The present state of London: or, Memorials comprehending a full and succinct account of the ancient and modern state thereof. By Tho. De-Laune, Gent

Au Abstract of the Charters of the Famous City of London.

THe ROYAL CHARTER granted by our Gra∣cious Soveraign King Charles the Second, the 24th of June, in the 15th of his Reign, in confir∣mation of all the Charters of this City granted by his Royal Predecessors, recites them all verbatim, of which (that is the most memorable) we can only give a brief Alphabetical Abstract; the Reader that would read them at large, being referred to larger Tracts.

By Charter of King H. 2. was granted Acquittal of Murder, within the City, and in Portsoken there∣of —confirmed by King John, ch. 1. By Hen. 3. ch. 4. & ch. 9.—By Charter of King John, ch. 3. there was granted an Acquittal of Duties in the Thames, claimed at the Tower,—confirmed by King Hen. 3. ch. 3.

By Charter of King H. 1. an Acquittal of Toll, Tol∣lage, Custage, and Custome, that is,—that all the men of London shall be quit and free, and all their goods throughout England, and the Ports of the Sea, of all Toll, and Passage, and Lestage, and all other Customs. And by H. 2. that if any in all England, shall take any Custom or Toll of or from the men of London, after he shall fail of Right, the Sheriff of London may take Goods thereof at London. Con∣firm'd by King John, ch. 1. by King H. 3. ch. 4. by the same, ch. 8. by E. 3. ch. 1. King John ch. 2. The City Accompts to the King to be past in the Ex∣chequer. —See E. 3. ch. by King John. 2. Allowance of Sheriffs is to be in the Exchequer, and confirm'd by H. 3. ch. 7. Aids:—Citizens by Charter of Ed. 2. are not to War out of the City, and the Aids then granted to the King, are not (by that Charter) to be

drawn into Example.—None are to be amerced but according to the Law of the City, by Charter of Hen, 2. confirmed by R. 3. ch. 1.

That the Sheriffs of London be as other Sheriffs by Charter of Ed. 1. and their amerciament is not to exceed 20. l. H. 3. ch. 1.

By Charter of Ed. 4. Char. 1. Aldermen for term of Lives shall have this Liberty; that is to say, that as long as they shall continue Aldermen there, and shall bear the Charge of Aldermen proper, and also those which before had been Aldermen, and have al∣so with their great Costs and Expences born the Offices of Mayoralty, shall not be put in any Assizes, Juries, or Attaints, Recognizances or Inquisitions, out of the said Ci••y, and that they, nor any of them, shall be Tryer or Tryers of the same. although they touch us (viz. the King) or our Heirs, or Succes∣cessors or other whomsoever.—That Aldermen of London are not to be made Collectors or Tax∣ers out of the City,—nor to suffer for Refusal of such Offices.

By the same Charter, Aldermen past the Mayor∣alty are to be Justice. of the Peace. The Mayor, Aldermen, and Recorder to be Justices of Oyer and Terminer, and the Mayor to be of the Quorum.

By Charter of Hen. 1. All Debtors which do owe Debts to the Citizens of London, shall pay them in London, or else discharge themselves in London that they owe none: But if they will not pay the same, neither come to clear themselves that they owe none; the Citizens of London to whom the Debts shall be due, may take their Goods in the City of London of the Burrough or Town, or of the County wherein be Remains who shall owe the Debts. By Charter of E. 4. ch. 1. Attachments are to be made by the City Officers in Southwark. And by Charter of Ed. 6. The Lord Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, that are Justices of the Peace in Lon∣don,

are to be Justices of the Peace in Southwark. All Forfeited Recognizances about Ale-houses, In∣mates, Bastard Children, Appearance at Sessions of Goal-Delivery, Fines, and Issues of Jurors (except Fines or Issues Royal,) &c. Granted to the City by Charter of King Charles 1. Chart. 1. That no Aliens are to keep Houses in London, nor be Brokers, by Charter of E. 3, ch. 5. That no Citizen shall wage Battel, H. 1. H. 2. R. 1. ch. 1. John. ch. 1. H. 3. ch. 4. ch. 9.

