"by Averdupois; and in the Presence of Nicolas de Farndon, holding the Place of the Maior that day (because the Maior [John de Gisors] was before the King's Council at Westminster for the Business of the City) and of Richard de Glocester, &c. Aldermen, and of Richard de Welleford, one of the Sheriffs; they presented one Andrew Goddard to the Office of the Weigher of the great Balance: Whom they chose for a good and faithful Man to do the said Office; and prayed, that the Sheriffs would admit him to the said Office: And that they would not let it to farm, because that it would be to the great Detriment of the foresaid Office."

"And the foresaid Richard the Sheriff admitted the foresaid Andrew. And the said Andrew was sworn, well and faithfully to weigh, as well for the Seller as the Buyer, as well for the Poor as for the Rich; and all other who shall come to the Balance. And at the end of every Week shall render up to the Sheriff all the Profit coming of the said Office, &c. And the said Weigher shall take of every Thousand weighed 1d. for the Sheriff, for the Farm of the City; and for his Labour for every Hundred, a Farthing."

The ancient Assize of Weights and Measures, was as follows.

Per Ordinationem totius Angliæ Regni suit Mensura Dni. Regis composita, &c. "By the Ordinance and Discretion of the whole Kingdom of England, was the Measure of the Lord the King settled: viz. That the English Penny, which is called Sterling, round without Tonsure or Clipping, shall weigh 32 Grains of Bread Corn in the middle of the Ear: And twelve Ounces make the Pound of London, to wit, Twenty Shillings. And eight Pounds of Sterlings make one Galon: And eight Galons make one Bushel of London: And eight Bushels make a Quarter of London: And twelve Pounds and an half make a Stone of London. And a Sack of Wool ought to weigh twenty eight Stone; and in some Parts thirty Stone."

Add this Extract to the rest, concerning weighing of Wool, and rectifying of the Trone, and appointing a Weigher, and the Fee for weighing.

Memorandum, &c. "Be it remembred that on Thursday, in the Eve of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Mary, in the 6 of Edward the Son of Edward, came John de Bureford, Simon Abyndon Draper, John de Codynton Wooler, Walter de Chesewyk, Wooler, John de Hamme, and Richard de Hakeneye, Woolers also, and very many other honest Men, Woolers, and others of the City, at Gyhald, London; before John de Gisorz, Maior, John de Wengrave, William de Leyre, Henry de Durham, John de Wyndesore, William Sernade, William de Combmartin, Anketine de Giscetio, Stephen de Abyndon, and Roger de Paris, Aldermen: And there before the same Maior and Aldermen, forsomuch as it was given to the said Maior and Aldermen to understand, that the Trone of the City, wherewith Wools bought and sold were weighed in the same City, was defective, and not well kept; because that one John Powel, who had the Custody thereof, had not sufficient Insight to execute such Office; the aforesaid John de Bureford and others abovenamed, were sworn, touching the Holy Gospel; that they would cause the said Trone, well and faithfully to be kept, and, if it were necessary, to be amended. And that to keep the said Trone, they would choose some faithful and diligent Person. And hereupon one Thomas Le Anselma Kiere, being sworn, assayed the said Trone by the Weights of Gyhald, and made it certain and competent. And the Woolers being sworn, chose a certain Weigher, to serve the said Trone in the place of John Powel; to wit, one William Gyri, who there presently swore, that he should weigh well and faithfully, by the foresaid Trone, between Merchant and Merchant, doing Justice and Equity, as well to Foreigners, as private Men [i.e. Freemen,] sparing or favouring none by Fear or Affection, Prayer or Price. And that he should not take of the free Merchants of the City, but of both, that is, as of the Buyer, as the Seller, an Halfpenny only of every Sarpelar weighed: And of the Foreigners Merchants, weighing after the same manner, of both one Penny only. And if perhaps a private Merchant and a Foreigner have weighed on account of Merchandize made between them, he shall take, for every Tract, of the Foreigner 1d. and of the private Man one Halfpenny only, and not more."

Concerning the Abuse of Weights in England, and the Complaint and Regulation thereof in Queen Elizabeth's time, it may not be unworthy to be noted: That in the 16th Year of that Queen, Information was given unto the Lord Treasurer, Under-Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer, that the Weights used throughout the Realm were uncertain, and varying one from another: Which tended to the slander of the same, and deceiving of many, both Buyers and Sellers. So that no true and just Standards were then extant for the sizing of true Weights, as in former times had been used. Whereupon they caused nine Merchants, and twelve Goldsmiths of the City to come before them, and charged them to enquire upon their Oaths on certain Articles, containing in effect, how many several sorts of Weights, were then lawfully in use within the Realm; and to try and consider upon certain Weights delivered to them by the said Lord Treasurer, Under-Treasurer and Barons: And out of those Weights, and othetwise, with all their Diligence and Understanding, to size one certain of all sorts of Weights, lawfully to be used from thenceforth. And this Jury accordingly caused one certain Standard, as well of Troy Weight, as of Averdupois. And presented it to the said Treasurer and the rest, together with their Verdict in writing under their Hands and Seals; declaring the several Poizes of the said Standards, and their Proceedings touching the Charge that was given to them.

In the 25th of the said Queen, some Persons of good understanding objected, and alledged unto the said Treasurer, that the said Standards, so by the said Jury sized, were not agreeeble with the antient Standards, allowed and appointed by the Laws of the Realm, nor were so profitable to the Common-wealth, as were convenient. Whereupon the Treasurer caused another Jury of eighteen Merchants, and eleven Goldsmiths, Citizens of the said City, to appear before him in the Court of the Exchequer. And they were charged upon their Oaths to enquire and try, by all lawful Ways and Means that they could, whether the said Standards so newly sized, were agreeable unto the antient Standards, allowed and appointed by the Laws of the Realm; or whether they might be allowed and appointed to be Standards, for the sizing of all other the Weights of the Realm by, without hurt to the Commonwealth. And for their better instruction and understanding of the Truth herein, the Lord Treasurer and the rest charged them to hear and consider all such Objections, as should be made against the sizing of the same Weights, or the said Verdict, by any Person or Persons: and to hear and consider the Answer of the former Jury, to the same, and their Reasons for their said doings in that matter. And if they should find their doings good and allowable, then to certify the