themselves, and to diltress, oppress, and aggrieve the subjects of our faid lord the king having occafion to buy salt at the borough aforefaid, afterwards, to wit, on the fame day and year aforefaid, at the borough aforefaid, unlawfully affembled and met together, and being fo affembled and met together did then and there unjustly, unlawfully, and oppreffively confpire, combine, confederate, and agree together to raise and inhance the price of falt at the borough aforefaid above the then used and accustomed price of falt there, and for that purpose did then and there wickedly, unlawfully, and oppreffively confederate and agree among themselves, that the faid R. N. [as before] fo being feverally dealers in the making and felling of falt there as aforefaid, fhould not, nor fhould any of them, from thenceforth fell any falt at the then usual and accustomed price of falt at the borough aforefaid, but that all the falt that should from thenceforth be fold by any of them should be fold at certain advanced prices, to wit, fome part of fuch falt not lefs than at the rate of four-pence in the bushel, other part of fuch falt not lefs than at the rate of two-pence in the bushel, other part of fuch falt not lefs than at the rate of one penny in the bufhel, and other part of fuch falt not less than at the rate of one halfpenny in the bufhel, over and above the then ufual and accustomed prices of falt at the borough aforesaid; and that a certain part or proportion of fuch advanced prices, to wit, the rate of one halfpenny in the bufhel of all fuch falt as fhould be fold by any of them the faid R. N. &c. [as before] fhould be contributed and paid by the refpective fellers thereof into the hands of a certain perfon (to the faid coroner and attorney of our faid lord the king as yet unknown) for the better supporting and maintaining the faid wicked and unlawful confpiracy and combination; and that the faid G. H. and W. R. fhould from thenceforth act as clerks or affiftants to the faid other

confpirators, for the better carrying of the faid unlawful and oppreffive combination and agreement into execution, and fhould be therefore paid and allowed by the other conspirators certain large wages or falaries, to wit, five pounds a year each. And the faid coroner and attorney of our faid lord the king, who profecutes as aforefaid, further gives the court here to understand and be informed, that each of them the faid R. N. [as before] in pursuance of the said unlawful and oppreffive confpiracy, combination, confederacy, and agreement, fo formed and made as aforefaid, afterwards, to wit, on the fame day and year aforefaid, and on divers other days and times between that day and the day of exhibiting this information, at the borough aforefaid, did unlawfully and oppreffively fell divers large quantities of falt, to wit, forty thousand bushels of falt, to divers liege fubjects of our faid lord the king, at the faid feveral and refpective advanced prices over and above what were the ufual and accustomed prices of falt, at the borough aforefaid, before and at the time of the forming and making of the faid unlawful and oppreffive confpiracy, combination, and agreement fo formed and made as aforefaid; and did then and there respectively, upon the faid feveral quantities of falt unlawfully and oppreffively ask, demand, and receive the faid advanced prices from the refpećtive purchasers of fuch falt; and that the faid R. N. [as before] and each and every of them respectively, after the forming and making of the faid unlawful and oppreffive confpiracy, combination, confederacy, and agreement, and in pursuance thereof, to wit, on the faid tenth day of July, in the thirtieth year aforefaid, and on divers other days and times between that day and the day of exhibiting this information, at the borough aforefaid, did unlawfully contribute and pay into the hands of the perfon aforefaid (to the faid coroner and attorney of our faid lord the king as yet unknown) di

vers

vers large fums of money, arifing from the fale of the faid falt at the advanced prices aforefaid, for the better fupporting and maintaining of the faid wicked and unlawful confpiracy, combination, confederacy, and agreement; and that the faid G. H. and W. R. in purfuance and execution of the faid unlawful and oppreffive confpiracy, combination, confederacy, and agreement, fo formed and made as aforefaid, on the fame tenth day of July, in the thirtieth year aforefaid, and on divers other days and times between that day and the day of exhibiting this information, at the borough aforefaid, unlawfully, wickedly, and oppreffively, did act as clerks or affiftants to the faid other conspirators, in and for the better carrying of the faid unlawful and oppreffive confpiracy, combination, confederacy, and agreement, into execution, to the great damage, oppreffion, and grievance of all the liege fubjects of our faid lord the king purchafing falt at the borough aforefaid, to the evil and pernicious example of all others in the like cafe offending, and against the peace of our faid lord the king, his crown and dignity. *

