Was the Law an Ass in 16th Century Grimsby?

Post date: Jan 29, 2015 12:0:48 AM

• • Fishers not to throw fishguts in the King’s streets (c. 1525)

  • Dogs not to go abroad in the night and to be muzzled during the day

  • Swine not to go loose in the streets except on Saturday whilst their sties are cleaned

  • Excess cattle etc. not to be kept on the commons

  • Dung not to be laid above Colston Pit

  • Victuals not to be sold except in the market

  • None to buy more victuals (eggs, butter, cheese) in the market than will suffice for one week

  • Burcells to be made between neighbours

  • No dung or mire to be laid at Kookestoole Pit

  • Timber not to be left lying at the common staithes

  • Fowlers not to fowl without licence and to make good cut ground

  • Goshawks, falcons etc. taken to be presented to Master Mayor

  • None to buy more corn in the market than is brought to sell (those with corn growing)

  • Buildings by the King’s highway not to be taken down (1541)

  • Ships and boats not to be tied to Symwhite bridge

  • Ballast to be cast upon the green shore only

  • No man to occupy the Common Ferry unless he is licenced

  • None to make chase and rechase

  • Other men’s cattle not to be brought up

  • Butchers not to cast blood or inmeats into the Haven

  • No one to harbour night beggers or vagabonds

  • Buying of timber and firewood at the haven

  • Sale of timber and turves to be announced by the bellman

  • No dung or other corrupt thing to be cast into other men’s sewers

  • Ship docks not to be cut in common ground

  • The King’s streets to be cleaned on Saturday mornings

  • Bulls to be baited (1546)

  • Disposal of ashes and other corrupt things

  • Horses that bring carts to the market to be removed from the market after unloading

  • Animals not to go abroad in the streets and lanes to knock down walls and fences

  • Butchers not to buy skins

  • Victuallers not to allow unlawful games, or drinking during divine service

  • Fire not to be carried uncovered

  • Sale of coal, corn etc. from boats. Land measure not to be used for water measure

  • Goods only to be sold by sealed measures and  yardwands

  • Only the common fold to be used for pinding

  • Sinks and runnels to be cleaned

  • Stanging of eels. Once a week except in Lent

  • Selling of stale ale

  • Shop windows not to be open during Service time

  • Butchers not to buy from country butchers for resale

  • Country butchers not to hawk from house to house

  • Cade lambs to be kept on own grounds

  • Shooting with handguns or bows forbidden except at the butts

  • Ship owners not to buy coal from their mariners

  • No bulls to be kept in the Little Field except the two assayed by the Town

  • Butchers only to kill animals in their own shops

  • Sheep not to be washed in the haven betwixt the Stone bridge and the Water Mill

  • Buying of corn on Wednesdays

  • None to use crafty ways to overcharge the commons

  • Tame swans not to be taken

  • Dead swine, dogs, cats etc.to be buried

  • Cattle not to be served with food in the high streets

  • Horses and mares not to be put in the Church field

  • Swine to be ringed

  • Plough cattle to be turned on own land

  • Labourers not to work in the country but to serve the Town

  • None to walk or sculk in the night nor listen at windows

  • Geese to be kept in own grounds

  • Victuals not to be bought before they come to the market

  • Butchers only to kill flesh wholesome for men and women

  • Only seasonable fish to be sold

  • Merchandise not to be foreigner bought and sold

  • ‘Knowledges pennies’ to be paid for repair of the town roads

  • Scabbed horses to be removed from the commons

  • Steps and posts not to impede the town streets

  • Bitches which are ‘proud and salting’ not to be allowed abroad

  • Landlords only to allow one tenant in each tenement

  • Shoemakers etc. not to steep boards or leather in Colston Pit

  • Freemen not paying scot and lot to lose freedom

  • Rams horns and guts not to be cast in the streets

  • Chamberlains to raise up spouts which are defective

  • Ale wives to sell only with proper measures

  • Ale wives having four gallons of beer must sell from the door

  • Houses only to be let to people who have been inhabitants of the Borough for three years

  • Glovers not to buy eggs for their trade before 12 o’clock (1587)

  • Fires not to be kept in shops without chimneys

  • Boats and keels to be unloaded at Symwhite bridge or the Common staithes

  • Furres not to be left to lie in the streets

  • Kidneys and suet not to be taken out of sheep for sale

  • Wains and carts not in use not to be left in the streets

  • Corn not to be dressed in the streets

  • Pavements dug up when repairing houses to be made good

  • Streets to be cleaned by persons who have loaded or delivered coals

  • Fishers and cadgers to sell their goods in the market

  • None to shoot at anything sitting on St James church

  • Tethering of mares and foals in the corn fields

  • Ferryman going to Hull to blow a horn at Havelock Stone, the Market Cross and outside the Mayor’s house

  • No urine from beast houses to be allowed to run into the streets

  • Decayed shops in the market place to be repaired

  • The Miller at the Haven Mill not to grind out of town corn if any town corn waiting to be ground

  • Turves to be sold three at once

  • Smiths to make clean the places before their shops twice weekly

  • No cattle to be set loose in the corn fields until the last sheaf is taken

  • No clothes tubs or pots etc. to be washed at the pump

  • Foot bridges for foot folks not to be removed, or used by cattle

  • No person to keep sheep in the Marshes etc. except under the Common Shepherd

  • Drains to be dug and cleansed

  • Horses not to be tied to the Church stile

  • Inhabitants of Bradley to keep to the highway and not go over the corn