifferencie, that the marchants myght rebate the price of those things wherin the gar­beller his labour is little, and his gaine great, and to adde the same to such, as his paines are great and his gaines very small. And for proofe heer­of we say as his workmen in their booke to him promised to performe, the which for that pur­pose we haue also heerevnto annexed: That in

Chap. 11.

FInallie, forsomuch as for want of better iudgement, the prin­cipall garbellor, by sundry peti­tions laboureth to your Lorde­ship: and we, that the garbel and dust might be packed, conuei­ed and disposed, according to his constituti­ons: [Page 48] and wholie to bee drawne from the pos­session of the Marchant. Whereby it is to bee inferred, that he accuseth and condemneth the marchant and others, to haue dubbed and fal­sified the labour of his workemen, by mixing the same with the thing garbelled. And for his countenance therein, produceth the wordes of the Actes of Common councell before recited, the which we take to be friuolous and not in­different, yet very sufficient to make the said gar­beller maisterfull, and a readie meane to hide and colour his owne follies, making the same his proposition and subiect to talke of. There­fore, and for the preuenting of that poore help, we haue the rather aduanced these old ordinan­ces as aforesaid to be indifferent, and to qualli­fie that point of the said Act, in yeelding vp the said garbell and dust to the chamberlaine, or to any other. For if by your wisdomes it shall bee enacted, that this manner of garbelling before recited, shall be obserued: and that such marks be set and made vppon euery sorts, as is heerein set foorth; Then no abuse can or may arise but it may bee knowne, by whome the same com­meth, wherby remedie may be had according­lie, neither can any garbell or dust, be imploied or vsed as the garbeller surmiseth againste the Marchant and others. And therefore not neces­sarie for him to parte therewith to the garbeller or to any other: but more requisite to be from them deteined.

[Page 49] And nowe for an ende heerein, these shorte waies and manner of garbling, which wee haue remembred and set foorth being obserued, will bring vs all to an agreement, the which beeing denied or misregarded, these our petitions and reasons beeing once made knowne, the curses of those that shall suffer detriment in these af­faires, we know cannot light vpon vs, but vpon the Authors of such offenses. And forsomuche Euery member dooth carry helpe to maintain the body according to his pro­portion.as the body is preserued, by reason of that pro­portion, which euery member beareth towards it: so it is to be conceiued, that in this mysterie of the Grocerie, beeing compounded of the marchant, warehouse men, and the retaylors, each member shoulde carrie the same and like reason of proportion, for the sustentation ther­of, the which cannot be had without the vnitie aforesaid. The which thing vndoubtedlie will come to passe, if these ordinances may bee by your wisdomes with the graue aduise of the councellors and cominaltie of this famous Ci­tie, ratified and reduced into fourme of lawe. Whereby euery party to this exercise, may bee constrained to walke in his vocation. Wherein Al ought to liue for the seruice of their prince & countrey.we doo assure ourselues, that you doo care, to direct your wil and works to the seruice of god, the Queenes maiestie and this our country, for whose seruice we all do liue.