This
was
written
by
the
merchantes
Adventurers
The
Course
of
the
Tare
of
Cloth
in
Holland
.
BY
the
Ancient
Law
of
the
Romans
,
called
Edictum
Aedilitium
:
(
of
the
AEdiles
that
made
it
)
it
was
free
to
the
Buyer
of
any
slaue
or
other
Merchandize
that
had
any
hidden
fault
,
which
would
not
be
perceived
by
ordinary
view
,
to
make
further
visitation
of
the
thing
so
bought
afterwards
;
and
if
it
proved
faulty
then
,
at
his
choice
either
to
returne
the
same
vpon
the
Seller
,
or
else
retaining
it
,
to
haue
the
defect
valued
by
indifferent
persons
,
and
then
the
value
of
the
faults
to
be
allowed
him
by
the
Buyer
out
of
the
price
.
This
Law
,
among
many
other
Lawes
of
the
Romanes
,
is
currant
to
this
day
in
Germany
,
and
the
Low
Countries
,
yet
so
,
as
it
is
neverthelesse
free
to
sell
a
Commodity
,
Per
aversionem
;
that
is
,
to
be
taken
with
all
faults
,
if
the
buyer
will
consent
thereunto
according
to
the
rule
;
Quilibet
iuri
pro
se
introducto
potest
renuntiare
?
The
Merchants
Adventurers
,
trading
in
Cloth
,
with
the
Merchants
of
Germany
,
and
of
the
Low
Countries
,
and
settling
the
Rendevouse
of
their
trade
in
each
of
these
,
in
one
place
called
their
Mart
Towne
,
did
of
ancient
time
allow
abatement
vnto
the
Buyers
for
such
faults
of
their
Clothes
,
(
especially
for
narrownesse
and
shortnesse
,
)
as
were
found
in
the
opening
of
the
same
,
after
they
came
to
the
Buyers
hands
,
which
allowance
or
abatement
was
at
first
made
onely
in
their
Mart
Towne
,
and
before
the
Cloth
was
wet
;
in
this
manner
.
The
Merchant
Buyer
having
in
opening
of
his
Cloth
in
the
Mart
Towne
,
found
them
to
be
too
narrow
or
too
short
,
did
forthwith
acquaint
the
Seller
,
that
the
Cloth
was
found
to
be
faulty
,
whereupon
the
parties
agreed
vpon
two
good
men
,
one
of
each
Nation
,
to
visit
the
Cloth
,
and
to
value
the
faults
;
which
valuation
is
by
the
Dutch
called
Tare
:
&
that
being
thus
made
,
the
Seller
was
to
allow
the
Buyer
the
sum
so
taxed
out
of
the
price
of
Cloth
;
which
Tare
&
allowance
being
so
made
,
the
Seller
made
Affadauit
thereof
before
the
Secretary
of
the
Fellowship
of
Merchants
Adventurers
,
residing
in
the
Mart
Towne
,
who
gaue
certificat
of
the
same
vnder
the
Seale
at
causes
of
the
Company
.
By
vertue
whereof
the
English
Merchant
was
inabled
to
recover
the
said
abatement
againe
of
the
Clothier
,
that
sold
him
the
Cloth
here
in
England
.
This
Tare
being
thus
at
first
made
in
the
Mart
Towne
,
the
Dutch
Merchants
that
dwelt
in
other
Townes
,
pretending
hast
and
want
of
leisure
to
visit
their
Cloth
in
the
Mart
Townes
,
carried
it
home
to
the
severall
Townes
where
they
dwelt
,
where
finding
defects
of
length
and
breadth
in
the
Clothe●
,
they
caused
the
sworne
Measurer
of
the
place
to
mete
them
over
,
and
certifie
the
want
of
length
or
size
vnder
his
hand
,
which
certificat
being
brought
to
the
English
Merchant
,
and
being
at
first
for
no
greater
matters
then
were
vsually
found
in
the
Mart
Towne
,
he
allowed
therefore
according
to
the
Rate
as
the
Cloth
cost
,
and
made
his
Affadavit
thereof
to
the
English
Secretary
,
and
tooke
his
Certificat
accordingly
?
After
this
was
dawn
thus
in
Train
,
and
the
Dutch
Merchants
began
to
feele
the
sweetnesse
of
these
allowances
,
made
greater
by
the
absence
of
the
English
Merchants
began
to
feele
the
sweetnesse
of
these
allowances
,
made
greater
by
the
absence
of
the
English
Merchants
,
they
further
proceeded
to
make
abatement
for
Rimples
,
Bandes
,
holes
,
and
stopsalles
in
the
Cloth
,
at
their
owne
home
.
And
for
the
taxing
of
the
true
value
of
these
faults
,
as
also
of
shortnesse
and
narrownesse
,
they
caused
(
for
better
colour
of
their
proceedings
)
an
office
to
be
erected
in
every
Towne
of
sworne
men
to
visit
English
Cloths
,
and
to
estimate
and
taxe
the
damage
thereby
sustained
by
the
Buyer
,
whereof
certificat
being
brought
to
the
English
Merchants
in
the
Mart
Towne
,
he
was
compelled
to
allow
the
same
,
and
to
seeke
the
remedy
of
the
Clothier
here
,
by
such
certificat
from
the
Secretary
of
the
Company
,
as
is
above
mentioned
.
The
course
thus
settled
,
the
Dutch
grew
daily
to
make
their
Tare
more
and
more
vnreasonable
,
the
Visitors
or
Tare-masters
favouring
those
that
brought
them
worke
,
and
adding
to
the
Tare
not
only
the
salary
of
their
labour
,
but
also
the
charges
of
their
meeting
,
which
was
sometimes
a
Pot
of
Wine
,
two
or
three
,
sometimes
a
dinner
,
at
last
what
they
would
spend
vnder
colour
of
that
occasion
:
So
that
the
Tare-masters
,
and
some
of
the
Dutch
Merchants
bragg'd
,
that
they
had
built
faire
houses
,
by
the
benefit
of
the
Tare
of
English
Cloth
.
