Chapter Thirty-Eighth. (A) RALPH TAYLER, public notary, and stew * ard to the carpenters of Newcastle, upon his oath, at Gates-head, in January, 1749, said, that the mayor and burgesses, of Newcastle, did sue,* imprison, and fine, Robert Johnson, Alexander Hearon, and William Portice, of the town of Gateshead; John Hubbert, of South Shields; and John Readhead, only for working upon ships, in the river of Tine, being carpenters, and made them to pay their fines imposed upon them by the mayor and burgesses. See stat. 2 Edw. III. 6, 28 Edw. III. 3,* 9 Hen. III. 29,* 43 Eliz. 2.* RALPH TAYLER, and MICH. BONNER prove the like. (B) Michael Bonner, merchant, and water-sergeant, of Newcastle, at the same time, upon his oath said, that the mayor and burgesses of Newcastle arrested and imprisoned, and set a fine, upon one John Hardcastle, a carpenter, for working upon a ship, in the river of Tine, he not being a freeman of that corporation, and made him enter into a bond of 1007. in May, 1648, never to work upon his trade again, and made him pay his fine. MICHAEL BOnner. (c) John Hall, upon his oath said, that the mayor and burgesses of Newcastle did arrest, imprison, fined, sued, and forced bonds, from one Richard Tayler, Henry Atcheson, and Robert Lambert, smiths, whose wives and families inhabits at North Shields, in the county of Northumberland, and Thomas Brocket, of Gateshead, in the county of Durham, smith, for no other offence than for working upon their lawfull trades, where they dwell; Tayler and Brocket stood out suit, Atcheson entered into bond, never to work upon his trade to the ships on the river; and Lambert kept in prison, till almost starved,* his wife and six small children begging for food. See stat. 9 Hen. III. 29;* 43 Eliz. 2. JOHN HALL. (D) Ralph Bowes, of Newcastle, late burgess, but disfranchised, upon his oath said, in January, 1649, that, formerly, he had seen an antient writing, belonging to the mayor and burgesses of Newcastle, purporting that it was unlawfull for any tradesmen to work, or live in any port adjoyning to the river of Tine, but onely at the town aforesaid, and that the mayor and burgesses have had the punishing of all such as did work, as also the correction thereof, in that port, &c. RALPH BOWES. [It is pitty this gentleman is not restored to his freedom again, for this his great discovery. Surely this said writing was made by the corporation themselves, it was so conscienciously drawn, it having so little regard to the weal of the publick.] Chapter Thirty-ninth. D. THE MAYOR AND WITNESSES. C. THE MASTER SWEAR- See Plate Second, Figure First. (A) THOMAS HASIL WOOD, of London, master of a ship, upon his oath, said, that all masters of ships, which sayleth into the river of Tine for coals, salt, &c., the mayor and burgesses of Newcastle compels them to swear* against themselves, whether they did not cast ballast at sea, between Sowter and Hartly, or within fourteen fathom water, to the hurt of the said river of Tine, and when the said master hath sworn the truth, that he did not, then a poor drunken fisher-man, or other, is called into the town chamber, and maketh oath, that the master did cast ballast, when in truth he did not, he having part of the fine for the same. (B) Then the master's oath is invalid, and laid aside, and forthwith is commanded to pay a fine of five pounds, or else to cut a purse, which hangs up in the town-chamber, with sand and money in it, and so much as is therein, he must pay, or is sent to prison, and there to lye till he doth pay it.1 See chap. 14 (F),* 12, 5, 17, k. Charles, (19 Hen. VII., 7.) THO. HASILWOOD, JOHN LOCKWOOD, and SAM. JAMES, masters of ships, prove the like. Read these statutes. (1) The "Plea" of the Corporation admits the fact, specifies the terms of the oath, and defends the shameful practice of cutting purses on conviction by the oaths of informers. See" Plea," p. 54, 55. |