WHereas in and by an Act of Parliament Made and Passed in the last Session of Parliament , Intituled , An Act for Laying a Duty on Leather for the Term of Three Years , and making other Provision for Answering the Deficiencies as well of the late Duties upon Coal and Culm , as for Paying the Annuities upon the Lottery , and for Lives Charged on the Tunnage of Ships , and the D●ties upon Salt , It is ( amongst other things ) Recited , That in the First Year of the Reign of King James the First of Happy Memory , a good and wholsom Statute was made concerning Tanners , Curriers , Shoemakers and other Artificers in Leather , wherein Ample Provision was made for the true and well Tanning , Currying and Working of Leather , and for and concerning the Buying and Selling of the same in Open Fairs and Markets , and for such other Matters and Things relating to Leather , as in the said Statute are plainly Expressed ; The due Execution whereof hath been and is of great Importance to the Publick and Good Service of this Realm , and would very much Contribute to the Ascertaining , Charging and Collection of the Duties by the said Act intended to be Granted . And whereas it is by that Act Enacted , That all Mayors , Bayliffs , and other Head Officers for the time being , in the several Cities , Boroughs and Market Towns of this Realm , and the respective Lords of Liberties , Fairs and Markets , and the Masters and Wardens of several Companys in the Recited Act Expressed , and all Tanners , Curriers , Shoemakers and other Artificers , and all and every other Person and Persons whatsoever , who are or ought to be concerned in the Execution of the said Statute , or to give Obedience thereunto , shall ( under the Pains , Penalties and Forfeitures as are therein severally Expressed ) duly Execute , Observe and Comply with the same Statute , and all the Clauses , Matters and Things therein contained , in Relation to the Tanning , Dressing , Making , Buying , Selling , Trying , Sealing and Registring , or other Matters concerning Leather , other than such as have been Altered by any Law or Statute since that time Made and now in Force . And it is thereby further Enacted , That from and after the Twentieth Day of April , One thousand six hundred ninety seven , no Tanner , Tawer , Currier , Maker , Dresser , or other Person or Persons whatsoever , shall put , or cause to be put to Sale , Exchange or otherwise depart with any kind of Leather Tanned , Tawed , Dressed or Made within this Kingdom , for which the Duty of Fifteen Pounds per Centum ad Valorem , by the said Act Imposed , ought to be Paid , in any Place or Places whatsoever , other than in some open Fair or Market ; and that all Leather Sold , or for which any Contract shall be made for Sale thereof , with the true Price or Value at which the same shall be Sold , Bartered or Exchanged , shall be Entred or Registred with the Officer Appointed to Collect those Duties , to contain the Number of all Hides , Butts , Backs , Skins and Pieces of Leather so Sold , Bartered , Exchanged or Contracted for before the Delivery thereof , or of any Part thereof , And that all and every 〈…〉 Dressers of Leather in Wooze , Mill , Oyl , Salt , Allom , or other Materials whatsoever , shall before the Twentieth Day of May , One thousand six hundred ninety seven , give Notice in Writing to some one or more of the Commissioners , Surveyors , or other Officers to be Appointed for the next Market to the Place where any Tan-house , Work-house , or other Place shall be made Vse of for the Tanning , Tawing , Dressing or Making of Leather , of every such Work-house , Tan-house , or other Place for the Tanning , Tawing , Dressing or Making of Leather by them respectively used , and of the Number of Pits and Fats therein ; And that they respectively as often as they shall Change their Places of Tanning , Tawing , Dressing or Making of Leather , and all and every Person who shall at any time , during the Continuance of the said Act , be the Tanner , Tawer , Currier , Maker or Dresser of Leather , shall give or leave like Notice of their respective Names and Places of Abode , and of their Yards , Work-houses , or other Places where they shall Tan , Taw , Make or Dress , or intend to Tan , Taw , Make or Dress any Leather , Hides or Skins , or Pieces thereof , before they or any of them do presume to make use of the same , to the end the said Commissioners , Surveyors , or other Officers , may from time to time have due Knowledge of all such Tan-yards , Work-houses , or other Places , and the Number of Fats and Pits therein , under the Penalty of the Forfeiture of Fifty Pounds by the said Act Imposed , as in and by the said Act more fully Appears . And whereas the Lords Commissioners of His Majesties Treasury , pursuant to the last mentioned Act , have placed the Management of the said Duties upon Leather , and the Execution of the said Act in the Commissioners and Governours for Management of the Receipt of Excise for the time being , and in Collectors , Surveyors and Officers to be appointed by them , or the major part of them , who by the Laws relating to the Excise are obliged to keep an Office open in every Market Town on every Market Day : We taking into Consideration that the Methods prescribed by the above recited Act , have , of late Days , been very much Neglected and Disused , especially as to the Buying and Selling of Leather in open Fairs and Markets , and being sensible that the due Performance and Execution of the said Act will very much tend not only to the Ease , Benefit and Advantage of all His Majesties Loving Subjects , Traders and Dealers in Leather , and the General Good and Publick Service of the Realm , but to the better Ascertaining , Charging and Collecting of the Duties on Leather Granted by the said Act ; And to the end no Person or Persons in the above Recited Acts mentioned may through Ignorance incur any of the Penalties thereby Inflicted , Have thought fit , by the Advice of His Majesties Privy Council , to Publish this Proclamation ; And We do hereby Declare , That all Mayors , Bailiffs , and other Head Officers for the time being , in the several Cities , Boroughs , Market Towns , and also the respective Lords of Liberties , Fairs and Markets , and all others whom it may concern within this Kingdom of England , Dominion of Wales , and Town of Berwick upon Tweed , that they and every of them in their respective Places and Stations , do take effectual Care , that the above mentioned Statute made in the said First Year of the said King James the First , and all the Clauses , Matters and Things therein contained , in relation to the Tanning , Tawing , Dressing , Making , Buying , Selling , Searching , Trying , Sealing , Registring , and all other Matters concerning Leather , be forthwith put in due Execution , other than such as have been Alter'd by any Law or Statute since that time made , and now in Force ; And that from henceforth all Leather Taw'd , Dressed or Made with Oyl , Allom , Salt , or any other Materials , commonly called , White Leather , except as in the said Act made in the last Session of Parliament is excepted , as also all Tann'd Leather made in Wooze , commonly called , Red Leather , for which the said Duties are to be paid , be Sold in Open Fairs and Markets , according to the Direction of the said Acts , and not elsewhere . And We do hereby Declare and Appoint for the greater Ease and Convenience of His Majesties Subjects , That the respective Lords and Owners of Liberties , Fairs and Markets , do appoint and make Publication of the certain Time and Place in which only any sort of Leather shall or may be Bought or Sold , or offer'd to Sale within their respective Markets , Fairs , and Iurisdictions . And We do hereby further Publish and Declare , That all Tanners , Tawers , Curriers , Makers or Dressers of Leather , giving their Notices , Entring their Leather , Registring the same , and Paying the Duties according to the Directions of the said Act , at the next Office of Excise for the time being , for the Market-Town or Place next their respective Tan-houses or Work-houses , or with the Officer appointed for such Excise Office , will thereby avoid the Penalties Inflicted by the said Act. Provided nevertheless , That where any Leather shall be Sold at any Fair , the same must on Sale thereof be Registred with , and the Duties Paid to the Officer appointed for such Fair . And We do hereby strictly Charge and Command all Iustices of the Peace , Mayors , Sheriffs , Bailiffs , Chief Magistrates , Constables , Headboroughs , Tythingmen , and all other Officers and Ministers of Iustice , That they be Aiding and Assisting to the said Officers in the due Execution and Performance of their Office , as they will answer the contrary at their utmost Perils .