Folio ccxxxvii.

The account of Robert le Foundour and William de St. Alban, Wardens of the Conduit, rendered before Richard de Kyslyngbury, the Mayor, Thursday after the Feast of St. Martin [11 Nov.], 24 Edward III. [A.D. 1350]. (fn. 1)

Folio ccxxxvii b.

Ordinacio de eleccione Maioris.

A congregation of the Mayor, Aldermen, and an immense Commonalty in the Guildhall, London, on Saturday the Feast of Apostles Simon and Jude [28 Oct.], anno 20 Edward III. [A.D. 1346], when there were present Richard Lacer, the Mayor in the year preceding, Andrew Aubrey, Simon Fraunceys, Roger de Depham, John de Caustone, John de la Rokele, Richard de Berkynge, Bartholomew Deumars, Adam Brabazon, William de Pontefract, and Walter de Mordone, Aldermen, John de Croydone and William Claptus, Sheriffs, and an immense Commonalty, so that the whole hall was full of commoners. In which congregation a certain declaration was made by William de Iford, the Common Serjeant, on behalf of the Aldermen then present, the Sheriffs, and the whole Commonalty, making mention of the damages and perils which might happen to the whole City unless a remedy be quickly applied, for that the Aldermen of the said City who ought to assemble on the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude, for the election of a Mayor in the Guildhall of London, do at these times absent themselves, as is plain by the absence of Aldermen just now, fearing to take upon themselves the office of the Mayoralty. And for avoiding in future such damages and perils, it was agreed, with the assent of the aforesaid Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffs now present, and of the whole Commonalty, that thenceforth each year, on the Feast of the Translation of St. Edward the King [13 Oct.], there should assemble at the Guildhall of London the Mayor and every Alderman for the time being, and also from every Ward of the City twelve, eight, or six, according as the Ward is large or small, of the wealthier and wiser of each Ward, and that none, unless summoned, come or intermeddle with such election of Mayor or Sheriff. And on the same Feast of St. Edward let them elect for themselves a Mayor in manner accustomed for the year ensuing, so that the Mayor thus elected may be able to make arrangements concerning his own affairs (de statu suo desponere) between the said Feast of St. Edward and the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude. It was also agreed that if he who shall have been so elected Mayor on the same Feast of St. Edward should absent himself or eloign himself on the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude next ensuing, being unwilling to take upon himself the burden of the Mayoralty, whether he be present or absent at the time of election, the officers of the City aforesaid for the time being shall nevertheless levy a fi. fa. of 100 marks sterling on the chattels, lands, rents, and tenements of him who shall so absent himself, to be paid to him who, on the same Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude, shall happen to be elected in his place owing to his absence. It was also agreed that every Alderman shall each year be in the City of London as well on the Feast of the Translation of St. Edward the King as on the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude at the election of a Mayor. And if any Alderman shall absent himself at any of the Feasts of the Translation of St. Edward the King and the Apostles Simon and Jude, he shall pay to the Chamberlain of the said City for the time being, to the use of the Commonalty aforesaid, 20 pounds sterling, unless the Alderman so absenting himself can excuse himself by reasonable cause, and one acceptable to the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty. It was also agreed that each Alderman shall cause to be elected in his Ward eight, six, or four of the better men of his Ward, according as his Ward be great or small, to be at the Guildhall of London as often as they may happen to be summoned, to treat of the arduous affairs affecting the Commonalty of the said City, on this condition, viz, that if two of a Ward come, the others who are absent shall be excused, and so shall it be for every Ward, and so by two who are present from each Ward they shall proceed to transact that business, the presence of others not being waited for. And if by chance there come from some Ward only one, the rest of the Ward who absent themselves shall be amerced, viz, each one so absent at 2 shillings, to be paid forthwith to the Commonalty of the City aforesaid, nevertheless, if a sufficient number of good men of other Wards be present, the business shall be proceeded with as is aforesaid.

An ordinance touching the election of Sheriffs made by Walter Turk, Mayor, Simon Fraunceys, Thomas Leggy, Roger de Depham, William de Caustone, Henry Pycard, Simon Dolsely, Bartholomew Deumars, John de Gloucestre, William atte Welde, Thomas Perle, Simon de Worstede, [and] William de Todenham, Aldermen, Adam de Bury, Ralph de Lenne, Sheriffs, with the assent of the whole Commonalty, Tuesday the Feast of St. Matthew, Ap. [21 Sept.], 24 Edward III. [A.D. 1350]:-

Folio ccxxxviii.

Whereas many able persons of the City withdraw and absent themselves, and go out of the City in order to avoid the office of Sheriff of London and Middlesex, and on that account others less able are elected through their default to the same office, to their great hurt and dishonour of the said City, and consequently to the prejudice of the franchise of the said City, it is therefore agreed by the Mayor and Aldermen, with the assent of the whole Commonalty, that in future if any absent or eloign himself from the said City on the day of the election of Sheriffs for the reason aforesaid, he shall pay to him who shall be elected in his place through his default 100 pounds sterling, and furthermore lose his franchise for ever without redemption, and every year the Mayor for the time being shall say on his conscience and by his oath that he has elected some other person than he would have elected if he had been present, and name the person, and the Commonalty in the same manner; and he who shall be so named shall be in no wise excused, and with six good and suitable persons shall make oath that he will not absent himself again for the like cause.

Be it remembered that this book used to be called the Red Book before the books were named after the order of the alphabet.

Names of Turners sworn and their marks made or to be made for their measures pursuant to an ordinance made temp. Wychingham, Mayor, anno 21 Edward III. [A.D. 1346-7] (fn. 2) :-

END OF LETTER-BOOK F.

Footnotes