Chapter XXIII: Appendix: I

EXTRACTS from the Journals of the Common Council of London.

These Journals begin with the entries for the year 1416 and are still continued. They are contained in large folio volumes and are written on paper in French, Latin and English. The entries made in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries are generally in English. The resolutions of the Common Council and the chief letters, precepts and proclamations concerning the government of the City were copied within a few days of the time they were made by one of the officials under the Town Clerk[731].

[731] There were four clerks under the Town Clerk whose duties were defined in 1537. The youngest of these was to enter into the Journals acts of Common Council, degrees, proclamations and precepts and all other things necessary for the business of the City. Repertory ix. f. 251 b. quoted by Dr Sharpe, "Calendar of Letters from the Mayor and Corporation of the City of London 1350 to 1370." Intro. p. xxiv. seq.

The following two extracts illustrate the fact that the organisation for the poor in London was municipal, both before and after the statute of 1572[732], and show the methods by which the City authorities enforced their orders.

[732] 14 Eliz. c. 5. See above, pp. 70, 97.

A. Copy in the Journals of a precept for a collection for the poor issued in 1563. _Journals_, XVIII. f. 145 b.

By the Maio^r.

[Sidenote: To thalderman of the warde of Cheape. A precept for to make a collection for the pore.]

Whear as there was a precept dated the VII^{th} of this present September directed to all and every parsone, vicar, curate and churchwarden of every parishe churche w^{th}in yo^r saide warde com(m)aunding them that they and euery of them should cause the Inhabitants of there saide parishe to assemble them selues together and make a colleccion and provysyon for the pore, sick and nedye of there saide parishe and, if there saide parishe were not afflicted and had no nede of any suche provysion, that then they shoulde bestowe the same vpon other pore paryshes w^{th}in the saide Cittye where they shoulde think it moste nedefull. Forasmuche as the execucon of suche diligence therin towardes the poores releif hath taken no suche good successe as was hoped for, And understanding, the great visytacon of god to continew and sicknes to encrease and perceyving also by complaynt of the nedye there miserable estate, These are therefore to requyer and in the Quenes Ma^{ts} name to charge and comaunde you that you cale before you the saide parsone, vicar and churchwardens of euery parishe churche w^{th}in yo^r saide warde, once every weke, and that you see o^r saide precept putt in execucon according to the Teno^r therof and the charytye collected to be bestowed accordingly. Requyring ye to take suche order w^{th} them as either refuse orells be found negligent in doing there dutyes therin (if by gentyll monytion to them geven) they will not be reformed as yo^r discression shall seme good. Fayle ye not hereof As ye will answere for the contrarye at yo^r perill, yeoven at the Guildhall of the saide Cittye the last of this present moneth of September 1563.

Blackwell J.C.

B. Copy in the Journals of a precept for a collection in February 1573/4. _Journals_, XX. I. f. 119.

By the maio^r.

[Sidenote: A precept for the collection fo^r the poore.]

Albeit that, accordinge to the late statute made fo^r releif the poore, eu(er)ye personne inhabitinge w^{th}in this city and liberties of the same haue byne seu(er)ally taxed, yet the nombe^r of the poore is so great that the same colleccons notw^{th}standinge beinge faithfully disposed amonge them in this hard tyme many poore, impotent, sicke and deseased people lyue in great penury and neede redy to be famished fo^r lack of releif. And to thend the sayd poore may be charitably provided fo^r, theis shalbe to will and require you that you take such order in yo^r ward by yo^r self or by yo^r deputy that the churchwarde(n)s of eu(er)y parishe churche w^{th}in yo^r sayd ward at everye sermon readinge o^r service in the sayd parishe churches collect and gather the devocon and charitable almose of well disposed people towardes the releif and maintenaunce of the sayd poore to be distributed in suche parishes of this city as hath most neede thereof and as shalbe appoynted by suche persons as shalbe named by the lord maio^r of this city fo^r the tyme beinge fo^r the distribucon of the same. And also that you cause eu(er)y preacher and reder of eu(er)y such sermon and readinge and also eu(er)y parsone, vicarre and curate of the sayd parishe churches w^{th}in yo^r sayd ward to be moued gently to exhort there audience charitably to gyue ther almose for the end and purpose afforesayd. And further that you cause diligent serch to be made from tyme to tyme through out yo^r sayd ward fo^r all such poore as shalbe newly com into yo^r sayd ward out of the country o^r ells where. And to take order fo^r thavoydinge of the same with all speede, fayle ye not hereof etc. Yeoven at the guildhall of the City of London the XVII{th} of february 1573.

Stapleton.