Extracts from Corporation Books.
1708.
Official Oaths to be revised. Out-Burgesses claiming exemption from tolls must
pay rates. Regulations for the sale of corn. Prohibition of public sale by foreign
traders after fair-day. Regulations for the sale of cattle. Duties of the Clerk of the
Market.
ATT a Com[m]on Councill held in the Guildhall this
22nd of March 1708.
Ordered That the Towne Clerk doe lay
before Mr Steward Coppyes of all Oathes taken
by Bayliffs Aldermen & Burgesses or any other Officers of
the said Towne and Mr Steward is desired to propose any
Amendmt or Alter'ons that he thinks ought to be made in those
respective Oaths & then to be further consid'd of.
And Whereas sev'all persons have been & may be hereafter
admitted Burgesses of the said Towne who are not nor shall not be
resident in the same Towne and may hereafter p'tend to be exempt
from paymm[en]t of Toll with in the sd Towne to the great p'judice of the
Inhabitants paying Scott & Lott for preventing whereof It is Ordered
That all such out Burgesses or Honorary Burgesses who by themselves or their Servants shall insist upon the Im[m]unityes & priviledges
of Burgesses shall be lyable & charged with bearing & paying towards
the Reliefe of the Poore & other Charges incident to the said Towne.
That the Burgesses & poore Inhabitants of this Towne may have
a reasonable time of buying & provideing for their respective familyes
It is Ordered that noe Corne shall be sold w[i]ththin the said Towne
before the Publick Towne Hall Bell shall have rung which Bell shall
every Markett Day ring att Twelve a Clock and from that time till
two a Clock noe p'son whatso'r but the Burgesses & Inhabitants of
the said Towne not Exercizeing the Trades of Bakers or Badgers
shall buy any Corne exposed there to Sale till two of the Clock Att
which time the said Bell shall be rung a 2d time and from and after
that hour all Higlers Badgers & Bakers and all fforeigrs shall have the
liberty of buying any Corne or Grain there and not till that hour and
that the said Bell is to be duely rung by the Hallkeeper for the time
being twice in each Markett day att the hours aforesaid and shall
continue ringing a reasonable time for the giving Notice to all p'sons
concerned And this Order is to be fixed on the Markett house and
other Public Places of this Towne and in case any shall Offend
contrary to this Order the Clerk of the Markett shall give the Names
of the Persons offending to the Towne Clerk who is hereby required
att the publick Expence of this Towne to prosecute the Offenders
w[i]thth the utmost rigour.
Whereas the Severall ffairs of this Towne ought by the Sev'all
Charters granted to the same to be kept for one Day only yett
notwithstanding sev'all Pedlars Scotchmen & other Traders doe
p'tend to Expose to Sale Sev'all Goods & Wares in the open Streets
of the said Towne after the Day appointed for the holding such ffair
is expired for prevenc'on whereof tis Ordered that noe person whatsoever but what is a legall Burgess of the said Town doe expose to
Sale within the same any Goods Wares or Merchandizes att any time
but on the ffair Day only & in case any person offends the Clerke of
the Markett shall give the Names of the Offenders to the Towne
Clerk who is to p'secute the Offendrs at the Towne Charge as aforesaid Publick Notice is to be given of this Order as aforesaid.
It is Ordered alsoe that to the End ffuture ffairs as well for
Selling Cattle as other things within the Towne may be kept within
ye Towne & not without It is by Unanimous Consent Ordd that
Publick Notice be given that the sev'all ffairs for buying & selling
Cattle shall be kept within the Towne and that all p'sons as well
buyers as sellers as shall buy or sell Cattle w[i]ththin the Walls of the
said Towne shall be Toll free in comeing & goeing out for the Space
of Seven Years and that in Case any Acc'on shod be commenced
agst this Corporac'on or agst any p'son who acts under this Order
shall be defended att the Towne Charge.
That there be appointed & Sworne a Clerke of the Markett
who shall measure between buyer & Seller all Corne that is brought
under the Markett House in case the buyer will not admit the seller
to strike as the Statute requires and that such Corne shall be
measured under the Markett House & not Elsewhere and that the
Clerke of the Markett doe upon opening the Bag take out of the
same the accustom'd Toll due to the Poore (fn. 1) . of the said Towne
whether tis Sold or not.
Footnotes
| 1 |
Probably this was the charitable impost known as "Our Lady's Toll," of half
a bushel, referred to in ancient accounts. |