such as be licenced and be not brought to the cage or other prison Also whether euerie officer do attend his office and do his dutie and whether any do vse any extortion briberie or anie inordinate meanes by waie of corruption The office of the Chamberlaine THe Chamberlaine is an officer of a late erection and was made and ordered by act of Parleament His office chiefly and especiallie concerneth the orphanes and then consequentlie in all things concerning the gouernement and the state of the common wealth and therefore it is verie requisite that he be wise learned and well acquainted in all the orders ordinances customes and the whole estate of the common wealth The chiefest points incident and apperteining to his office in particularitie are as followeth FIrst he is to attend the Maior and common counsell at all times being lawfullie summoned and according to his knowledge to aduise instruct and informe them in all things concerning the gouernement vsages customes liberties and priuiledges of the Citie Also he if he be therevnto required in the absence of the towne-clearke shall sit downe and write all such actes orders and determinations as by the Maior and common counsell shall be concluded and agreed vpon Also he shall not discouer nor open the secrets and counsels of the Maior and common counsell to the hurt of them or of the common wealth Also he shall sée that all the records charters miniments euidences and other writings of the chamber shall be safely kept in the treasurie of the counsell chamber and shall not deliuer carrie out nor shew them or anie of them out of that place to any person or persons without the consent of the Maior or some necessarie vrgent cause Also he shall be present and attendant at all and euerie the Cities audits and all the accompts to be heard and passed before the auditors he shall sée and cause to be put vp in the treasurie of the counsell chamber Also he shall from time to time suruey and take the view of all the cities manors lordships woods lands and housings and to sée that no part thereof be impaired imbecilled or lost and the same or anie part being ruinous or in decaie to be in time conuenient repaired and amended Also he shall aide helpe and instruct the receiuer and all other officers in all things to their office apperteining as well for anie thing concerning the cities works as for the ouerséeing of the workemen and prouiding all things necessarie for the same Also he shall haue a speciall care to the defending and preseruation of the common wealth and of all the priuiledges of the same and especiallie of the orders of the orphanes according to the charter orders and ordinances of the same The office of the Towneclarke THe Towneclarke was an officer euen as old as the oldest and in times past he was yearely chosen as other officers and most commonlie he was one of the stewardes or bailiffes of which number one was alwaies learned and of good experience and knowledge in the lawes vsages customes and orders of the citie but in the ende for sundrie reasons and considerations this office was altogether cast vpon one man who beeing once chosen did continue therein so long and vntill he died or for some reasonable cause was remooued The office is of great credite and importance for he is not onlie to write and trulie to set downe both in records and in bookes what is done by the Maior and bailiffes in their courts and by their offices and by the common counsell in their assemblies but also to informe and instruct them what is to be done and what euerie of them ought to do and therefore his seruice is so requisite and necessarie that he can at no time be absent or elong himselfe from out of the citie without specall licence The chiefest points of his office are these FIrst he must be honest wise and learned and well acquainted in the knowledge of the charters records customes liberties and orders of the citie which he shall defend Also he must attend the Maior and bailiffes at and in all their courts and at and in doing their offices at all time and times and is to instruct and informe them how they are to proceed in the execution thereof Also he may not lie out or be absent out of the citie anie one night without speciall leaue and licence Also he is to make true entries to kéepe true records of all the whole processe of the Maior and bailiffes courtes and the same to engrosse wéekelie in parchment and at the yeares end to deliuer them into the treasurie Also he is to attend the Maior and common counsell and to giue them his best aduise in all their dooings and whatsoeuer by them or the more part of them shall be determined shall register and write in their booke of actes these nor anie other the secrets of the citie shall he not disclose to the hurt or preiudice of them or of the citie Also he shall aide and assist instruct and informe all and euerie officer and officers for the true doing of their offices and duties Also he shall attend to kéepe the audites of the citie and all the accompts he shall ingrosse in parchment Also he must maintaine and defend all the liberties and priuiledges of the citie and the right of the orphanes to his vttermost Also he is to attend the markets and the waying of bread furing of weights and measures making of proclamations and finally whatsoeuer else apperteineth to be done for and concerning the gouernement of the citie Many other things are required to be done by him and which are incident to his charge and which are more at large set downe in the blacke booke The office of the Sergeants THe Sergeants are verie auncient officers and had their beginning when the magistrate had First they were called Subballiui bicause vnder the head bailiffs they were wont to collect and gather the issues of the citie and to execute their precepts and commaundements after this they were called Ministricuriae bicause their greatest seruice then was to attend the court and to execute seruices therevnto apperteining And lastly they were and are yet called Seruientes ad clauam And according to the speciall point of their seruice they take their seuerall names Sergeants at the mace for that is chiefely required of them to summon attach and arrest all such persons as against whome anie action or suite is commenced in anie of the courts within this citie and by their mace which is their warrant they are knowne to be the ministers to that end They are also the generall seruitures in all or the most part of all the affaires in the common weale and in whose seruices resteth the performance and execution of all things to be done wherein if they should be corrupted slouthfull carelesse and negligent then should all the trauels of the magistrates the gouernement of the common
