No butcher, broker or those called "tipplers" may, by God's penny as an earnest of payment, reserve corn, animals or any other goods being brought to the city for sale, unless they are prepared immediately after the bargain is made to satisfy the vendor [for the price]. This is so that country-folk are not hindered in receiving payment for their goods. After a buyer has viewed the merchandize and a deal has been struck for it, the quantity of goods in the lot is not to be reduced. If it is, a plea may be introduced and if it is found to have been done with the knowledge of the seller, the complainant may receiving damages, and the offender is to be heavily amerced if he has the means to pay – if not, then some other punishment is to be assigned by the bailiffs. Repeat offenders are to be punished with the pillory as well as making satifaction to the complainant, and subsequently with abjuring the city for a year and a day, as in chapter 37.

[This chapter is somewhat confused, in part due to scribal errors and omissions in copying it into the Book of Pleas. From an additional clause supplied by the Liber Consuetudinum (incorporated here), it appears that the concern with fraudulent reduction of the volume of goods sold was an offence by the original seller, although the same offence could have been committed by the buyer prior to re-selling the goods (at the same price for which he bought them, the profit thus being in the number of goods held back). Since the chapter is primarily targeted at brokers, that latter offence may also be contemplated. A tippler was a tavern-keeper and, as such, a re-seller of victuals.]