The Smugglers' City
Department of History, University of Bristol

Bristol Petition that Gloucester cease to be a Head Port, 1582

Manuscript: TNA SP46/17 fo. 68-70
Transcribed by : Evan Jones (August, 2007) [check 2]

On 20 June 1580, Gloucester, which had previously been a member port of Bristol, was created a head port (Cal. Patent Rolls, 1578-1580, no. 1338). In 1582 Bristol petitioned the Queen to revoke this decision. The peition is referred to in a letter by the Lord Treasurer ( Letter: Burghley to Fanshawe, re. Port of Gloucester, 11 June 1582). Both Gloucester's response to the petition and Bristol's rejoinder have also survived (TNA SP 46/17/fo 83-87). Although Bristol's petition was not successful, this did not stop the city from petitioning the Queen on this matter again in 1584 (Bristol Petition that Gloucester cease to be an Independent Port, 25 May, 1584).

68 r.

1 Bristoll was a verie ancient Towne and Countie untill of late that it
became a Cytie, Situated in and Angle betwene the Counties of Somerset
and Gloucester , and allwaies stoode and yet standeth upon the trade of marchaundize
and makynge of Cullored clothes for the Sea, which with their trade of marchaundize
they have allwaies sufficiently served, aswell all the Countries adjoyninge to ~
the saide Cytie, As also all Townes and Countries lyinge upon and nere ~
about the Ryver of Severne and the Creekes of the same, as farre ~
Inwarde towarde the lande, as to the Towne of Shrewesburye ./

2. There liethe South and westwarde adjoyninge to the same Cytie, the Countie
of Somerset, whose chiefe trade by reason of the porte of Bristoll, is makynge
of Cullored Clothes, merchauntable for the Sea, and mynynge for leade, whereof
there riseth greate store, Upon which trade of marchaundize and Cloth makyng
dependeth the lyvinge and mayntenaunce of many thowsandes of Craftes men ~
and their housholdes. As Spynners, Weavers, Tuckers, Dyers, Shermen
Carpenters, Smythes and others, of which consisteth no smale parte of the
Cytie of Bristoll./

3. Ther lythe northwarde upon the said Cytie the Countie of Gloucester, whose
state and maytenanaunce especially towardes the saide Cytie standeth upon
grasinge and husbandrye./

4. There is belonginge to Bristoll betwene Somerset and Gloucester Shiers an auncient
and sufficient porte for shippes of all burthens to ride and fleete in, wherein ~
hath ben buylded and mayneteyned from tyme to tyme, As many greate &
Serviceable shippes as in any porte in this her majesties domynyon (London
excepted) And there hathe ben broughte and trayned up as many skilfull
maryners as to suche Shippinge should belonge and more, which serve
in dyvers other places ./

5. There have byn belongine to the said Cytie and porte of Bristoll tyme out of mynde
and allowed and confyrmed aswell by dyvers actes of Parlyament, As also upon
greate conference and deliberacion by the ordynaunces of the highe Courte of ~
Exchequier, All the Creekes which laye and lyen upon the Ryver of Severn
Inwardes towardes the lande, As Barkelye, Gatcombe, Newnam, Gloucester
Tewkesbery, and all other the Creeks and pilles extendinge as farr upwarde
as wigorn, Oute of which Creekes the said Cytie and Citizens had their cheife
relief of Victuallinge for their mayntenaunce./

6. By and throughe the which Creekes the saide Cytie had the chiefeste vente
of all manner of forreyne marchaundizes, As farr upwarde and Inwarde
towarde the lande as Shrewesburye which served all other Countries
thereunto adjoyninge./

68 v.

7. Oute of which saide Cytie by reason of the trade, porte, Creekes and -
members of the same, the Queenes majestie receyveth yerely for fee farme ~
fifteenes, Customes, Subsidies, ympostes and other Dueties greate somes
of money./ All which Creekes, upon suggestion of some untryed matter
ben of late taken from the saide Cytie and porte of Bristoll, and are
become several portes of them selves, to the utter Immynent ruyn of the
saide Cytie, decaye of the shippinge and maryners, hinderaunce of
the Queenes majesties Customes; dueties and proffyttes, brynginge and
raysinge of greate dearth and scarsytie, Incouraginge and increasinge
of pirottes and other greate inconvenyences as by the profes and probable
reasons hereather expressed more at Large it will appeare./

69 r.