No Stranger is to buy Goods before they be weighed by the King's Beam, H. 3. ch. 9. The In∣habitants of Black-Fryers to be exempted from Taxes and Fifteenths, King James, ch. 2.

By Letters Patents of King Henry the VIII. Da∣ted at Westminstor Jan. 13. In the 28th Year of his Reign he did give and grant unto the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, and their Successors, the Keeping, Ordering, and Governing of the House and Hospital called Beth∣lehem, situate without and near Bishops-gate, and all Mannors, Lands, Tenements, Possessions, Reve∣nues, and Hereditaments whatsoever, and whereso∣ever lying and being, belonging or appertaining unto the said Hospital or House called Bethlem; and Made and Constituted by the same his Letters Pa∣tents, these, the Mayor and Commonalty and Citi∣zens of the City of London, and their Successors, Masters, Keepers, and Governours of the said House and Hospital called Bethlem, and of the said Man∣nors, Lands, Tenements, and other premisses be∣longing to the same House or Hospital, to have, hold and enjoy the said Custody, Order and Govern∣ment of the said House or Hospital, called Beth∣lem, &c. for ever, &c.

London is by King James, (Char. 3.) stiled his Royal Chamber, who not only confirmed the Char∣ters of his Predecessors, but did give, grant and con∣firm

unto the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of London, and to their Successors, the weighing of all Coals, called Stone-Coals weighable, Earth-Coals, and all other Coals weighable, of what kind soever, in or at the said Port of London, coming or brought up the said River of Thames in any Ship, Boat, or Barge, or other Vessel whatsoever, floating or being in any Port of the same Water of Thames, and upon what∣soever Bank, Shore, or Wharf of the same Water of Thames, from the Bridge of Stanes, to London-Bridge, and from thence to a place called Yendal or Yenland, towards the Sea.—For which the Du∣ties Payable to the Mayor, Commonalty and Citi∣zens, &c. is Eight pence for every Tunn,—none is to unlade Coals till the Mayor has Notice,—and of the quantity;—because the Mayor, &c. should be capable at any time, when required, to inform His Majesty, &c. what quantity of Coals of what sort soever, from time to time, is brought into the City, &c. and how the City and Adjacent places are sup∣plied.—No Markets of Coals to be in any Boats, Lighters, or other Vessel whatsoever, except in the Ship that first brought in the Coals; no Forestalling, Ingrossing, Regrating, upon pain of incurring such Pains and Punishments as the Law provides for con∣temners, and neglecters of Royal Mandates.

By Charter of Ed. IV. ch. 4. In consideration of 7000 l. &c. was granted to the Mayor, &c. the Offices or Occupations of Packing all manner of Woollen Cloaths, Sheep-Skins, Calves-Skins, Goat-Skins, Vessels of Amber, and all other Merchan∣dizes whatsoever, to be Packed, Tunned, Piped Barrelled, or any wise to be included, with the over∣sight of opening all manner of Customable Mer∣chandizes, arriving at the Port of Safety, as well by Land, as by Water, within the Liberties and Fran∣chises of the said City and Suburbs, &c. And als•• the Office of Carriage and Portage of all Wool••

Sheep-Skins, Tynn-Bails, and other Merchandizes whatsoever, which shall be carryed in London, from the Water of Thames, unto the Houses of Strangers; and contrariwise from the said Houses to the same Water, or of other Merchandizes which ought to be carryed, being in any House for a time.—And also the Office, &c. of Garbling of all manner of Spices, and other Merchandizes, coming to the said City at any time, which ought to be Garbled.—Also the Office of Gager.—Office of Wine-Drawers, &c. to be exercised by them or their Deputies.—The Office of Coroner to beat the Mayors (&c.) dispo∣sal.—Severed them from the Office of Chief-Butler, &c. Witness the King at Westminster, the 20th of June, Anno Regni 18.

