THere is a Bill preferred in Parliament ; Praying that it may be declared by Act of Parliament , that the Men and Inhabitants of Little-Yarmouth , alias , South-Town for the time being ; may Lade and Unlade their own Goods and Merchandize out of their own Vessels at Little-Yarmouth , and make Sale of them there , paying the Kings Customes at Great-Yarmouth , without impediment by Great-Yarmouth .

Note . The Town of Little-Yarmouth consists now of about Thirty Houses , whereof divers are Inhabited by considerable Farmers of about a Hundred or Sevenscore pound per Annum , besides Salt-Pans ; to which the Controversies with the Town of Great-Yarmouth hath reduced that place , which heretofore was a Great Town , and had two Parish Churches , and still is part of the Port of Yarmouth , and is the only instance in all the Kings Dominions , that one part of the same Port should be so opprest by another , that they may not Fish or Trade by Sea or Land , but for the benefit of their Neighbour-Town , though they pay the Kings Customes at Great-Yarmouth .

And for passing this Bill , the Town of Little-Yarmouth say ; That by the Statutes of 9. E. 3.1 . and 2. R. 2.1 . All Merchants , Alians , Denizens , and others whatsoever , that will buy or sell Flesh , Fish , and other things Vendible within Franchise , or without , may freely without Interruption sell them ; and if any shall disturb , he shall Forfeit double Damages to the Party , be Imprisoned for Twelve Months , and be Fined to the King ; And this shall be Observed , Performed and Kept , in every City , Burrough , Port of the Sea and other places , notwithstanding , Charters of Franchise granted to them to the Contrary , nor Usage , nor Custome , nor Judgment given thereupon that they can alledge . Which Charters , Usages and Customes , the King , Lords and Commons hold of no Force , as things Granted , or Used , to the Damage of the King and Great Men of His Realm , and to the Oppression of the Commons .

That by the Statute 11. R. 2. c . 7. the Statute 9. E. 3.1 . and the Statute 25. E. 3.2 . to the same effect , are Confirmed , and if any Statute , Ordinance , Charter , Letters-Pattents , Proclamation , Franchise , Commandment , Usage Allowance , or Judgment be made or used to the Contrary , it shall be utterly Repealed , Avoided and holden for none .

☞ Note . The Charter under which the Men of Great-Yarmouth , doe more especially Shelter their Oppressive Usages was made , 10. R. 2. and stands therefore Repealed and Avoided by the Subsequent Act , of 11 R. 2.7 .

That the purpose of the Bill is the Enlargement of the Fishing-Trade , and Encouragement of all Merchandize , and especially of Fishers that come from the West-Country , Kent , Newcastle , and other Sea Towns , and Places , whose Hazzards and Industry are much discouraged by the inconveniences they find in the by-Laws of Great-Yarmouth , contrary to the fore-mentioned Statutes , and more particularly .

The Fisher cannot sell his Herring to any Man but his Host , in Great-Yarmouth , ( which might not be used , but only in the case of Merchant-Strangers ; ) nor can he capitulate with the Host for price , but must take what the Host please to give for them , by which means the Fisher often-times sees his Herring sold before his face to forreign Buyers for almost double the rate he receives ; And in case of a plentiful Fishing , the Fishers are forced to carry their Herrings to London , or other Ports at great distance , and thereby loose the rest of the season of Fishing , or throw what they have taken over-board , that they may return to catch fresh for other Ports , because the Free-men of Yarmouth will not buy them , and no body else may .

The Charters and Grants in Parliament , by which Great-Yarmouth claim these Exorbitant Priviledges of Monopoly have been very often complained of in Parliament ; divers times Repealed by Acts of Parliament ; As 6. E. 3.35 . E. 3.50 . E. 3. and 5. R. 2. never thought Just or Reasonable , as appears by the Arbitrations by the King and Council ; 34. E. 1.6 . E. 3. and by Order of the Queen and Council , 21. Eliz . by all which it is affirmed that those of Little-Yarmouth may Unlade and Sell their own Goods in their own Ships , at their own Town .

Great-Yarmouth receives yearly towards Repair of their Peer above Three Thousand Pound , as by Peerage , Anchorage , &c. and other Town-Duties , at the least to the value of Fifteen Hundred Pounds per Annum : by Profits of the Hayning-Chamber , Communibus Annis Fifteen Hundred pounds ; by the half Doles , Three or Four Hundred pounds , out of which they say they are at One Thousand pound Charge ( others believe half the Money ) for preserving of the Peer ; And their profits of this nature , or any other justifiable gains will not be abated if the Liberty be confirmed to Little-Yarmouth , as is desired by the Bill .

The Laws for Regulating the Herring-Fishing , and the late Act concerning the well packing of Herrings , extend as well into South-Town as now they do to Great-Yarmouth , and the Fishery and Merchandize there , is by the Ordinance of Herrings , under the Care and Government of the Wardens of the Cinque Ports ; therefore there is as little Ground for fear that Little-Yarmouth will by abuses , bring the Herring-Trade into Dis-repute , as there is for hopes that the Herring-Trade will enlarge till the receptions of Fishers , and their liberty of Selling be extended beyond the Limits of Great-Yarmouth .

The Port of London is the most Considerable in all England , yet Merchandize for which Customes are paid at the Custome-house in London , may as lawfully be Unladen at Greenwich , Ratclift , or South-warke , as at Tower-wharff : But South-Town , is nearer to Great-Yarmouth , then South-warke to London , and is part of the Port of Yarmouth .

This Bill though it receive the Particular Countenance of a very Honourable and Worthy Member , Sir Robert Paston , yet it is his Zeal to the Neighbouring Counties that Engage his Patronage , not his Private Advantage , for most of the Lands in South-Town belong to Persons of Quality their Owners , and not to Sir Robert Paston ; but it is an Artifice of the Adversary to Reproach a Publique Good , with the Name of Private Design .