London but honest persons and of good name and fame and so taken and admitted by the Aldermen of the ward for the time being and that the same hucksters doe finde sufficient surety afore the Mayor Aldermen for the time being to be of good guiding and rule And that the same hucksters shal keepe no bawdry nor suffer no letchery dice playing carding or any other unlawfull games to be done exercised or used within their houses and to shut in their doores at nine of the clocke in the night from Michaelmas to Easter and from Easter to Michaelmas at ten of the clocke in the night and after that houre sell none Ale or Beere And if any huckster of Beere or Ale after this Act published and proclaimed sellany Ale or Beere within any ward of the City of London and be not admitted by the Aldermen of the same ward so to doe or find not sufficient surety as it is above rehearsed the same huckster to have imprisonment and make fine and ransome for his contempt after the discretion of the Mayor and Aldermen And also that the said hucksters suffer no manner of common eating and drinking within their cellars or vaults contrary to the ordinance thereof ordained and provided as in the said Act more plainly appeareth at large We charge you that you put the same in due execution accordingly 16 And also that ye see all Liplers and other sellers of Ale or Beere Measures â—…aled as well of privie Osteries as Brewers and Inholders within your ward not selling by lawfull measures sealed and marked with the letter C. crowned according as in that behalfe it is ordained and purveyed be presented their names in your said Indentures be expressed with their defaults so that the Chamberlaine may be lawfully answered of their amercements 17 And also that you suffer no stranger borne out of the Realme to be of the common Councel Stranger born nor to exercise or use any other office within this Citie nor receive or accept any person into your watch privy or open but Englishmen borne And if any stranger borne out of this Realme made denizen by the Kings Letters Patents or any other after his course and lot be appointed to any watch that then ye command compell him or them to find in his stead and place one Englishman to supply the same 18 And also that you cause an abstract of the Assize appointed by Act of Parliament for billets and other fire-wood to be faire written in Parchment to be fixed or hanged up in a Table in some fit and convenient place in every parish within your ward where the common people may best see the same 19 And furthermore Sâ—reets we charge and command you That you cause such provision to be had in your said ward that all the streets and lanes within the same ward be from time to time cleansed cleerely voyded of ordure dung myre Paine 40 2. rubbish and other filthy things whatsoever be to the annoyance of the Kings Maiesties subiects 20 And also that at all times as you shall thinke necessary you doe cause search to be made within your said ward for all vagrant beggers Vagrants suspicious and idle people and such as cannot shew how to live and such as shall be found within your said ward that you caust to be punished dealt with according to the law and the statute in such case ordained and provided 21 And also we will and charge you the said Alderman Jury men that your selfe certifie and present before us at the said general Court to be holden the foresaid Munday next after the Feast of the Epiphany all the names and surnames truly written of such persons within your said ward as be ably to passe in a Grand-Iury by themselves And also all the names and surnames truly written of such persons being and dwelling within your said ward as be able to passe in a Petty-Iury not able to passe in a Grand-Iury by themselves that is to say every Grand-Iury man to be worth in Goods an hundred Markes and every petty Iury man forty Markes according to an Act in that case ordained and provided and the same you shall indorse on the backside of your Indenture 22 Item Harlots for divers reasonable and urgent considerations us especially moving we straitly charge and command you on the King our Soveraigne Lords behalfe that you diligently provide and foresee that no manner of person or persons within your said ward of what condition or degreee soever he or they be of keeping any Taverne or Alehouse Ale-seller or any other victualling house or place of common resort to eate and drinke in within the same ward permit or suffer at any time hereafter any common woman of their bodies or harlots to resort and come into their said house or other the places aforesaid to eate or drink or otherwise to be conversant or abide or thither to haunt or frequent upon paine of imprisonment as well of the occupier keeper of every such house or houses and all other the places afore remembred as of the common woman or harlots 23 Also that you doe give in charge to the wardmote enquest of your ward Articles all the articles delivered to you herewith An Act for the Reformation of divers abuses used in the Wardmote Enquests ITem Commons Dinners Banqueting where the Wardmote Enquests within the severall Wards of this City for the maintenance of honesty vertue and good living and for the abolishment exiling and suppressing of all kind of vice evill rule and iniquitie according to the ancient laudable Lawes and Customes of the said Cite are yeerely severally charged and sworne upon the day of Saint Thomas the Apostle before the Aldermen of the said wards chiefely and principally to the end intent that they with all diligence should truly and duely inquire and present all such enormities nusances misorder and offences as are or at any time within the space of one whole yeare then next ensuing shall be