The page of the chamber claims all the King's clothes, except the garments for Lent; all the bed-clothes, his shirt, his coat, his cloak, his breeches, his stockings, and his shoes. We presume that these comprehended all the parts of the King's dress. There might, however, be royal robes. The domestic Bard shall receive a beast of the family out of every spoil in which he shall be present, and a man's share like every domestic: therefore, if there should be fighting, he shall sing the Monarchy of Britain in front of the battle. When a bard shall ask a gift of a prince, let him sing one piece; when he asks of a baron, let him sing three pieces; should he ask of a villain, let him sing till he falls asleep. This may probably be taken as an indication of the progress of generosity: a prince being more easily moved to a gift than a baron; but a villain rather sinking into sleep-sufficient mortification to a bard!-than capable of generosity. The Physician shall sit next to the patron of the family, in the hall. Freely he shall have his land; a horse in attendance he shall have from the King. The physician who could cure a man of wounds in the head, in which his brain was seen; in the body, in which the bowels appeared; in the joints, so that the marrow might be seen-was entitled to three pounds for each of them. The Foot-holder is to hold the King's feet in his lap, from the time he sits down at the banquet, until he goes to sleep; and he ought to scratch the King; and during that period he is to guard the King from every accident. From the same dish with the King he is to cat. He shall light the candles before the King at meat. He shall have a dish of meat, and liquor, though he is not to join in the feast. The Porter, out of every present coming through the gate, shall have a handful; out of every load of fuel passing through the gate, a billet which he can pull without hindering the horse; out of the booty of swine, the sow which he can lift up by the bristles with one hand, so that her feet shall be as high as his knees. Any animal without a tail, passing through the gate, shall belong to him. He should have the remains of the cheese which he shall toast. The Baker-woman is entitled to receive her victuals from the palace, and her clothes and her dish-meat when the King is there; and her cake after baking, out of every sort of flour she shall bake of; and her bed in the provision-house. She is not obliged to rise up to any one while she is baking. Her protection extends as far as she can throw with her spattle. The three indispensables of a King are his : chaplain, to say grace at meals, and to sing mass; the judge of the court, to explain every thing dubious; and his family, to execute his commissions. The three indispensables of a Gentleman : his harp, his cloak, and his cauldron. The three indispensables of a Villain? his trough, his borer, and his fire-hob. A King's buckhound whelp, his value is twenty-four pence, while his eyes are shut; in his kennel, thirty-six pence; while he vaguely hunts, half a pound; when he is well trained, his value is a pound. Whoever shall kill a cat, which guards the house and the barn of the King, her head shall be put towards the earth, and her tail held upwards, upon an even floor, and then he shall pour wheat about her, until the tip of her tail be covered over. Another cat is worth four pence in law. The required qualities of a cat are: to be perfect eared, perfect eyed, perfect nailed, perfect tailed, unmarked by fire, and killing mice, and that she devours not her kittens. A consecrated yew, its value is a pound. An oak, its value is six score pence; whoever bores it through, shall pay threescore pence. A mistletoe branch, its value is threescore pence. Thirty pence is the value of every principal branch in the oak. Threescore pence is the value of a sweet apple-tree. Thiriv pence is the value of a sour apple-tree. Fifteen pence is the value of a wood yew-tree. Seven pence halfpenny is the value of a thorntree. Fourpence is the value of every tree after that. Whoever cuts down an oak-tree in the king's highway, let him pay three kine, as a compensation fine, to the King, and the value of the oak, and let him clear the way for the King; and when the King comes by, let him cover the stump of the tree with one coloured cloth. If a tree should fall across a river, and if hitches, or nets, be drawn over the tree, the owner of the stamp of the tree owns