By Charter of E. III. ch. 1. It is granted thus:— Whereas in the Great Charter of the Liberties of England, it is contained, that the City of London may have all their antient Liberties and Customs, and the same Citizens at the time of the making of the Charter, from the time of Saint Edward, King and Confessor, and William the Conqueror, and of other our Progenitors, had divers Liberties and Cu∣stomes, as well by the Charters of those our Proge∣nitors, as without Charter by Antient-Customs, where∣upon in divers the Circuits, and other the Courts of our said Progenitors, as well by Judgments as by Statutes, were Invaded and some of them Adjudged: We Will and Grant for us and our Heirs, that they may have the Liberties according to the Form of the above-said Great Charter, and that Impediments and Usurpations to them in that behalf made, shall be revoked and Annulled, &c. That the May∣or be one of the Justices of Goal-Delivery of New∣gate, and to be Named in every Commission there∣of to be made.—That the Citizens may have Infangtheft. [This is a Saxon word, signifying a Li∣berty Granted to certain Lords of Mannors, to Judge

any Thief taken within their Fee.] And Outfang-theft, [that is, a Liberty Granted to the Lord to try any Thief taken out of his Fee,] and Chattels of Felons, of all those which shall be Adjudged before them, within their Liberties, &c.

Citizens may Devise Lands in London, in Mort∣main, or otherwise,—Merchant Strangers to Sell Goods within Fourty Days,—and may not keep Houses, but are to be with Hosts, (that is, Lodg∣ers,) —The KING's Marshall, Steward, or Clerk of the Market of the King's Houshold, may not Sit within the City Liberties.—No Citizen is to be drawn to Plead without the Liberties of the City, about any thing that happens within the Liberties thereof.—No Escheator may Exercise that Office in the City, but the Mayor for the time being is to do it.—Citizens to be Taxed in Subsidies as other Commoners, not as Citizens.—To be quit of all Tallages, [this word is derived from the French word Taille, a piece cut out of the whole, signifying the paying a part or share of a Mans sub∣stance by way of Tribute, Tax or Toll,] and that the Liberty of the said City shall not be taken into the hands of us, or our Heirs for any Personal Trespass or Judgment of any Minister of the said City; Nei∣ther shall a keeper in the said City for that occasion be Deputed, but the same Minister shall be punished according to the quality of his Offence, &c.—No Purveyor of the Kings, &c. is to make any Prices of the Goods of the Citizens, without the Consent of the Party,—no Price to be made of the Citizens Wines against their Wills, &c. No Purveyor is to be a Merchant of the Goods whereof he is Pur∣veyor. —That no market is to be kept, nor after∣terwards to be Granted to any within Seven Miles in Circuit of the said City.—That all Inquisitions to be taken by the Justices of London, &c. shall be taken in St. Martins [le Grand] in London; but not

elsewhere, except the Inquisitions to be taken in the Circuits at the Tower of London, and for the Goal-Delivery at Newgate.—That no Citizen is to be Impleaded in the Exchequer, unless it concern the King, &c.

By Charter of Henry the First, the Citizens to be free from Scot and Lot, and Dane-Guilt; [that is, a Tribute laid upon our Ancestors of Twelve pence, for every Hide of Land throughout the Realm, by the Danes, for clearing the Seas, as they pretended of Pyrates.] H. the II. R. the I. ch. 1. King John ch. 1.

Henry the III. ch. 8. The Citizens may Traf∣fick with their Commodities and Merchandizes wheresoever they please, throughout His Majesties Kingdoms and Dominions, as well by Sea as by Land, without Interruption of him or his, as they see Expedient, quit from all Custom, Toll, Lestage; [that is, a Custom challenged in Fairs fer carrying of things,] and Paying, &c. and may abide for their Trading wheresoever they please, in the same His Kingdom, &c. as in times past they were Ac∣customed, &c.

Henry the VII. Granted a Charter, That no Stranger from the Liberty of the City, may Buy or Sell from any other Stranger to the Liberty of the same City, any Merchandizes or Wares within the Li∣berties of the same City, upon pain of Forfeiture of the said Goods, &c. to the Use and Profit of the Mayor, Commonalty, &c. Strangers may Buy things in Gross for their own Use, but not to Sell again, &c.