severally used committed or done within the said Wards and have day yearely to make their said presentments untill the Munday next after the Feast of the Epiphany The said Enquests heretofore little or nothing at all regarding as it is very manifest and not unknowne the more is the pitie their said Oathes or yet the great commodities utility quietnesse honour and worship that might or should grow and ensue to the said Citie and inhabitants of the same through their good industrious indifferent proceedings for the advancement of vertue and repressing of vices have drawne it in a manner into a very ordinary course and common custome to consume spend a great part of their said time that they have yearely given unto them when they receive their said charge partly in setting up among themselves a certaine commons and making keeping many costly and sumptuous dinners suppers and banquets inviting
and calling to the same at sundry times in a manner all the inhabitants of the said severall wards to the no little charges of the same inhabitants and partly in passing occupying much part of the same time in playing at dice tables cards and such other unlawful games both to the great costs charges and expences of the said Enquests whereof the greater part are most commonly but poore men and also to the very lewd pernicious and evill example of all such as have any accesse or recourse unto the same Enquests And where also the said enquests have of late usurped to dispence with such persons as they by their search and otherwise have founden to offend and transgresse the Lawes in using and occupying of unlawfull Weights and Measures taking of the said Offenders certaine Fines which Fines as it is said the said Enquests have commonly used to imploy towards the maintenance of their said Feasting and Banqueting directly against the due order of our Soveraigne Lord the Kings Lawes and the publike wealth of all his Highnesse Subiects within the said City and much to the reproach and dishonour of the same City For remedy and reformation thereof be it ordained enacted and established by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Commons in this present common Councell assembled and by authority of the same That all and every the wardmote Enquests of the said City from henceforth to be yeerely charged and sworne within the said severall Wards at the time afore rehearsed shal at all times and places meet convenient for the due execution of their said charge meet and assemble themselves together and that they and every of them after their said meetings inquisition and treating of their said necessary matters shall goe home to their owne severall houses to Breakfast Dinner Supper during all the said accustomed time of their Charge and Session above said And that none of the said Enquests shall from henceforth forward set up any manner of Commons or keep or maintaine any manner of dinners suppers or banquets among themselves or use at their said Assemblies and Sessions any of the games above mentioned or any other whatsoever unlawful games or playes at any time before the giving up of the said presentments at the time above remembred Fines or shall take or receive any manner of Fine or Fines for the concealement and discharging of any of the offences afore recited but truely present the same offences and every of them according to their Oathes upon paine of imprisonment by the discretion of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the said City for the time being Provided alway Fire and Candle c. and be it enacted by the authority aforesaid That it shall be lawfull for all and every of the said Enquests to take and receive towards the charges of their fire and candles and other necessaries during the time of their said Session all and every such summes of money as any honest person or persons of their free will benevolent mind will give or offer unto them And when they have made their said presentments to goe and assemble themselves together for their recreation and solace Recreation where they shall thinke it good and there not onely to bestow spend the twenty shillings which every Alderman within his Ward according to a certaine order lately taken shal yearely give unto them at the time of the delivery of the said presentments towards their said charges in this behalfe but also the residue of the said money received gathered as it is aforesaid of the benevolence of their said loving friends if any such residue shall fortune to remayne Any clause or Article in this present Act contained to the contrary notwithstanding Not failing hereof as ye tender the common-weale of this City and advancement of good iustice and as ye will answer for the contrary at your uttermost perill Dated at the Guildhall under the Seale Office of Maioralty of the said City the twelfth day of December the _____ yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. God save the King Printed at London by Richard Cotes Printer to the Honourable City of London