it, on whichever side of the river shail cast the tree. In order to form some notion of the comparative value of money between that time and the present, we may observe, that the value of seven days' ploughing is two pence: so that, when an apple-tree is valued at threescore pence, it is in fact the value of thirty weeks labour of a ploughman; which shews how extremely scarce valuable plants of fruitbearing trees must have been at the period. Six score pence is the value of a gelding. A foal is valued at four pence till August; the first of December, twelve pence; the fist of February, eighteen; and its value advances till it is three years old, when it is worth fourscore and sixteen peace. An apple-tree, therefore, was worth three-fifths of a horse. The pecuniary satisfactions, or mulets, for homicide, are among the most curious remains of ancient legislation; but these must be postponed for the present. EXCERPTA, From the Report from the Committee upon Expired and Expiring Laws, for the First Session of the Third Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great-Britain and Ireland (47 Geo. III.) Ordered to be printed 22d December, 1806. Laws which were passed during the last session. Secondly,-An Enumeration of all the public general Laws, of a temporary nature, which have expired between January 21, 1806 (being the first day of the session, 46 Geo. III.) and Dec. 15, 1806, being the first day of the present session. Thirdly,-An Enumeration of all the public general Laws which are about to expire at the end of the present session, or on or before August 1, 1808, or in the course, or at the end, of any session which may commence during that period; arranged chronologically, according to the dates at which they will expire respectively. Fourthly,-Laws which are of a temporary, but uncertain duration, are distinguished -those which depend on the war, from those which depend on other contingencies. This is an extremely valuable paper, and must have been drawn up with uncommon labour and attention, and, from its appearance, with corresponding correctness also. The importance attached to it, as it concerns the public, and the whole system of our trade and commerce, excites regret that its circulation cannot be rebus sic stantibus, equal to its consequence. It should lie in every merchant's counting-house, on every manufacturer's desk, and in every lawyer's office. Toral phrases applied to their duration, the the public it is necessary; to the author who planned and arranged it, it is highly honourable; to the nation at large, it must be beneficial, particularly to the Boards of Custom and Excise. It contains, first:-A detailed Statement or Register of all the temporary Laws, of a public and general nature, now in force, which have been enacted by the Parliaments of England, or Great-Britain, or Ireland, or of the United Kingdom, from the commencement of the reign of King William III. to July 23, 1806 (being the last day of the session of Parliament, 46 Geo. III.); specifying the matter, date, chapter, and title of each of the original Acts, and the dates and chapters of the respective subsidiary Acts by which they have been either amended or continued.-In drawing up this Statement or Register, the Committee has proceeded by continuing the Enumeration of Laws contained in the Report of the Committee on Expired and Expiring Laws, ordered to be printed on the 24th day of January, 1806, and adding thereto such temporary Laws as have since been passed, and are now in force; and also, by making such alterations therein as have been rendered necessary by other We have been told, the Right Honourable Gentleman who now so ably fills the Chair, was the criginal mover in this business; and of whose labours and extensive knowledge in other public measures we shall have frequent occasion to take notice. Those depending on the war,-the terms in which their limitation is prescribed are different not only in different Acts, but sometimes also in the title and body of the same Act: in the mode of distinguishing the seve Committee has followed former piecedents. We submit, by way of specimen, a selection of the information contained respecting Expiring Acts in 1807-1808. In the present year 1807 will expire: 6th of Ann, 1708, £40,000. per ann. Annuities; also £80,000. same date. 1 Geo. 3. Duties on Malt, Mum, Cyder, and Perry, &c. The Act 46. Geo. 3. continues the Duty on Malt only. 26 Geo. 3. c. 81. For encouraging British Fisheries. Continued by various Acts.By 39 Geo. 3. c. 100. (12 July, 1799) the Act 35 Geo. 3. c. 56. was revived from 1 March, 1799, and continued to the end of the next session.