heresie or doo not resort to his church at or vpon the sabaoth daies he is to punish him or to take order with him according to the lawes Also he is vpon sundaies and holie daies to send abroad his officers to sée if anie be sitting vpon the stalles walking the streates or sitting in tauernes or vsing anie gaming at the time of preaching and praiers and to compell them either to go to the church or commit them to ward or to take further order with them as shall be thought good Also he must vpon the first fridaie after he hath taken his oth cause to be proclamed his generall proclamation for and concerning the gouernment of the citie Also when anie proclamation is to be made for hir Maiestie or otherwise it is to be doone in decent maner namelie in the open market and assemblie of the people the sword-bearer with the sword and the sargeants with their maces standing before him his brethren Also he is with the bailiffes vpon euerie mondaie through the whole yeare to kéepe the Quéenes court in the open Guildhall and then and there vprightlie to minister iustice and to giue true iudgements in all matters depending before them and to sée true records to be kept Also he is to sée the peace and common tranquillitie to be kept and obserued and the offenders punished Also he and his officers is to attend wéekelie the markets for all maner corne and victuals that the same be wholesome and good and at reasonable prices Also that no victuals nor wares be forestalled ingrossed or regrated contrarie to the lawes Also that he doo from time to time as occasion shall serue take the view and search of all maner of measures weights and vessels whether they be according to the statute and being defectiue to reforme the same Also vpon euerie mondaie to giue to the bakers the assise of bread and wéekelie to examine and weigh their bread whether the same be according to the assise giuen or not Also that he giue to the brewers the assise of their drinke and to set reasonable prices for and vpon the same Also he shall command his stewards constables and other his officers to make search euerie moneth once in all euerie suspect place for plaiers at games vnlawfull kéepers of ill rule night-watchers vagarant naughtie and suspect persons and such strangers as who cannot giue account for their honest life and them to commit to ward to be kept or be punished according to their offense and by order of the lawes Also he shall take bonds and sufficient suerties of euerie innekéeper tipler and for kéeping of good rule in their houses Also he is yearelie to kéepe lawe courts and cause inquisition to be taken of all things concerning the state of the citie and liberties of the same Also he is to sée the nightwatches in the times appointed to be kept Also he shall yearelie make his perambulations round about the citie and about the limits bounds of the same and shall also cause the like perambulations to be made euerie rogation wéeke about the limits and bounds of the countie Also he shall twise in the yeare at Michelmas and Easter visit the almeshouses of the cities and examine whether the same be ordered as it apperteineth Also he shall yearelie call to account all the collectors for the poore in euerie parish and to sée that the poore be prouided for according to the statute Also the Maior being the eschetor of the citie and warden in socage is from time to time to cause at euerie mondais court presentment to be made of the death of euerie citizen and inhabitant what heires and orphanes he left behind him and that there vpon he doo take order for the preseruation of the orphanes and of all such goods and rents as doo growe vnto them as also not to admit anie person to the fréedome of the citie but that he be sworne vnto the order of the orphanes Also he is at all time and times conuenient to call and assemble the common counsell of the xxiiij vnto the counsell chamber when matter and occasion shall require and then and there to determine what by their deuise and counsell is to be determined Also he is then and there to sée and command euerie one of the said xxiiij and all other persons comming there to behaue and vse themselues modestlie soberlie and in all good maner according to the orders of the said house and whoso shall offend therein to be punished accordinglie Also he is to appoint six of the forsaid xxiiij to be auditours as well of the account of the generall receiuer as of all other accounts for and concerning anie of the cities rents receipts or reuenewes Also he may not be absent from out of the citie anie night except it be for some necessarie and vrgent cause and in his absence he is to appoint his lieutenant in writing vnder his hand seale Diuers other things doo belong to his office which more at large are to be séene in the great lieger booke The office of the Stewards THe Stewards are verie ancient officers of this citie and were in the time of the Saxons named in Latine Praepositi in the Saxon tong Portegreues that is to saie The wise graue gouernours of the citie or towne after the conquest they were named Praefecti which in the Normand French toong are called Prouorstes the name of the person is worne out but the court of their iurisdiction reteineth his former name being called the prouorst court after this in respect of the courts kept before them they were called Senescalli that is to saie stewards and not long after bicause they or some one of them was put in trust for collecting of the cities reuenewes they were called Balliui bailiffes These two latter names are