By the Major To the Aldermen of the Ward WEe charge and command you that upon S. Thomas day the Apostle next comming you doe hold your Wardmote Wardmote and that you have afore us at our generall Court of Aldermen to be holden in the Guildhall the Munday next after the Feast of the Epiphany next comming all the defaults that shall be presented afore you by Inquest in the said Wardmote and the said Inquest shall have full power and authority by one whole yeare to inquire and present all such defaults as shall be found within your said Ward Inquest for a yeare as oftentimes as shall be thought to you expedient and needfull which we will shall be once every moneth at the least 2 And if it happen any of your said Inquest to dye Inquest dying or depart out of your said Ward within the said yeare that then in place of him or them so dying or departing out of your said ward you cause to be chosen one able person to inquire and present with the other in manner and forme above said 3 And that at the said generall Court you give afore us the names and surnames of all them of your said Ward that come not to your said Wardmote if they be duely warned Non-appearance so that due redresse and punishment of them may be had as the case shall require according to the Law 4 And that you doe provide that at all times convenient covenable watch be kept And that Lanthornes with light by nightertaile in old manner accustomed be hanged forth and that no man goe by nightertaile without light nor with visard Watch light Visard on the perill that belongeth thereto 5 And also that you doe cause to be chosen _____ men of the most sufficient honest and discreet men of your said ward Common Counâ—ell to be for your said ward of the common Councell of this City for the yeare ensuing according to the custome in that behalfe yearely used And also that you doe cause the said men so to be chosen to be of the common Councell to be sworne before you and in your presence according to the Oath for them used and of old time accustomed the tenor of which Oath hereafter ensueth Ye shall sweare that ye shall be true to our Soveraigne Lord the King that now is and to his heires and successors Kings of England and readily ye shall come when ye be summoned to the common Councell of this City but if ye be reasonably excused and good and true counsell ye shall give in all things touching the Commonwealth of this City after your wit and cunning and that for favour of any person ye shall maintaine no singular profit against the common profit of this City and after that you be come to the common Councell you shall not from thence depart till the common Councell be ended without reasonable cause or else by the Lord Maiors license And also any secret things that be spoken or said in the common Councell which ought to be kept secret in no wise you shall disclose as God helpe you 6 And that also in the said wardmote you cause to be chosen certaine other honest persons to be Constables and Scavengers Constables Scavenger Beadle Raker and a common Beadle and a Raker to make cleane the streets and lanes of all your said Ward according to the custome yearely used in that behalfe which Constables have and shall have full power and authority to distraine for the salary and quarterage of the said Beadle and Raker as oftentimes as it shall be behinde unpaid 7 Also that you keepe a Roll of the names Roll of names surnames dwelling places professions and trades of all persons dwelling within your ward and within what Constables precinct they dwell wherein the place is to be specially noted by street lane alley or signe 8 Also that you cause every Constable from time to time Constable to certifie unto you the name surname dwelling place profession and trade of every person who shall newly come to dwell within this precinct whereby you may make and keepe your roll perfect And that you cause every Constable for his precinct to that purpose to make and keepe a perfect roll in like manner 9 Also that you give speciall charge that every Inholder and other person within your ward who shall receive any person to lodge or sotourne in his house above two dayes shall before the third day after his comming thither Roll. Inholder Lodger Sojourner give knowledg to the Constable of the precinct where he shall be so received of the name surname dwelling place profession and trade of life or place of service of such person and for what cause he shall come to reside there And that the said Constable give present notice thereof to you and that the said Inholder lodge no suspected person or men or women of evill name Suspect persons 10 Also that you cause every Constable within his precinct once every moneth at the farthest and oftner if need require Search to make diligent search and inquiry what persons be newly come into his precinct to dwell soiourn or lodge And that you give speciall charge that no Inholder or person shall resist or deny any Constable in making such search or inquiry but shall doe his best endevour to aide and assist him therein 11 And for that of late there is more resort to the City of persons evill affected in religion and otherwise than in former times hath been New commers you shall diligently inquire if any man be received to dwell or abide within your ward that is not put under franke pledge as he ought to be by the custome of the City and whether any person hath continued in the said ward by the space of one yeare being above the age of xii yeares and not sworne to be faithfull and loyall to the Kings Maiesty Franke pledge in such sort as by the law and custome of this City he ought to be 12 To all these purposes the Bedle of every ward shall imploy his diligence Bedle. and give his furtherance 13 Also that you have speciall regard that from time to time Fire there be convenient provision for Hookes Ladders and Buckets in meet places within the severall Parishes of your ward for avoyding the perill of fire 14 Also that the streets and lanes of this Citie Sueets be from time to time kept cleane before every Church house shop warehouse doore dead wall and in all other common passages and streets of the said ward 15 And whereby divers Acts of common Councell Hucksters of Ale Beere afore time made and established for the common weale of this Citie among other things it is ordained and enacted as hereafter ensueth Also it is ordained and enacted That from henceforth no huckster of Ale of â—eere be within any ward of the City of