8. Gloucester is a greate throughe fare and standeth altogeather upon ~
retailors Inne keepers, handycraftes men, maultmakers, Corne Jobbynge
usage of husbandry, and is a a greate markett, Scituated in the
harte of the Country, where greate concourse of people is, for twise A
yere they have the assizes, besides quarter Sessions and sundry other
greate meetinges of the whole Countrye. By the meanes whereof, all ~
the aforesaide Citzens have and doe lyve plentifully./ And the Cytie
never in better case then nowe it is: There are no merchauntes there
for there is but one free of that late incorporacion graunted by her majestie
and he is no adventurer. They can mayneteyne no serviceable shippinge
or fytt for good marchauntes, for none (but suche as are of twenty tonnes
or under) can come to that place, They make there no Cullored Clothes
or Clothes for the Sea, Neither have they any tynne leade or other ~
kynde of marchaundize laufull / So that if they make any ~
adventure it muste needes be of Corne and prohibited wares, ~
wherebye not only the pore people of the same Countrye, but also ~
the Cytie of Bristoll are sharpely pynched, and the transporters
onlye enryched thereby./

9. Gloucester standeth betwene Bristoll and wigone, Warrick Coventrie and ~
Shrewesbury and all other places upp Severn where the merchauntes
of Bristoll did usually make their vent of suche Comodyties as they
bringe from beyonde Seas./ And Gloucester it selfe also is a place where
they have uttered muche merchaundize/ but nowe if the same contynue a port
It is like they will not only serve them selves, but also those other Countryes and
townes about them, And so the trade in Bristoll (when the vente of their
Comodytes is taken from them) muste needes be hindered and decayed thereby./

10. If trade of marchaundize be setled in Gloucester, and a porte contynued there ~
where no depthe of water is but for smale barkes or boates the same wilbe
An increase of smale boates and barkes, and the decaye of so muche greate
Shippinge in Bristoll./

11. Since Gloucester was made a porte, they have increased smale barkes ~
and boates to the nomber of xl or thereaboutes, which are of burden from xv
tonnes to xxx tonnes, which amonteth by estymacion to a thowsand tonne shippinge and
doe make voyage and retornes with the same as ofte as they can, which muste
of necessytie decaye our trades, decrease a greate part of our serviceable
shippinge in Bristoll, But what Custome they have paid or benefytt
her majestie hathe thereby, theire bookes of accompte dothe shewe and beinge
examyned it will appeare, that so muche greate Shippinge in ~
Bristoll dothe yelde tenne tymes so muche Custome as they have
or will yelde.

69 v.

12. The more ladinge and discharginge places that be allowed of, the ~
greater wilbe the concealement and stealth of her majesties Customes ~
and conveyinge awaye of prohibited wares, and therefore was yt ~
provided for in the xxxiiii th yere of Kynge Henry the eight and in ~
the firste yere of her Highenes reigne by acte of parlyamente, ~
and the ix th yere of her majesties reigne by a decree set downe by
the Lorde threasor er then beinge, and the whole Courte of Exchequier
That nothinge shoulde be laden or discharged within Severn, but
onlye at Bristoll and certeyne usuall places whereof the officers
of Bristoll had special charge./ As by the same more att
large dothe appeare./

13. All creekes upon Severn beinge made portes there muste needes be more
ladinge and discharginge in sundrye places at one tyme, betwene ~
Bristoll and Gloucester then before, And so still more Hinderaunce
to her majestie, and hurte to the Comon Wealthe./

14 The chiefeste place of ladinge and discharginge for Gloucester, is at A place
called Gattcombe, which is xvi myles downewardes towardes the Sea
before the officers of Gloucester, and neerer to the porte of Bristoll
then to Gloucester, and no officer dwellinge nigher then Gloucester, neither
is it any towne or populous village to descrye or understande
howe her majestie is deceyved and the Countrye robbed./

15. But yf they did make their entries and take oute their Cockettes at Bristoll
then should the officers of Bristoll which lye betwene that an the Sea
have knowledge thereof, and by duetifull care, intercepte and controwle
them./

16. It is muche meeter, and more conveynent that the Creekes of Severne doe
belonge to Bristoll than to Gloucester or to be portes of them selves, ffor
Bristoll standeth in nede of, and byn relieved with the grayne and
victualles which Gloucester and the Countries upon Severn doe yelde ~
and abound with, the utteraunce thereof enricheth the riche sorte of ~
the Countrye and robbeth the poore./

17. Before the said Creekes became portes the Borderars Upon the Welshe Coast came
to Bristoll to take out Cockettes to passe to us their Comodyties which the
Countrye yeldeth, as Leather, Butter, Chese and other, by the which
meanes they did bestowe money with us and nowe are the prises
of theis Comodyties greater in those Countries then in Bristoll
for nowe they buy their Leather with us, As it maye appeare by
the Queenes porte books/

70 r.

