the last things that require to be made sufficient by legislation. The
ill-made shoes wear out, and the purchaser, if he be wise, will not go
again to the same shop. Parliament, however, did not leave him in the
matter to the resources of his own wisdom. By a statute of the 13th of
Richard II., it is provided: 'Forasmuch as divers shoemakers and
cordwainers use to tan their leather, and sell the same falsely
tanned--also make shoes and boots of such leather not well tanned, and
sell them as dear as they will, to the great deceipt of the poor
commons--it is accorded and assented, that no shoemaker nor cordwainer
shall use the craft of tanning, nor tanner the craft of shoemaking;
and he that doth contrary to this act, shall forfeit to the king all
his leather so tanned, and all his boots and shoes.'

Fifty-two years later--in the year 1485, it was found that the people
were still cheated with bad boots and shoes--especially, we doubt not,
when they bought them cheap--and the legislature, pondering on a
possible remedy, thought they might find it in further subdivision,
and prohibiting tanners from currying their leather; and so it is
enacted, 'that where tanners in divers parts of this realm usen within
themselves the mystery of currying and blacking of leather
insufficiently, and also leather insufficiently tanned, and the same
leather so insufficiently wrought, as well in tanning as in currying
and blacking, they put to sale in divers fairs and markets, and other
places, to the great deceipt and hurt of liege people'--so no tanner
is to 'use the mystery of a currier, nor black no leather to be put to
sale, under the forfeiture of every hyde,' &c.

Let us now introduce our readers to a legislative protection against
frauds of a more dire and mysterious character, in the shape of an act
passed in the sixth year of Edward VI., 'for stuffing of feather-beds,
bolsters, mattresses, and cushions.' Our readers, we hope, will not
suppose--as the words might lead them to infer--that these articles
are to be stuffed with the act; on the contrary, it would be highly
penal so to do. The chief provisions are: 'For the avoiding of the
great deceipt used and practised in stuffing of feather-beds,
bolsters, pillows, mattresses, cushions, and quilts--be it enacted,
that no person or persons whatsoever shall make (to the intent to
sell, or offer to be sold) any feather-bed, bolster, or pillow, except
the same be stuffed with dry-pulled