An Act, or rather on Ordinance of the Right Honourable the Merchants
adventurers of the Corporation and Towne of Newcastle
upon time.
WHereas our Predecessours the Merchant Adventurers of
this Towne and County of Newcastle upon Tine, have
out of their tender respects to the good of this Company, formerly
made divers good and laudable Acts as doth appeare by
the Bookes, and ancient Records belonging to this Fellowship,
for the regulating of the Manners and Apparrell of the Apprentises,
belonging to the said Fellowship; yet we sinde little obedience
of consormity, but on the contrary, abundance of
disorder and pride in them, which if not timely prevented, will
prove and ruine of youth, and a dishonour to this ancient Society.
Wee therefore the Governour, Assistants, and Fellowship
of the aforesaid Company of Merchant Adventurers of this
Towne doe Order and Ordaine, and be it Ordered and Ordained,
That every Apprentice belonging to the Brethren of the
said Fellowship, shall cut his haire from the Crowne of the
head, keep his fore head bare, his locks (if any) shall not reach
below the lop of his eares, and the same length to be observed
behind.
And if in case any be sicke he shall weare a linnen Cap and
no other, and that without lace, and they shall weare no Beaver
Hats, not Casters. If their Hats be blacke, they shall have
blacke Bands; if their Hats be grey, their Band suitable, but
neither gold nor silver worke in any of them, neither Francies
nor Ribbans at their Hat-Bands. The cloth for their Apparrel
shal not exceed 14 or 15s. the yard, they shall wear no Stuffe,
Silke, or Camells haire, their cloathes shall be made plain up,
without Lace or any other trimming, except Buttons, and them
onely in places needfull, and no better then of silke.
Their Bands shall be plaine without Lace of Scollop, they
shall weare no Cuffes, Boothose-Tops, White of Coloured
Shooes, or Shooes of Spanish Leather, Long neb'd Shooes, or
Bootes; no Silke-Garters at all, no Shooe-Strings better then
Ferret or Cotton Ribban, no Gloves but plaine, nos Boots but
when they ride.