DOC 21 -- Customs of the Borough of Maldon

These are some of the laws in use in the high and late Middle Ages in the town of Maldon in Essex.


 

1- If any man wishes to sell any burgage property, the sale must be announced at the next court when, if any of his kinsman wishes to buy the property, he may do so at a lower price than anyone else.

2- Every holder of burgage lands must perform suit for them at the four General Courts.

3- If any baker or brewer is convicted of using false weights or measures, he shall be fined for the first two offences; for the third, he shall go to the pillory. All measures are be sealed [i.e. be marked with a stamp indicating borough approval].

4- No man being in the borough shall have a servant or tenant unless prepared to answer for him in court, with regard to trespasses and fines.

5- On market day no man shall regrate [buy at a lower price, usually outside the town, and sell at a higher price, usually inside the town], nor sell meat, fish or other foodstuffs until the hour of prime, when the bell is rung.

6- Butchers are not to sell unwholesome meat.

7- The owner of any pig allowed to run loose shall be fined 4d., of which 2d. to the town and 2d. to the man who finds the pig and drives it to the town pound.

8- The bailiffs have full power to punish all manner of "naughty brauleres and bryboures, nyght walkeres, stastrykeres and evese dropperes" by fine or by imprisonment.

9- No man is to make affray against another so that blood is drawn, on pain of 40d. fine.

10- No foreigner may buy or sell within the town unless he has bought a licence to do so (40s.) from the bailiffs.

11- Any resident who places dung or wastes on the common roads shall be fined 40d.

12- The town has two markets, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and many other liberties. No-one is allowed to set up a market within a great distance of the town, nor to anything else against the liberties, upon pain of £10 fine.

13- Each cart and each pack-horse carrying merchandise across the bridge shall pay 1d.

14- No resident burgess is in anger to call a bailiff or wardemen by any name such as thief, knave, backbiter, whoreson, false, foresworn, cuckold, or bawd.

[Source: http://www.trytel.com/~tristan/towns/maldon6.html]