-The two next Acts continued and amended the Act 39 Geo. 3. c. 100.-The Act 42 Geo. 3. c. 79, revived, amended, and continued the Acts of 26, 27, 35, and 39 Geo. 3. though it did not notice the first of these in the title. The Acts 44 Geo. 3. c. 86, 46 Geo. 3. c. 34, revive and continue the Act 39 Geo. 3. c. 100. and notice, but do not explicitly continue, the several amending Acts. 37 Geo. 3. c. 70. Against seduction of soldiers and sailors.-Mutiny, continued 41. G. 3. c. 29. 1800. 37 Geo. 3. c. 97. Treaty of Amity and Com merce with America. 39 Geo. 3. c. 3. Duty on Pensions, Sugar, Malt, Tobacco, &c. See Land-Tax Act, 38 Geo. 3 c. 5. and Land-Tax Redemption Acts, 38 Geo. 3. c. 60. 42 Geo. 3. c. 116.-See also the Customs Consolidation Act, 43 Geo. 3. c. 68. §. 10. and Excise Consolidation-Act, 43 Geo. 3. c. 69. §. 1. 43 Geo. 3. c. 103. Warehousing Portugal and Spanish Wines. As to the time of landing Wine, expired July 5, 1805. 43 Geo. 3. Woollen Manufactures-Suspended Prosecutions. Continued 40 Geo. 8. c. 136. 44 Geo. 3. c. 64. 45 Geo. 3. c. 83. 44 Geo. 3. c. 32. Irish Militia Service-46 Geo. 3. c. 31. 44 Geo. 3. c. 101. Bahama American Salt Trade. 44 Geo. 3. c. 103. Customs and Excise, Irish. Continued, as to Permits, 44 Geo. 3. c. 103. 45 Geo. 3. c. 18. Customs in Ireland. 46 Geo. 3. c. 62. Additional Duties on Iron, Sugar, Tea. 45 Geo. 3. c. 19. Excise and Inland Duties. The 3s. Duty on Houses, repealed by 41 Geo. 3. c. 36. 45 Geo. 3. c. 22. Duty on Irish Malt and Spirits. Continued 46 Geo. 3. c. 120. 45 Geo. 3. c. 47. Examination of Military Abuses.-Vide 45 Geo. 3. c. 70. 45 Geo. 3. c. 98. Increasing Drawbacks on Linens exported to West Indies. Foreign Plain Linens, 45 Geo. 3. expires same time. 45 Geo. 3. c. 105. Hearth-Money, and Assessed Taxes, Ireland, continued and amended, 46 Geo. 3. c. 120. Paper, and Paper Hangings, Ireland. 46 Geo. 3. c. 30, Trade to Cape of Good Hope. 46 Geo. 3. c. 66. Mutiny Act. Expires in Great-Britain, March 25 ; Ireland, April 1; Jersey, &c. May 1; Gibraltar, &c. March 25, 1808. 46 Geo 3. c. 103. Imported Salt Fish from Newfoundland, with Bounty. 46 Geo. 3. c. 118. Time for purchasing le gal Quays in London: compare 43 Geo. 3. c. 124 46 Geo. 3. c. 126. Innkeepers' Subsistence of Soldiers. 46 Geo. 3. c. 139. Regulation Malt Duties. 46 Geo. 3 c. 152. To stay Prosecutions→→→ Bark and Leather. 8 Geo. 1. For Encouragement of the Silk Manufactures: but this Act is continued, so far as relates to the Encouragement of the Silk Manufactures of this Kingdom, by 46 Geo. 3. cap. 110. (No. 198), by which the Bounties specified in this Act are increased during the War. 29 Geo-2. Bounty on British and Irish Linens.-See 23 Geo. 3. cap. 21. (No. 38.) 4 Geo. 3. c. 19. For importing Salt from Europe into the Province of Quebec, in America. Continued by 6. c. 42. 13. c. 09. 20. c. 19. 26. c. 53. 31. c. 43. 36. c. 40. §. 7. 43. c. 29. §. 7. Expires 24th June, 1908. 4 Geo. 3. c. 26. Bounty on Importation of Hemp from America. Continued by 28. Geo. 3. c. 52. §. 12. 46. Geo. 3. c. 29. §. 4. 6 Geo. 3. c. 28. Prohibition of Foreign Wrought Silks and Velvets, and Combination among Workmen employed in Silk Manufacture. Continued as to prohibition of Foreign Silks and Velvets, except so far as is repugnant to 43 Geo. 3. cap. 68. Sche dule A. tit. Silk. Continued also by eight other Statutes, all of which are referred to in the margin. 17 Geo. 3. c. 43. Permitted Expertation of Tobacco-pipe Clay to West Indies. Continued by various Acts marked in margin, 19 Geo. 3. c. 18. Annuities for 29 years. 23 Geo. 3. c. 77 Encouragement of Flax and Cotton Manufactures. The Act 43 Geo. 3. c. 29, is with an exception as to the Drawback on Brim stone. N. B. Amended, 43 Geo. 3. c. 29.- 26 Geo. 3. c. 41. Encouragement of Greenland Fishery. N. B. This Act, and 29 Geo. 3. c. 53. 33 Geo. 3. c. 74 Scotland. 38 Geo. 3. c. 68. Payment of Creditors in Duties on Spices. But query? See 43 Geo. 3. c. 63. 39 Geo. 3. Duties on Pensions, &c. also on Sugar, Malt, Tobacco, Snuff.-See Land-Tax Act, 38 Geo. 3. c 5. and Land-Tax Redemption Acts, 38 Geo. 3. c. 60. 42 Geo. 3. c. 116.-See also the Customs Consolidation Act, 43 Geo. 3. c. 68 §. 10. and Excise ConsolidationAct, 43 Geo. 3. c. 69. §. 1. 