18 Otherwise when they delivered their bookes to the officers of Bristol ~
they were then hable to fynde their disorders and to reforme them, or to ~
travaile to them and to staie the passage thereof which nowe theye ~
cannot doe, what neede soev er we have for provision of our Cytie, or ~
for the Queenes service into Irelande, or elles where, And so passe ~
the same awaye throughe the newe erected portes under Cullour to ~
come to Bristoll, And a greate parte of the same is conveyed by
nighte into Shippinge which comethe from other portes lyinge in
the Welshe rode, joynynge to Kynge Rode, (where we nowe cannot
Searche) and there doe caste out their Ballest to the destrucion of ~
that rode also.

19. Since Gloucester hathe ben A porte, they have restreyned greyne to ~
come to Bristoll, So as when they have occasion, they must travell
to Gloucester for a cocket, and ther if they obteyne it, the same is not
with out greate difficultie, which maketh a greate chaunge in the saide
Cytie of Bristoll./

20. The Cytie and porte of Bristoll is nowe dismembred of all the anncyent Creekes
belonginge to yt, and of the trades of the same, and hathe but the very mouthe
of the haven to issue out at into Severn./ And so the said Creekes are
become portes where no one of them is sufficient of water for a shippe
of any service./ But other cheife portes (althoughe inferior to ~
Bristoll) have many and dyvers Creekes belonginge unto them, and
yet no towne or porte may spare their Creekes so ill as Bristoll./
ffor their greatest trade is by and throughe their Creekes, And that
in tyme muste needes decaye both the Cytie and the serviceable
Shippynge of the same./

21. Irishe men also with their Barkes have founde A directe trade to Gloucester , ~
And all to shippe awaye Corne and so wee lose the benefytt of theire
Comodyties and the utteringe of our owne, which is another greate ~
decaye to us./

22. The Serviceable Shippes of Bristoll have and muste serve her ~
majestie upon all occasions, And in the meane tyme the smale Barkes
of Severn are free, and doe spoyle the Countrye of grayne and
victualles for they are in A manner out of comptrollement./

23. When the Creekes of Seven belonged to Bristoll, then Corne grayne and ~
vicutalles came from thence by Cocket from Bristoll, and then was her majestie for
the victuallinge of Ireland and for other services provided at Bristoll, But ~
nowe her charges upon Severn to provide and gather the same is greate ~
As by the bookes of the purveryor for that service appeareth, And greate
exaccions ben at Gloucester for Cockettes, and other fees, but her majesties Custome
verye smale/

70 v.

24. Aboute xviii yeres paste were taken from Bristoll all the Creekes
upon the Coast of Wales, which were belonginge to Bristoll, as Swansey
Cardif, Newport and Chepstowe, whereof Cardif is made A
Chiefe porte, and the other members of the same, ffrom whiche ~
Countries no merchaundize is to be spared but prohibited wares,
and which the utteranuce thereof they doe mayneteyne smale shippinge
and retourne forreyne Commodyties./ But that hathe broughte ~
scarsitie of certeyne kyndes of vicutalles to Bristoll, And also ~
by so muche hindered the trade thereof, Another cause of decay
of the saide Cytie, And what Custome her majestie hathe from ~
thence the bookes doe shewe./ A smale matter from a head
porte/

25. Aboute theis portes and Creekes in Wales of late yeres have ben manye
pirottes harboured, succored and vitled, and never taken or removed, but
by the Shippinge of Bristoll, And the inconvenyences thereof did ~
appeare about xv yeres past to the Lorde Threasoror and Courte
of Exchequiers, Wherefore, it was by him and the saide Courte
upon great consultacion and throughe debatinge of the matter,
decreed, That the same shoulde become Creekes and members
to the porte of Bristoll agayne, But they never obeyed the
same /

26. In tender consideracion whereof, maye it please your honours to have ~
regarde of the mayntenauce and contynewaunce of the said
distressed Cytie, that with out desert, or other weightye or
necessarie consideracion, the same be not so dismembred of their
Creekes and ventes: especially that they shoulde be laide to ~
A place more unworthie, and utterlye unmeete for so many
causes to be a porte / to the ruyn of the said Cytie of ~
Bristoll, decaye of the Shippinge and maryners, ~
hinderaunce of her majesties proffites, and apparaunt againste
the Comon Wealthe bothe of the said Cyties and Countries./
And so muche the rather bycause the Shippinge of Bristoll
have sufficiently and willingly served her highenes in the
service of Irelande althoughe to their hinderaunce/ So as
by your honourable consideracions and meanes to her majestie, the
said Cytie of Bristoll and Countries maye be restored
to their former estates./