An act against the exaction of money or any other thing
by any officer for licence to traffique into Iseland &
Newfoundland
, made in An. 2. Edwardi sexti.
FORASMUCH as within these few yeeres now last past,
there have bene levied, perceived & taken by certaine of
the officers of the Admiraltie, of such Marchants, and
fishermen as have used and practised the adventures and
journeys into Iseland, Newfoundland
, Ireland
, and other
places commodious for fishing, and the getting of fish,
in and upon the Seas or otherwise, by way of Marchants
in those parties, divers great exactions, as summes of
money, doles or shares of fish, and such other like things,
to the great discouragement & hinderance of the same
Marchants and fishermen, and to no little dammage of
the whole common wealth, and thereof also great complaints have bene made, & informations also yerely to the
kings Majesties most honourable councell: for reformation whereof, and to the intent also that the sayd
Marchants and fishermen may have occasion the rather
to practise & use the same trade of marchandizing, &
fishing freely without any such charges and exactions,
as are before limited, wherby it is to be thought that
more plentie of fish shall come into this Realme, and
thereby to have the same at more reasonable prices: Be
it therfore enacted by the king our soveraigne Lord, and
the lords and commons in this present parliament
assembled, and by authoritie of the same, that neither
the Admiral, nor any officer, or minister, officers or
ministers of the Admiraltie for the time being, shall in
any wise hereafter exact, receive, or take by himselfe, his
servant, deputie, servants, or deputies of any such Marchant or fisherman, any summe or summes of money,
doles or shares of fish, or any other reward, benefit or
advantage whatsoever it be, for any licence to passe this
Realme to the sayd voyages or any of them, nor upon
any respect concerning the said voyages, nor any of them,
upon paine to forfeit for the first offence treble the summe,
or treble the value of the reward, benefite or advantage,
that any such officer or minister shall hereafter have or
take of any such Marchants or fishermen. For the which
forfeiture the party grieved, and every other person or
persons whatsoever he or they be, shall and may sue for
the same by information, bill, plaint, or action of debt in
any of the kings courts of recorde: The king to have the
one moitie, and the party complaining the other moitie:
in which suite no essoigne, protection, or wager of law
shall be allowed. And for the second offence the party so
offending not only to lose and forfeite his or their office
or offices in the Admiraltie, but also to make fine and
ransome at the kings will and pleasure.
By this acte it appeareth, that the trade out of England
to Newfound land was common and frequented about the
beginning of the raigne of Edward the 6. namely in
the yeere 1548. and it is much to be marveiled, that by
the negligence of our men, the countrey in all this time
hath bene no better searched.