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Turner Mayor.

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To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen.

ACcording to an Order of this Honourable Court of the 23 of December last past; We whose Names are subscribed Committees thereby appointed to consider of the Matters contained in the Petition of divers poor Women, in, and about this City, (especially in the Parishes of St. Botolph's Bishops-gate and Aldgate) Selling of Fish, for Liberty and Protection to continue their said Imployment, and means of Livelihood, free from Disturbance, and Actions at Law, which have lately been prosecuted against them, to their great Vexation and Impoverishment; Do humbly certifie, that having for our better Information called to our Assistance, our Deputies, and the Common Council-Men of the Wards of Portsoaken, and Bishops-gate; And having had also before us some of the Company of Fishmongers, as also the Fisher-Men, who serve the Markets of this City with Fish, and also the Petitioners; and having heard them touching the said Petitioners Complaints; We do find, that the Prosecutions and Trouble occasioned to the Petitioners, have been by the Direction and Order of the Trading Fishmongers, (as they themselves confessed) upon the pretence of the Petitioners Ingrossing, and unlawful obtaining into their Hands, the Fish brought for the use of this City, when in truth their real meaning thereby, is to weary out, and utterly to discourage the said Petitioners from following their Imployments; that thereby they may wholly get the Trade into their own Hands, and Sell their Fish at unreasonable and excessive Rates, and Prises, to the abuse of His Majesties Subjects; For to Us it is made out, that the Fishmongers themselves, as to the Ingrossing of that Victual, and Forestalling of the Market; (not to excuse the Petitioners, who are also gross Offenders,) are as faulty, as the Petitioners, they, either by themselves, or their Servants going in the Night time to Billings-gate, and sometimes down the River, to Buy up the Fish there brought, or intended to be brought, not at all observing the Hours for opening and beginning the Market; so that by, and many times before these Hours, the Fish are wholly bought up by the Fishmongers; and the Petitioners, and many Citizens, who would otherwise supply themselves at the first Hand, are herein disappointed. That it doth appear to us, it hath been heretofore allowed to certain Women, being the Wives and Widows of Free-Men, and other Antient Dwellers within this City, and Liberties, to Buy up the middle and worser sort of Fish, such as were left, and refused by the Fishmongers; provided the same were siseable and wholsom, and to utter, and put to Sale the same again within this City, and Liberties, for the Benefit and Relief of the Poor; And (as the Fishermen do aver) unless some such be continued, they cannot possibly utter the great quantities of Fish they bring to this City, but must be forced to throw away a great part thereof, to their great discouragement and loss; the middle and worser sort of Fish, (although siseable) being the greatest part of what they bring to the Markets of this City. But we do also find that this Liberty of late years has been abused; for that a great number and sort of disorderly, and lewd Women, and Maids, fitter for more Painful and Laborious Service, appropriating to themselves the Benefit of this allowance; do take upon them to Sell, and carry Fish up and down the Streets, and Liberties of this City; and under that pretence, do practice many wicked and unlawful things; And many of the Petitioners themselves do take upon them to keep Maid-Servants, and Apprentices to assist them in their Imployments, which they ought not to do.

NOW to Redress these, and many other Disorders and Abuses of the like nature, We humb•• •ffer it as our Opinions:

I. That as to the Hours for beginning the Market at Billings-gate; the same from henceforth be from Lady-Day to Michaelmas, from Four of the Clock in the Morning; and from Michaelmas, to Lady-Day, from Five of the Clock in the Morning; and that before those Hours, no person or persons shall presume to Buy or Sell any sorts of Fish at the said Market, excepting Herrings, Sprats, Maycril, and Shell-Fish, upon pain to be proceeded against as Forestallers of the Markets; And that a Bell be hung up at Billings-gate as formerly, to be Rung at those Hours, for direction of the People therein.

II. That for One Hour, to be accounted from the first opening of that Market, the Women which shall be Licensed, Allowed, and Appointed to Sell, and Cry Fish within this City, shall not be permitted or allowed to Buy any of the Fish brought to the said Market, except Herrings, Sprats, Maycril, and Shell-fish in their several Seasons; to the end that the Fishmongers, and such Citizens, and other Inhabitants as will, may in that time supply themselves with such quantities as they shall have occasion for; But that from, and after that Hour, (which shall be made known by the Ringing of the Market-Bell a second time,) It shall be lawful for the said Women to Buy off what shall be left by the Fishmongers, (provided the same be wholsom and siseable,) such quantities as by the Act or 〈◊〉-Council after-mentioned, is permitted and allowed unto them.

III. That an Act of Common-Council of the 6th of March One Thousand Six Hundred and Eleven, in the Ninth Year of the Raign of Our Late Soveraign Lord King JAMES; PEMBERTON MAYOR, made for Regulation and Ordering of such as should be admitted to Sell and Cry Fish, and other Victuals within this City, be in all the Articles and Points thereof from and after the First of March next, observed and put in Execution; Except

First, That as to the Hours therein mentioned, for the beginning the said Market; That the same be as before are appointed. And

Secondly, That whereas that Act Declares, that such Women as shall be allowed to S…, and Cry Fish, and other Victuals within this City, shall be admitted and appointed by the Alderman, Deputy, •nd Common Council-Men of every such Ward wherein they are allowed; That now besides such admittance, They, if Free-Mens Widows, and the Husbands of such as be Married, be also Licensed by Three Justices of the Peace of this City, according to the Statute 5. Edw. 6. Cap. 14.

IV. That such Women as shall be Licensed, Admitted, and allowed, as aforesaid; and do not cry Fish up and down the Streets of th•s City; shall on the Market-days for Fish, Sit, and be placed in the Market-places, at the lower end of the Markets, with their Badges on, to distinguish them; that so at all times the Fisher-Men, their Wives, and Servants, who bring Fish to serve the Markets of this City, may be placed, and have the preheminence of them in the said Markets. And further, that on the said Market-days for Fish, (viz.) Wednesdays and Fridays; the said Women shall not presume to Stand, Abide, or Remain in any place or Street of this City, and Liberties, to Sell, Utter, and put to Sale, their Fish. But that on other days they shall be Allowed and Permitted to Stand, Remain, and Abide for Sale of their Fish, in such places of the several Wards for which they are Allowed, as shall be assigned them by the Alderman, Deputy, and the Common-Council-Men of the said Ward.

V. That at all times hereafter, the Persons to be Admitted, Licensed, and Appointed, as aforesaid, shall Sell, Utter, and put to Sale no other than such sorts of Fish, as shall be wholsome and siseable, upon pain that the party who shall be found to offend herein, shall not only Forfeit such Fish so exposed and offered to Sale; but shall have His or Her Badge taken away, and her License from thenceforth to be utterly void, and He or She for ever afterwards made uncapable of following such Imployment, as was granted and permitted unto Him or Her by the said Licence.

VI. That the persons to be Admitted, Licensed, and appointed, as aforesaid, shall from time to time, and at all times hereafter, Sell, and offer to Sale their Fish, at reasonable and moderate Rates and Prizes, and not by agreement among themselves, or otherwise, presume or offer to Enhance 〈◊〉, or Sell at unjust and excessive Rates their said Fish, upon pain to Forfeit such Fish, and to undergo such other Punishment as the nature of the offence shall deserve.

VII. And lastly, That all and every the Officers Enjoined and Required in, and by the said Act of Common-Council, to see to the Observance and due Execution thereof; shall also take like care to see that all and every the particulars before-mentioned (which are not included in the said Act,) be also duly observed, performed, and effectually executed.

All which nevertheless, We humbly submit to the further consideration of this Honourable Court.