English royal blazon  blazon of the City of London  
Retailing Brokers,  
Commune Concilium tentum in Camera Guihalde Civitatis Londini, nono die Aprilis, Anno Regni Dominae nostrae Elizabethae, Deigratia Angliae, Franciae, & Hiberniae Reginae, fidei defensoris etc. Tricesimo septimo. Coram johann Spencer, Maiore Civitatis Londini, & Aldermannis eiusdem Civitatis, ac maiore part Communiariorum Civitatis praedictae de Communi Concilio eiusdem Civitatis existentium.  
FOrasmuch as divers parcels of Plate of her Majesties, and of other persons of honour and credit, have of late years been stolen, and her highness Arms or honourable Eschochions, and the Eschochions of others, owners, thereupon being engraven, have been defaced and blemished: and many jewels, Chains, and Bracelets, and such like things of Gold and Pearl, have been embezzled from divers honourable persons and others. And for that within this City and the Liberties of the same, there be very many Burgularies, Robberies, and Felonies, daily committed and done, many vile and notable Coozenages and deceits practised and put in ure, and many houses also infected with the Plague, by reason that divers persons, called retailing Broggers, Brokers or Hucksters, and others, such as use to buy old Apparel, householdstuff, Bedding, Books, Ends, and Remnants of Silks and Velvets, or of Linen and  cloth, or such like, to sell again, inhabiting within the same City and the Liberties thereof: under pretence of lawful and iusticiable contracting, do often, very secretly for unhonest lucre, and that most ordinarily, upon the Sabbaoth days, Festival days, and other Holy days, whereon no markets ought to be kept, nor bargains, contracts, or sales to be made, receive, buy, and take to pawn, at the hands of base, shifting, and suspected persons, for very low prices, or small soms of money, divers Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandises, Apparel, Books, and Bedding, remnants and Ends of Silks, Velvets, and of Linen and  cloth, and other such like things, whereof the greatest part are stolen, some part gotten from the owners by Cozenage and sleight, and some newly brought out of houses infected with the Plague, taking thereof bills of sale. And the same do presently sell again, & transact sometimes to persons unknown, sometimes to French and Dutch Brokers, who secretly convey and make transportation thereof beyond the Seas, so that the right proprietors and true owners, by colour of such pretended sales and secret transportation, are not only frustrated and deprived of all ordinary means for recovery or restitution of their said goods, but also the felons and malefactors, are thereby for the most part encouraged and their offences cloaked and concealed. For due reformation whereof be it enacted by the Lord Mayor, aldermans, and Commons in this Common Council assembled, and by the authority of the same, that from henceforth, no Retaylinge Brogger, Broker, or Huckster, nor any other person or persons whatsoever, within this City or the Liberties thereof, shall upon any Sabbaoth day, Festival day, or other Holy day, being not open market days, receive, buy, or take to pawn, or sell any Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, householdstuff, Apparel, Books, Bedding, or any Ends or remnants of Silks, Velvets, or of Linen, or  cloth, or any such like thing. And that for ever hereafter there shallbe kept and written within this City and Liberties thereof, true and perfect Register books, by four such honest and sufficient persons, being Freemen of this City, as from time to time, by the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the said City, shallbe to that purpose nominated appointed and sworn, and at such certain places, as by the same Court shallbe likewise appointed, Wherein they shall truly and particularly enter, aswell the names and surnames of every such retailing Brogger, Broker, and Huckster, and of every other person, with the place of his and their dwelling, who shall receive, buy, or take to pawn any Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, householdstuff, Apparel, Books, Bedding, Ends, and remnants of Silks, Velvets, or of Linen or  cloth, or such like. And of every such person and persons, with the place of his and their dwelling, who shall at any time hereafter, deliver, sell, or impawn the same, As also a true, plain, and particular note, and certain description of all and every such thing or things, so delivered, sold, or laid to Pawn, to any such retailing Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or to any other person or persons, with the true and just prices and sums of money, for which the same are or shallbe so delivered, sold, or impawned: To the intent that any person from whom any such things have been unlawfully taken or convaighed, may make search in the said Register books for the same. And be it further enacted that no such retailing Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, nor other person whatsoever, within the same City, or Liberties thereof, shall at any time hereafter directly or indirectly by himself, or colourably by any other, buy, receive, or take to Pawn, or to keep as pledge or pawn, or cause or suffer any other to his use, to buy, receive, or take to pawn, or to keep as a pledge or pawn, any Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Apparel, householdstuff, Books, Beddinge, or any Ends of Silks, Velvets, or of Linen or  cloth, or any other such like things whatsoever, before such time as such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person or persons, have brought and presented to the Registers or such as shallbe appointed to keep the said Register Books, and at such place or places, where such Register Books shall be appointed to be kept as aforesaid, or to one of them, all such party and parties, who shall offer any such Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandises, Apparel, householdstuff, Books, Beddinge, Remnantes, or Ends of Silks, Velvet, Linen, or  cloth, or any such like thing, to sale, keep, or pawn, and have plainly and openly showed to the said Registers, or to some of them, who shallbe appointed to keep the same books, All such thing or things so offered to pawn or sale, without any alteration of the nature, colour or quality thereof. Nor before such time as he have caused true note and entry to be registered in some one of the said Register books, aswell of the names and surnames, and dwelling place or places of the persons which shall so buy, receive, or take the same to pawn, or to keep, and of the party or parties, who shall so offer to sale or pawn or to be kept, any such thing as aforesaid. As also a true plain and perfect entry or note, describing the nature, colour, and quality of the thing or things so offered to sale, or pawn, or to be kept, and of the true prices, and sums of money, for which the same are to be sold or impawned, And whether the same be absolutely and bona fide sold, impawned, or left to be kept, And if the same shallbe impawned, or left to be kept, then, for what time of Redemption, and when to be redelivered. And if the same shall be absolutely and bona fide sold, That then it shall not be lawful unto, or for any such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person