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1587

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Compare 1577 edition: 1 The king now being returned into England, or|deined a statute for armour and weapon to be had a|mongst his subiects heere in this realme, which was thus.An ordinance for armour. Euerie man that held a knights fée should be bound to haue a paire of curasses, an helmet, with shield and speare; and euerie knight or man of arms should haue as manie curasses, helmets, shields and speares as he held knights fées in demaine. Euerie man of the laitie hauing goods or reuenues to the value of sixteene marks, should haue one paire of cu|rasses, an helmet, a speare, and a shield. And euerie free man of the laitie hauing goods in value worth ten marks, should haue an habergeon, a steele cap, & a speare; and all burgesses, and the whole communal|tie of frée men should haue a wambais, a cap o [...] stéele, and a speare.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Further it was ordeined, that euerie man thus bound to haue armour, should be sworne to haue th [...] same before the feast of S. Hilarie, and to be true vn|to king Henrie Fitz empres, in defense of whome and of his realme they should kéepe with them such armour and weapon, according to his precept and commandement thereof had and made. And no man being furnished with such armour, should sell, pledge, lend, or otherwise alien the same, neither may his lord by any means take the same from him, either by waie of forfeiture, by distresse or pledge, nor by any other means: and when any man died, hauing such armour, he shall leaue it to his heire, and if his heire be not of lawfull age to weare it into the field, then he that hath the custodie of his bodie shall haue the armour, and find an able man to weare it for him, till he come to age.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 If any burgesse of any good towne haue more ar|mour than he ought to haue by this statute, he shall sell it or giue it to some man that may weare it in the kings seruice. No Iew might haue armour by this statute:Iewes might haue no ar|mour. but those that had anie, were appointed to sell the same to such as were inhabitants within the realme, for no man might sell or transport anie armour ouer the sea, without the kings licence. For the better execution of which ordinance, it was ordei|ned, that inqu [...]sts should be taken by sufficient iu|rors, what they were that were able to haue armour by their abilitie in lands and goods. Also the K. would, that none should be sworne to haue armour, except he were a frée man of birth and bloud.

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