None is to take Loding in the City by Force, by Charters of H. the I. R. the I. ch. I. H. the III. ch. 4. H. the III. ch. 9.

By Charter of King CHARLES the I. the Offices of Paccage of Cloaths, Wools, Woollfels, &c. Balliage of Goods, &c. Portage of Goods,

Seavage of all Goods, &c. Customable, granted to the Mayor, Commonalty, &c. with a power to Ad∣minister an Oath for the discovery of concealed Goods, &c.

The Sergeants of London may bear Maces of Gold or Silver, Ed. III. ch. 4.

By Charter of King Henry I. It was granted to the Citizens of London to hold Middlesex to Farm for 300 l. upon Account, to them and their Heirs; so that the said City shall place as Sheriff whom they will of themselves, and shall place whomsoever, or such one as they will of themselves, for keeping of the Pleas of the Crown, and of the Pleading of the same, and none other shall be Justice over the same Men of London, &c.

This was confirmed by King John by Charter, da∣ted July 5, Anno Reg. 1. the City paying 300 l. as aforesaid, of Blank Sterling Money at two Terms in the Year, viz. at the Easter-Exchequer 150 l. and at Michaelmas-Exchequer 150 l. saving to the Citi∣zens all their Liberties and Free Customs, &c.

If the Sheriffs offend so as to incur the loss of Life or Member, they shall be Adjudged (as they ought to be) according to the Law of the City, &c.—wherefore (says the Charter) we Will and Stedfastly Command, that the Citizens of London, and Middlesex, with all the said Sheriffwich belong∣ing, of us and our Heirs, to possess and enjoy He∣reditarily, Freely and Quietly, Honorably and Whol∣ly, by Fee Farm of 300 l. &c.

All Fish••rs, Vintners, and Victualers, coming to the City, shall be in the Rule of the Mayor and Al∣dermen, 7 R. II. cap. 11. Aldermen shall not be Elected Yearly; but remain till they be put out.— Ibidem, Cap. 11.

Merchants may Sell Cloth, Wine, Oyl, Wax, or other Merchandize, as well by Wholesale as Retail, to all the KING's Subjects, as well as Londoners,

notwithstanding Franchise to the Contra, 7 H. IV. ch. 9. Citizens worth 400 Marks, in Goods or Chat∣tels may be Jurors in Attaint, and the Justices to sit only at the Guild-Hall, or within the City, not∣withstanding 23 H. VIII. cap. 3.

The Mayor, &c. next Court after the first of Michaelmas, is to name Watermen Yearly, to be Overseers of Rowing between Graves-End and Windsor, the 2 and 3 Pbillip and Mary, cap. 16. Sect. 3.

The Mayor, &c. to Assess the Fare of Watermen, and two Privy-Councellors to sign it, 2 and 3 Phil∣lip and Mary. chap. 16. Sect. 11.

Citizens of London and other Inhabitants, Trades∣men, &c. for Debts under 40 s. may Summon in to the Court of Conscience; (that is, the Court of Requests,) and the Commissioners there to Deter∣mine the Difference, and to Register Orders. 3 Jac. cap. 15. Sect. 2.

These brief Memorandums are produced, not as comprehending the full Abstract (much less the words at length) of the several Charters and Priviledges of thi•• Famous City, but as Guides to direct where they may read at large; to be more full, would be in∣consistent with the designed brevity of this small Tract, for it would make a Volume it self: yet what is here pointed at, with what's scatterd up and down the Book under particular Heads, (which to avoid repetition are not mentioned here) may inform the Reader of the most Memorable, which was the thing only intended. He that would consult them more largely, is referred to a Book Intituled the Roy∣al Charter of Confirmation, granted by King CHARLES the II. to the City of London by S. G. Gent. And Rastals Statutes at Large; from whence, with some others, these Memorials were Col∣lected.