Aliens Act 1483
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1483 c. 9 |
(1 Ric. 3) C A P. IX.
'ITEM, Because our said Sovereign Lord the King, upon Petition made to him in his said Parliament by the Commons ofEngland , hath conceived and understood, That whereas Merchants Strangers of the Nation of Italy , as Venetians, Genoese, Florentines, Apulians, Cicilians, Lucaners, Cateloins , and other of the same Nation, in great Number do inhabit and keep Houses, as well in the City of London , as in other Cities and Boroughs within this his Realm, and take Warehouses and Cellars, and therein put their Wares and Merchandises which they bring into this said Realm, (3) and them in the said Cellars and Warehouses deceitfully do pack, mingle, and keep the same, till such Time the Prices thereof be greatly enhansed, for their great Lucre, and the same Merchandises and Wares they then sell to all Manner People, as well within the Ports where they bring the said Wares and Merchandises, as to other divers and many Places within this Realm, as well by Retail as otherwise; (4) and also do buy in the said Ports and other Places, at their own Liberty, the Commodities of this Realm, and sell the same again at their Pleasure within the same, as commonly and freely as any of the King's liege People doth, (5) and do not employ a great Part of the Money coming thereof upon the Commodities of this Realm, but make it over the Sea by Exchange to divers other Countries, to the King's great Damage in Loss of his Customs, and to the great impoverishing of his said Subjects, of whom they should buy the Commodities of this Realm:
'II. And the same Merchants ofItaly , and other Merchants Strangers, be Hosts, and take unto them People of other Nations, and to sojourn with them daily, do buy, sell, and make privy and secret Contracts and Bargains with the same People, to their great Increase and Profit, and to the importune Damage of the King's said Subjects, and contrary to divers Statutes in this Case provided and ordained:
III. Also the said Merchants ofItaly do buy in divers Places within this Realm a great Quantity of Wooll and Woollen Cloth, and other Merchandises, of the King's Subjects, and Part thereof they sell again to the same Subjects and other within this Realm, to their most Advantage, and much of the said Wools they do deliver to Clothmakers, thereof to make Cloth at their Pleasure.
'IV. Moreover, a great Number of Artificers and other Strangers, not born under the King's Obeysance, do daily resort and repair to the City ofLondon , and to other Cities, Boroughs, and Towns of the said Realm, and much more than they were wont to do in Times past, (2) and inhabit by themselves in the said Realm with their Wives, Children, and Houshold, and will not take upon them any laborious Occupation, as going to Plough and Cart, and other like Business, but use the making of Cloth, and other Handicrafts and easy Occupations, (3) and bring and convey, from the Parts beyond the Sea, great Substance of Wares and Merchandises to Fairs and Markets, and all other Places of this Realm at their Pleasure, and there sell the same, as well by Retail as otherwise, as freely as any of the King's Subjects use to do, to the great Damage and Impoverishment of the King's said Subjects, (4) and will in no wise suffer nor take any of the King's said Subjects to work with them, but they take only into their Service People born in their own Countries, whereby the King's said Subjects, for lack of Occupation, fall into Idleness, and be Thieves, Beggars, Vagabonds, and People of vicious Living, to the great Perturbance both of the King and of all his Realm; (5) and when the Merchants, Artificers, and Strangers before rehearsed, have gained within this Realm, by buying and selling, or by such easy Occupations and Handicrafts, great Substance of Goods, with the same...
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