No. 10. d.

tion for en groffing

hops, fpreading rumours of

City of WORCESTER and county of the fame city, Informato wit. Be it remembered that I. T. efquire, coroner and attorney of our fovereign lord the king, in the court of our faid lord the king, before the king himself, who profecutes in this behalf for our faid lord the king in his proper perfon, comes here into the court of our faid lord

perfuading the dealers not to fell their stock, &c.

their fearcity, to en

hance the price, and

the king before the king himself, at Westminster, on Friday next after the morrow of the Holy Trinity in this fame term, and for our faid lord the king, gives the court here to understand and be informed, that heretofore, to wit, on the twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thoufand eight hundred, S. F. W. late of M. in the county of K. merchant, at the city of W. in the county of the faid city, wickedly intending to enhance the price of hops, did fpread divers rumours and reports with refpect to hops, by then and there openly and wickedly, in the prefence and hearing of divers hop planters and dealers in hops, and others then being at the city of W. aforefaid in the county of the fame city, afferting, declaring, and publishing, that the then present stock of hops was nearly exhaufted, and that from that time there foon would be a fcarcity of hops, and that before the hops then growing could be brought to market, the then prefent flock of hops would be exhausted; with intent and defign by fuch rumours and reports to perfuade and induce divers perfons (then prefent) whofe names are to the faid coroner and attorney hitherto unknown, being dealers in hops and accustomed to fell hops, and having large quantities of hops for fale, not to carry or send to any market or fair any hops for fale, and to abflain from felling fuch hops for a long time, and thereby greatly to enhance the price of hops, in contempt of our faid lord the king and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like cafe offending, and against the peace of our faid lord the king his crown and dignity: And the faid coroner and attorney of our lord the king, who prosecutes as aforefaid, further gives the court here to understand and be informed that the faid S. F. W. afterwards, to wit, on the fame day and year aforefaid, at the city of W. aforefaid, in the county of the fame city, wickedly intending

and

and contriving to enhance the price of hops, did openly publish and fpread divers rumours and reports with respect to hops to the effect following, (that is to fay) that the then prefent ftock of hops was nearly exhaufted, and that there would foon be a fcarcity of hops, and that before the hops then growing could be brought to market, the then present flock of hops would be exhaufted; with intent and defign by fuch rumours and reports as aforesaid to enhance the price of hops, in contempt of our faid lord the king and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like cafe offending, and against the peace of our faid lord the king his crown and dignity: And the 3d Count. faid coroner and attorney of our faid lord the king, who profecutes as aforefaid, further gives the court here to understand and be informed, that afterwards, to wit, on the same day and year aforefaid, at the city of W. aforesaid, in the county of the fame city, the faid S. F. did unlawfully endeavour to promote and enhance the price of hops, by perfuading and attempting to perfuade divers perfons dealing in hops, and accuftomed to fell hops, and having large quantities of hops for fale, not to go to any market or fair with any hops for fale, and to abftain from felling fuch hops for a long time, in contempt of our faid lord the king and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like cafe offending, and against the peace of our faid lord the king, his crown and dignity: And the 4th Count faid coroner and attorney of our faid lord the king, who profecutes as aforefaid, further gives the court here to underftand and be informed, that afterwards, to wit, on the firft day of March, in the faid year of our Lord, one thoufand eight hundred, and on divers other days and times between that day and the day of exhibiting this information, at the city of W. aforefaid, in the county of the fame city, the faid S. F. did unlawfully engrofs and get into his hands by buying a certain large quantity of hops, to wit,

one