Weavers Act 1555
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1555 c. 11 |
| Year | 1555 |
(2 & 3 Ph. & M.) C A P. XI.
'FOrasmuch as the Weavers of this Realm have as well at this present Parliament, as at divers other Times complained that the rich and wealthy Clothiers do many ways oppress them, some by setting up and keeping in their Houses divers Looms, and keeping and maintaining them by Journeymen and Persons unskilful, to the Decay of a great Number of Artificers which were brought up in the said Science of Weaving, their Families and Houshold; (2) some by ingrossing of Looms into their Hands and Possessions, and letting them out at such unreasonable Rents, as the poor Artificers are not able to maintain themselves, much less their Wives, Families and Children; (3) some also by giving much less Wages and Hire for the weaving and Workmanship of Clothes, than in Times past they did, whereby they are inforced utterly to forsake their Art and Occupation wherein they have been brought up;'
II No Clothier shall keep above one Woollen Loom.
II. It is therefore for Remedy of the Premisses, and for the Avoiding of a great Number of Inconveniencies which may grow (if in Time it be not foreseen) ordained, established and enacted by Authority of this present Parliament, That no Person using the Feat or Mystery of Cloth-making, and dwelling out of a City, Borough, Market-Town or Corporate Town, shall from the Feast of St.Michael the Archangel now next ensuing keep, retain or have in his or their House or Possession any more or above one Woollen Loom at one Time; (2) nor shall by any Means directly or indirectly receive or take any manner Profit, Gain or Commodity, by letting or setting any Loom, or any House wherein any Loom is or shall be used and occupied, which shall be together by him set or let; (3) upon Pain of Forfeiture for every Week that any Person shall do contrary to the Tenor and true Meaning hereof, twenty Shillings.
III No Weaver shall have above two Woollen Looms.
III. And be it further ordained and enacted by like Authority, That no Woollen Weaver using or exercising the Feat or Mystery of Weaving, and dwelling out of a City, Borough, Market-Town or Town Corporate, shall after the said Feast have or keep at any one Time above the Number of two Woollen Looms, or receive any Profit, Gain or Commodity, directly or indirectly as is aforesaid, by any more than two...
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