still reteined and indifferently vsed at these presents Their offices consist in manie points whereof some in particular as followeth FIrst they al or two at the least of them are to be attendant present and sitting as well with the Maior vpon euerie mondaie in the court of the Guildhall as also in their own court called the Prouorst court which they may adiourne and kéepe from daie to daie at their owne will and pleasure Also they are to sée true records to be kept true iustice to be ministred and true iudgements to be giuen in all causes depending in either of the courts before them Also they are to attend the Maior at his going to the sermons at S. Peters vpon the sondaies at the forenoone and at his going and returning at the Guildhall court vpon euerie mondaie and at the markets and proclamations and vpon euerie saturdaie at the shambles and at all other times whensoeuer they shall be called and required Also forasmuch as they are clarkes of the market they are to execute and doo what dooth apperteine to the clarke of the market that is to saie That corne and
or persons to come or go in and out but such as they doo knowe to be honest and of good credit and conuersation Also at all time and times if anie post happen to come they shall open the gates to receiue him and to bring him to the Maior and to his lodging Also if ante hew and crie shall happen to be they shall open the gates to receiue and followe the same Also if anie tumults vprores escapes of prisoners fiering of houses or anie such like things shall happen they shall foorthwith close and make fast the gates and so kèepe the same shut vntill all be appeased and order giuen for the opening of them Also they shall attend the Maior vpon euerie sundaie and festiuall daies to and from S. Peters church and vpon euerie mondaie to the guildhall court as other officers doo and are bound to doo and shall at the said court present all bloudsheds fraies and breaches of the peace and whatsoeuer else by them is and ought to be presented The office of the Bull ring keeper named commonlie the Maior of the Bull ring THe Maior of the Bull ring is an office of countenance and appointed for the keeping of a good order in such things as be committed to his trust and office FIrst when anie bull or beare baiting be appointed he is first to make the Maior priuie thereof and no baiting to be vsed within the citie but that the said Maior be present or giue leaue therevnto Also he shall sée all things to be well and orderlie vsed at such pastimes Also he shall not sée or suffer anie pigges poulterie or duckes to rainge abroad the stréetes Also vpon euerie market daie he shall not suffer anie horse to stand in the stréetes in the market place but shall cause them to be carried out of the market Also if anie straiers come he shall cause them to be brought to the place of the high conduct vpon the market daies and there to be tied to the ring and to be proclaimed in the market and from market daie to market daie during thrée markets to kéepe them in pound or in some place safelie Also if the said beasts be chained and challenged he shall vpon proofe made before the Maior and bailiffes redeliuer to the owners taking his fées and for the reasonable kéeping of such beasts in the meane time Also if the said beasts at or within thrée courts be not challenged then he shall bring them at the Guildhall the next mondaie then following and there to be praised Also he shall attend the Maior vpon sundaies to the church and vpon mondaies to the court as other officers doo and ought to doo The office of the VVatchemen and VVardens THe Watchmen are officers of trust for the safe custodie and preseruation of the citie as well in times of troubles and warres as in the daies of peace when ordinarie night watches by the lawes of the realme are kept FIrst the watchmen are housholders who by course are to watch themselues in person or to appoint some méet and conuenient persons in their place and which are to be well and sufficienrlie armed with harnesse and weapon Also they are to repaire in the summer in the euening immediatlie vpon the sunne set vnto the Guildhall and there to take their oth to heare their charge and to receiue their watchword Also they are then to depart hence in good order and to go to euerie of the gates and to sée them to be shut and made fast and then to come all to Corfoixe or the great conduit and there to diuide themselues into their seuerall quarters by order of such as be appointed captaines ouer them and the same seuerall quarters they shall gard and kéepe Also they shall all night be watchfull and walking abroad in their diuisions leauing alwaies some one at the least at the gate Also they shall view and looke whether all things be quiet and in good order and if they find anie candle light in anie house late and out of season they shall cause the same to be put out vnlesse some cause be to the contrarie and if they find anie fiers perillous or houses aduentured they shall rowse and call vp the scauengers and constables and other the officers for quenching thereof Also if they find anie night watchers plaiers quarellers dronkeards suspect persons whatsoeuer they shall apprehend them and bring them either to the ward or to some conuenient place as where the parties may be foorth comming before the magistrate the next morning Also if anie poste or stranger come they shall receiue him if his arrant and comming be honest and shall bring him to his lodging or present him to the magistrate according as his cause shall require Also they shall attend the Maior vpon euerie mondaie at the Guildhall court and then and there to present what faults haue béen doone and committed in the nights of their watches Also that in their watches they doo ball and kill all such dogges as they shall find balling or ranging in the stréets or lieng out of anie mans house There be other officers which are sworne also as the iustices of the peace the shiriffes the clarke of the peace the vndershiriffes c. But for so much as their offices are limited by statutes and at large therein expressed I will referre them to the same FINIS