[1641/8/222]¹

Act regarding cockets and entries of ships modifying the entry to 23s 4d and the cocket to 40s

Our sovereign lord and estates presently convened, understanding there are diverse abuses committed by the customs officers and receivers of entries of ships and by the keepers of the cocket in sometimes exacting from masters of ships greater sums of money than is due to them, and sometimes absenting themselves to the great prejudice of the merchants' estate and to the hazard of the loss of their voyage, therefore, our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the said estates, ordains that there be no greater price exacted for entering their ships and goods than the sum of 23s 4d, and for the said cocket than the sum of 40s, and that the keepers of the said cocket attend by themselves or their servants diligently and readily to answer and give out cockets to all merchants and masters of ships under pain of losing their places whensoever they shall be found either to exact more than the said sum above-written or shall occasion to the said merchants or masters more delay than is needful for writing of the same.