41 Geo. 3. c. 77. Importation of Salt Fish from Newfoundland.-See 46 Geo. 3. c. 103. as to Bounty. 41 Geo. 3. c. 95 Warehousing British Plantation Spirits in Ireland. 43 Geo. 3. c. 35 Grain and Flour to and from Ireland. The Act 43 Geo. 3. c. 14. is also " for permitting the Exportation of Seed "Corn from Great-Britain to Ireland; " and the Importation of Malt into "Great-Britain from Ireland.". [Repealed as to Malt by 44 Geo. 3. c. 89. §. 1.-And now see 46 Geo. 3. c. 97, which permits the free Interchange of Corn and Flour between Great-Britain and Ireland.] 43 Geo. 3. c. 68. Newfoundland Fishery. 44 Geo. 3. Importation Hides, Tallow, Wool (not Cotton Wool), in Foreign Bottoms. See 45 Geo. 3. c. 57, for West Indies. 46 Geo. 3. c. 119. Prohibition Slave Trade. Those Laws which expire in following years, as 1809, 1810, 1811, are very properly reported also. The importance of these regulations is evident from a mere inspection of the subjects we have extracted, which is but a small proportion. It is proper that those who are any way affected by these Acts, should have a sufficient time allowed them to mature and to state their sentiments, together with what improvements have occurred to them, if they are to be revived, or continued; as many things occur incidentally, which may not be thought of suddenly. We conclude this article by observing, with what diligence the various branches of our trade have been fostered, by bounties, by exemptions, &c. continued for a time; at the end of which time, fresh regulations have confirmed the advantages which experience had demonstrated, and removed those that had been found injurious. Our commerce, then, is not wholly spontaneous, or natural to our island; but has been gradually improved, enlarged, accumulated, the work of ages, till, at length, it is all but boundless. REGULATIONS OF THE WOOLLEN MANUFACTURES, AND SYSTEM OF APPRENTICESHIP. Different stages and states of society require different regulations to promote their welfare. That nourishment which is proper for infants, is unappropriate to adults. When commerce and manufactures are in an infant state, they demand a fostering care, that, operating as a bounty, may strengthen and advance them : but, when strengthened and advanced, other measures may be proper to establish and govern them. We presented, in our first Number, the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons on the State of the Woollen Manufactory, that staple article of our country! As this subject will speedily be re-considered by Parliament, as appears by a motion of Lord Temple, we think it may not be amiss to remind our readers of the probability, that the system established in the days of Queen Elizabeth is likely to undergo some alterations. We desire to be understood as giving no opinion at present on a subject of so great importance, but shall merely insert a pro and con state of the question. We shall, in the first place, transcribe a few paragraphs from the Speech of Randle Jackson, Esq. before the Committee of the House of Commons, on behalf of the Clothworkers and Sheermen of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Wiltshire, Somersetshire, and Gloucestershire.-London, Stockdale, 1806. By turning to the Panorama, pp. 120, 121, it will be seen that the Committee recommended the repeal of the Act of 5 and 6 Edw. VI. for putting down gig-mills. On this subject Mr. J. declaims at some length in behalf of his clients; observing that, Mr. E. S. of Uley, in Gloucestershire, ad mits, upon his cross-examination, "that cloth may be overstrained, so as to afford an extraordinary profit at foreign markets, without breaking the thread; that great art is required in using the gig-anill, and that the cloths done by the hired or public mills have been done badly." In which state the cloth is pressed, and goes to the customer without the damage being discoverable. And even when the ground is broken, we have abundant proof that it is the custom in those cases, so to fine-draw, flock, and press, as almost to defy detection. Mr. W. of Dursley, allows it to be his opinion, that the medley cloths dyed in the wool will not bear the pressure of the gigmill, like the white cloths of his county; and he goes on to say," that they leave their lists longer on the cloths meant to be dressed by the gig-mill than on those dressed by hand, to provide for the necessary degree of straining in the gig mill;" he adds, that the great advantage