The
Clothier
of
England
feeling
the
smart
of
this
Tare
,
(
although
he
seldome
allowed
his
Merchant
the
one
halfe
of
that
the
same
Merchant
had
paid
to
the
Dutch
)
complained
to
the
Parliament
in
the
43.
yeare
of
Queene
Elizabeth
;
and
so
prevailed
,
that
it
was
enacted
,
that
he
should
not
be
liable
to
allow
the
Merchant
any
thing
vpon
any
certificat
brought
from
forraigne
parts
,
yea
although
he
should
contract
with
him
to
doe
it
.
Hereupon
the
English
Merchant
fell
vnto
a
great
and
continuall
losse
:
the
Clothier
now
making
falser
Cloth
then
ever
before
,
and
the
Dutch
Merchant
more
Tare
;
so
that
loosing
oft
,
of
his
principall
he
complained
to
the
Parliament
,
But
in
the
yeare
1614
the
new
Company
for
Dying
and
Dressing
being
erected
,
the
Netherlanders
soone
regained
that
from
them
,
which
the
old
Company
had
gotten
before
,
TO
THE
RIGHT
HONOVRABLE
THE
LORDS
OF
HIS
Maiesties
most
Honorable
Privie
Counsell
.
The
humble
Petition
of
the
Fellowship
of
the
merchants
Adventurers
of
England
.
MOst
humbly
shewing
that
vpon
complaint
heretofore
made
by
the
Petitioners
of
the
great
wrong
and
damage
sustained
by
them
,
and
the
very
Trade
of
this
Land
,
as
well
by
the
vniust
Taring
and
Abatement
made
by
the
Merchants
of
Holland
,
and
other
the
vnited
Provinces
,
vnder
colour
of
defects
of
the
Cloth
sold
them
by
the
Petitioners
;
as
also
by
the
immoderate
Impositions
levied
by
the
Lords
States
generall
vpon
English
Cloth
,
yet
leaving
the
Cloth
of
their
owne
Country
free
of
the
same
.
It
pleased
this
Honourable
Boord
by
their
letters
dated
in
February
,
Anno
1624.
to
recommend
the
cause
to
the
Right
Honourable
the
Lord
Carleton
,
then
Ambassadour
resident
with
the
said
Lords
States
for
his
late
Maiesty
of
blessed
memory
,
to
be
by
his
Lordship
negotiated
with
the
said
Lords
States
in
his
said
Maiesties
name
,
and
due
redresse
demanded
;
wherein
after
his
Lordship
had
accordingly
made
very
good
entrance
,
it
pleased
his
Maiesty
,
that
is
now
to
commit
the
seconding
thereof
vnto
the
most
honourable
the
Duke
of
Buckingham
,
when
his
Grace
went
Ambassadour
extraordinary
to
the
said
Lords
States
,
with
whom
also
his
Grace
dealt
effectually
herein
,
as
the
shortnesse
of
the
time
would
then
permit
.
But
both
his
Grace
and
the
said
Lord
Carleton
returning
before
the
cause
could
be
brought
to
an
end
,
by
reason
of
the
delayes
vsed
by
the
Dutch
party
,
and
his
Maiesty
having
sithence
vntill
now
had
no
Ambassadour
there
,
the
Petitioners
for
the
Interim
by
mediation
of
your
Lordships
obtained
his
Maiesties
Royall
Letters
to
the
said
Lords
States
to
accept
of
the
person
of
Mr.
Misselden
,
Deputy
Governour
of
the
Company
of
Merchants
Adventurers
residing
at
Delfe
in
Holland
,
for
the
sollicitation
of
the
said
cause
,
wherein
he
hath
since
accordingly
travailed
,
but
as
yet
without
effect
:
In
the
meane
time
the
grievance
of
Tare
hath
rather
increased
then
otherwise
;
the
Company
at
Delfe
having
made
an
exact
Inquiry
&
collection
of
such
summes
as
haue
bin
abated
the
last
yeare
in
this
kind
,
whereof
they
finde
the
totall
to
be
aboue
ten
thousand
pound
,
from
Decemb:
1625
,
to
Decemb.
1626.
Now
forasmuch
as
this
grievance
of
Tare
,
and
the
other
of
Imposition
are
such
as
without
redresse
will
vtterly
disable
the
Petitioners
to
continue
their
Trade
:
And
for
that
they
vnderstand
that
his
Maiesty
hath
resolved
shortly
to
send
over
the
Right
Honourable
the
Lord
Carleton
aforesaid
,
as
Ambassadour
extraordinary
to
the
said
Lords
States
:
The
Petitioners
humble
suite
is
,
that
it
will
please
your
good
Lordshipps
to
be
a
meanes
to
his
Maiesty
,
that
the
said
causes
of
Tare
and
impositions
may
be
committed
and
given
in
charge
to
the
said
Lord
Carleton
to
be
now
by
his
Lordship
resumed
and
pursued
to
an
effectuall
remedy
and
conclusion
:
And
the
said
Mr.
Misselden
that
hath
sollicited
the
said
causes
in
the
Interim
as
aforesaid
,
shall
attend
his
Lordship
with
full
information
,
as
well
of
that
which
hath
passed
in
his
Lordships
absence
;
as
with
whatsoever
else
shall
be
requisite
on
the
Merchant
part
:
And
the
Petitioners
shall
daily
pray
.