University of Virginia Library

CLV. House of Lords. "An act [bill][234] for the repressinge of the
odious ... sinne of Drunkenesse, and for preventinge the
onordinate Consuminge of Corne"
February 14, 1620/21

An Act for the represeinge of the odious and loathsome sinne of Drunk-
enesse, and for preventinge the onordinate Consuminge of Corne.

That in the Session of Parliamt holden Anno 4 Ja: Rℯ an Act was made
against Drunkenesse and that notwthstandinge the same Act, Drunk-
enesse is little abated, but still continewed & greate quantities of Corne
are thereby inordinately Consumed.

1 Petition

1

• That noe person directly or indirectly shall at any tyme after three
  monethes after this Session of Parliamt brewe anie beere or ale, and sell
  the same againe in his or her house, or elswheare by lesser quantity then
  the halfe kilderkin, vnlesse it bee in Townes where there is noe Com̃on
  Brewer, nor shall sell or deliver any beere or Ale to anie person or persons
  that shall sell the same againe at anie other rate or price then viijs the
  barrell for the best ale or beere, and iiijs the barrell for anie other sorte of
  Ale or beere, and soe kilderkin and firkin &c̃ after the same rate, and that
  all contractℯ, bondℯ, promisses and agreemtℯ made for any higher or greater
  price or Recompence to bee void

  ---

  428

  
  

  Penaltie

  The party contractinge or sellinge directly or indirectly for or vnder the
  collour of Caske, Carriage or house Rent or otherwise for anie greater
  price or recompence then after the rates aforesaid, shall forfeite xxs for
  eu9y barrell of beere or ale soe sould or Contracted for above the foresaid
  rates.

2 Petition

2

• That noe Com̃on Brewer after the said three moneths shall receave or
  take anie wheate corne or other thinge of anie person vsinge to sell beere
  or ale by retayle, thereby to make any beere or ale stronger then the
  ordinary Beere of viijs

  Penaltie

  Vpon the like paine of xxs

3 Petition

3

• That noe Com̃on Brewer after three monethes of this Session directly
  or indirectly keepe anie Alehouse or bee partner wth anie Alehouse-keeper,
  nor lett or hire any Com̃on Alehouse Celler or Tiplinge house for any Rent
  to bee raised vpon the bee barrell to bee spent therein.

  Penaltie

  To forfeite for eu9y weeke that hee shall soe vse and Continewe the same
  iijll͠ vjs viijd

4 Petition

4

• That the offences shalbee enquired of heard or §and§ determined in the
  Sessions of the peace or in the Court of Record of the Citty borough
  Towne or lib̴tie, where the offence shalbee Comitted.

  One third of the forfeitures, to the Company of Virginia for the vse of the
  plantac̃on, and if the Companie faile then to the vse of the Kingℯ Mai.ty

  One other third parte to the poore of the parish.

  One other third parte to the Informer.

5 Petition

5

• That the Sheriffe or other officer that shall leavie the forfeitures maie
  pay to the Governour of Virginia a third parte thereof, and one other
  third parte to the Churchwardens of the parish.

6 Petition

6

• That the Sheriffe or other officer shalbee thereof discharged against the
  Kingℯ Maty.

7 Petition

7

• That if the Sheriffe or other officer shall refuse to paie the two thirdℯ
  of the forfeitures by them levied, or that the Churchwardens shall not
  truly distribute their third part amongst the poore

  Penaltie

  The person offendinge to forfeite double the vallue thereof.

[2] An Act for repressinge the odious and loathsome sinne of Drunckenesse,
and for the restrainte of the excessiue Prices of Beere and Ale.

Whereas in the Session of Parliament houlden in the fowrth yeare of the
Raigne of or Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of God King of England
ffraunce, and Ireland, Defendor of the faith &c̃. and of his Highnes Raigne
of Scotland the fourtieth. An Act was made for the repressinge of the
odious and loathsome sinne of Drunckenesse being the roote and foundac̃on
of many other enormous sinnes, as bloudshed, stabbinge, murther, swear-
inge, fornicac̃on, adultery, and such like, to the great Dishonor of God,
and of our Nation, the overthrow of many good Arts, and Manuall Trades,
the disabling of many Workemen, and the generall impoverishinge of many
good subiectℯ abusiuely wasting the good Creatures of God. And where
notwithstandinge the same Acte, that sinne of Drunckenesse is little
abated but still continued, and an excessiue quantity of Corne thereby
inordinately consumed: And the Drincke being made of that strength
causes the said abuse and excesse, to Continue and encrease: ffor Remedy
whe and Redresse whereof, Be it Enacted, ordeyned, and established by
the Kingℯ most excellent Matie the [3] Lords Spirituall, and Temporall,
and the Com̃ons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority

of the same, That noe person or p̱sons by him or her selfe, or by any
other waies or meanes Directly or indirectly shall at any time after three
monethes after the end of this Session of Parliament, Brewe any Beere
or Ale and sell the same, in his, her, or their house or houses, or elswhere
by lesser quantities then the halfe Kilderkin, vnles it be in Villages, or
Townes where their is noe Com̃on Brewer, Nor shall sell, vtter, or deliuer
or cause to be sould, vttered, or deliu9ed any Beere or Ale to any person
or persons that shall vse to sell any Beere or Ale, as an Inkeeper, Alehouse-
keep̱, Cooke, Victualler, or Tipler, or to any other person or p̱sons that
shall sell the same againe at any other Rate, or Prices then eight shillings
the Barrell for the best Ale or Beere, and fower shillings a Barrell for any
other sort of Ale or Beere, and soe the halfe Barrell, Kilderkin, and ffirkin
after the same Rate, And that all Contracts, Bargaines, Bonds, Cove-
naunts, Promises and Agreements Directly or indirectly made for any
higher or [4] greater Price or Recompence to be made or yealded or
any other thing Leiue of the Price shalbe voide and of none effect.
And that the parties selling, Contracting, or agreeing directly or indirectly
either for or vnder the collour of Caske, Carriage, Houserent, or
otherwise, for any higher or greater Price or recompence for any
Beere or Ale, then after the rates aforesaid, shall forfeite for every
Barrell of beere or ale sould or contracted for, contrary to the true intent
and meaning of this Act, twenty shillings: And that noe com̃on Brewer
of beere or ale shall after the said three monethes directly or indirectly
receaue, haue, or take any Mault, Wheat, Corne, Graine, Hoppes, or any
other thinge of any Inkeeper, Alehousekeeper, Cooke, Victualler, Tipler,
or any other person vsinge to sell beere or ale, to make ale or beere stronger,
or more headdy then then ordinary beere of eight shillings, allowed to be
made by this Acte, vppon the like paine to forfeite the sum̃e of twenty
shillings of lawfull money of England. And bee it further enacted by
the authority aforesaid [5] That noe Com̃on Brewer of beere or ale shall
after three monethes next after the end of this Session of Parliament, by
any Collour, waies, or meanes whatsoever, directly or indirectly, haue, or
keepe, by himselfe, or his servaunts, or by any other wch shalbe accountable
to him for the same, any Com̃on alehouse, or tiplinghouse, or be any
Partener wth any §com̃on§ Alehousekeeper, or Tipler in the selling and
retailing of ale or beere in any Com̃on alehouse, Celler, or tiplinghouse,
nor shall lett or hire out any Com̃on alehouse, Celler, or tiplinghouse, for
any rent to be raised, according to the number of the barrells, or other
vessells to be drawne or spent therein, vpon Paine to forfeite for every
weeke he shall soe vse or continue the same, the som̃e of iijɫi vjs viijd of
lawfull money of England. And be it further enacted by the authority
aforesaid, That all offences to be done or Com̃itted, contrary to the mean-
ing of the acte, and all penalties aforesaid, shalbe inquired of, sued for,
heard, and determined in the Sessions of the peace, for the County, Citty,
or Burrough, Towne or Lib̴tie in the Court or Courts [6] of Record, of the
Cittie, Burrough, Towne, or Lib̴tie wherein such offence shalbe Com̃itted,
by acc̃ons of Debt, informac̃on; inditemt: §or§ p̢sentmt wherein noe
essoigne, p̱tecc̃on, or wager of Lawe shalbe allowed for the Defendt. And
one third part of all such forfeitures shalbe to the vse of the Governor of
the Company for the Plantac̃on in Virginia, to be employed for the vse
of the Plantac̃on there soe long as the same Company shall continue: And
if the Company shall §fal faile§ Then to the vse of the Kings Matie his
heires and Successors, and one other third part thereof to the vse of the
poore people inhabiting wthin the Citty, Burrough, Hundred, Towne or
Lib̴tie where such offence shalbe from time to time Comitted: And the
other third part thereof, to him or them that will sue for the same.
And to th'end that the two third parts of the said forfeitures aboue
limitted, to be to the vse of the Plantac̃on of Virginia, and to the said
poore people, may truly be §truelie§ employed and bestowed vpon them
according to the true meaning of this Act. Be it further enacted that
the Sheriffe, Bailiffe, or other officer or p̱son that shall levy or receiue
any [7] sum̃e or sum̃es of money forfeited or recou9ed according to the
true meaning of this act, shall and may by vertue of this act wthout
further Warrant deliu9 one third p̱te of the same sum̃e and sum̃es of
money, by him or them soe levied or receiued to the Governors of the said
Company, for the Plantac̃on in Virginia for the time being, and th'other
third p̱te thereof to some one or more of the Church Wardens, and over-
seers of the poore for the same p̱ish wherein the offence shalbe Comit-
ted, to be by them and every of them distributed and bestowed
amongst the said poore people according to the true meaning of this Act,
who shall likewise haue authority, by vertue of this Act to distribute and
bestowe the same accordingly. And be it further enacted that eu9y
Sheriffe Bailiffe, and other p̱son wch shall levy or receiue any such for-
feiture or forfeitures aforesaid, and shall passe over the two third p̱tes
thereof, according to the true meaning of this Act, shalbe thereof dis-
charged against ag the Kings Matie: his heires and Successors. And
be it further enacted, That if any Sheriffe, Bailiffe, or [8] other officer or
p̱son, shall refuse to pay over the said two third p̱ts by him or them
levied or received, or that the Churchwardens or overseers to whome
the said money shalbe paied, shall not from time to time wthin Con-
venient time truly distribute and bestowe the same to & amongst the
poore people according to the true meaning of this Act, That then
eu9y p̱son soe offending shall forfeite double the vallue thereof, to be
recou9ed and employed as aforesaid.

[Indorsed on folio 1:] An Acte for restrainte of Drunckennesse &c̃

[Indorsed on folio 8:] 122 1620. An Acte for restrainte of Drunckennesse
&c̃ L1a Mercurii 14° ffebr: 18° Jac̃ 1 L2a Mercurii 28° ffebr: 18° Jac̃ 1.
Vppō Ques̃n of Cōttmt & Engrosing—refused & obdormit.