of gig-dressed cloth is in its appearance, and that they sell such cloths for a higher price than those done by hand." Mr. William S. of Frome, in Somersetshire, allows, "that they mill their cloths one yard short in an end, to bear the force of the gig-mill." It is admitted that three persons, with the assistance of the gig-mill, would dress about as much cloth as twenty-four persons could dress by hand. In speaking of the sheering-frame, on which also the Committee reported, he thus reasons against it: The sheering-frame has this mischievous effect, it will not sheer even; and if the cloth is not put on perfectly even, it will knib, that is, catch it with the blade. Now, if it knibs when they sheer by hand, the sensation of the sheerer immediately detects it, and the injury is stopped. The fine-drawers have said, that the holes made in the cloth by the sheers are of the size of a pea, or a gun-shot; while, on the other hand, those made by the sheering-frame are generally three or four inches long: the reason is, that when a hole is made, it cannot be detected till the blade, which is some inches broad, and fixed in the frame, has passed over a space equal to its breadth; they then find out that a hole is made, and they stop the machine. They say it is not necessary to have a man after each machine, as you have after a pair of sheers, but that one man superintends half a dozen of them. The witnesses have uniformly stated the extra straining of the cloth to average, at least, two yards in twenty above the legal measure. One of the Yorkshire masters, a respectable magistrate in that county, was called: an honourable member of the Committee reminded him of the unfortunate circumstance which led to the loss of the Russian market; namely, that a Russian brigade, newly clothed with English cloth, happening to be exposed to a drenching shower, their coats shrunk into waistcoats. Mr. C. the witness, admitted the anecdote, and added, that they had the most exorbitant demands made upon them by the German factors and merchants, on account of extraordinary straining! Mr. Lambert is, by profession, an overlooker or examiner of cloths for the drapers; that is, when the draper looks out a certain quantity of cloths at the warehouse of the factor, they are sent to a person whose peculiar business it is to examine and report upon them. Mr. Lambert tells you he examined, at least, two hundred cloths a week for various drapers; that by far the greatest proportion of those which pass through his hands are dressed by the gig-mill; and that he pursues a mode which cannot fail of detecting the injury, if any be done to the cloth., He begins with taking out the press, that is, getting off the gloss, he can then discern what injuries there are; and he tells you, that out of two hundred cloths he is obliged to throw aside a considerable number.-He says, that the gig-cloth is looser; it feels more hollow in the hand, and the injuries are of a different nature from those which he finds in the hand-dressed cloths. He examines all the hand-dressed cloths which come from an eminent manufacturer in the West of England, and in the course of the last two years he has not had occasion to return five of them. The cloths, whether over-strained at the tenter, or by gig-dressing, go abroad in that state of extension :-those intended for home consumption, especially for the London wear, are damped and cold-pressed; the damping drives them in, perhaps, half a yard upon twenty; but the cloths meant for the foreign market are not damped, but merely pressed, which does not drive them in more than a very few inches at most.-Mr. E. one of the Yorkshire masters, admits, that the coarser kind of woollen cloths are strained in the proportion of five yards upon twenty-five. -Mr. E. says, truly, that these cloths shrink back towards the legal length every time they are exposed to the air. When 'cloths are taken from the tenter, though notoriously overstrained, nevertheless the length is found fraudulently to correspond with the seal put on at the fulling-mill. I had been informed, that by some management at the fulling-mill, it was not unusual to put on seals, these denoting a longer length than the cloth actually measured, so as to allow for subsequent straining. The clothiers well know, and it is in evidence before you, that the searchers have not the common means of living, if they do their duty-that they are cast for sustenance |