or persons whatsoever to make sale, put away, or alter the nature, colour, or quality of the thing or things so absolutely and bona fide sold as aforesaid, within the space of seven days next after the buying thereof. To the intent that if it have been stolen, the right proprietors and owners, may freely view and see the same, For every which entry, every such Broggar, Broker, and Huckster and other person or persons, shall pay to the Keeper of the said Register book, one half penny, if the thing or things so entered, be to be sold, kept or impawned for five shillings or under. And if the same be to be sold, kept, or impawned, for more than five shillings, than he or they shall pay for every such entry, one penny, and no more. And be it further enacted that no such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person or persons whatsoever, within the said City or Liberties thereof, after notice or warning given to him or them by any of the said Registers, of any Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, or any other things, affirmed to be stolen, shall buy, receive, or take the same to pawn, or to keep, or cause the same to be bought, received, or taken to pawn, or to be kept, directly or indirectly, or alter any property thereof, to defraud her Majesty, or the right owners thereof, but shall make stay of any such thing or things so offered to sale, or pawn, or to be kept, And shall cause the party or parties so offering the same to sale, or pawn, or to be kept, to be apprehended and brought before some of her majesties justices of Peace within the same City, to be examined concerning the same Felony supposed. And at every such apprehension shall give notice & knowledge to the same Register, who left the said warning aswell of the party so taken, as of such goods by him or them so offered to be sold, impawned or kept, To the intent that the right owner, or owners of the same may be advertised of the said Register, of the party and goods, so taken and apprehended. And if any such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person whatsoever, within the said City or Liberties thereof, shall have bought, received, or taken to pawn, or to keep, any such Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, or other things as aforesaid, being stolen, before any such notice or warning thereof given to him as aforesaid. Then presently upon such notice or warning, he shall come to one of the said Registers, and truly declare to him how, when, and of whom he bought or took the same to pawn, or to keep. And whether he have made sale thereof again or not. And if he have not made former sale thereof before warning or notice given, that such thing is stolen, as aforesaid, Then he shall not make sale or alter the form, colour, nature, or property thereof, within the space of seven days following, To the intent the right proprietors may freely view and see the things supposed to be stolen. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid: that the Keepers of the said Register books, nor any of them, shall not exact or demand of any person or persons, for any search to be made in the said Register books, above the some of one penny, except the parties coming to make search, do desire that search may be made for longer time than one month before. And then the said parties shall pay for every such search, two pence and not above, neither shall demand or exact for entering or registering of any note, above the value and rate above declared, upon pain to forfeit their said offices or places. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster or other person whatsoever, shall conceal, change, or falsely report the names or surnames, or dwelling places of such person or persons, that shall sell, impawn, or leave to keep, any such things as aforesaid, whereby any false entry shall or may be made into the said Register books, or any entry omitted contrary to the intent of this Act, And that no such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, nor any other person whatsoever, shall buy, receive, or take to pawn, or to keep, or sell, any such Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Apparel, Books, Bedding, or other such like things, which hath come out of any house infected with the plague within the space of three months before such sale, receiving, or taking to pawn, or to keep. Nor shall put to sale any such Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Apparel, Beddinge, Books, householdstuff, or such like, before he have hanged or laid open the same upon the walls, or open stalls, in open strecte, or other open place, to the view of Passengers, by the space of seven days at the least. And that no such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, nor any other person or persons whatsoever, shall transport beyond the Seas any Plate, jewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, old Apparel, or householdstuff whatsoever, before he have caused true entry thereof to be made into the said Register … es, or one of them as aforesaid, and before 〈◊〉 of the said Officers, or Keepers of the said Register books aforesaid, have taken view thereof. And furthermore that n● Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person whatsoever, within the said City and Liberties thereof, shall sell, lend, hire out, or give away, any pawn, pledge, or gage, before the same be forfeited for want or fault of redemption. And be it further enacted by the same authority, That if any such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person whatsoever, shall offend or make default in any article, clause, point, or matter, contrary to the true meaning of this Act, Then every such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person so offending, or making default, shall forfeit for every such offence or default, the sum of five pounds of lawful money of England. The one half thereof to be to the use and behoof of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of London, the other half to the use of such Officers or persons as shallbe appointed by the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen for the keeping of the said Register book or books as aforesaid. And shall also forfeit to the party grieved, the full value of the thing so bought, received, or taken to pawn, or to keep, and concealed or untruly entered. All which forfeitures or penalties, shall be recovered by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, in any of the Queen's majesties Courts holden within the said City. Provided always that this Act nor any thing therein contained, shall not extend to prohibit or restrain any such Broker, or Huckster, or any other person, But that they may lawfully and openly buy any such Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, or other things aforesaid, at any Out-roope within this City or Liberties thereof, as freely as they might before the making of this Act. And that this Act shall not extend to the prejudice of any Merchant using the trade of Merchandise, nor to the prejudice of any Broker, between Merchant and Merchant, except in such case, where any such Broker, shall happen to deal as a retailing Broker or Huckster, as aforesaid. Any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding. And be it further enacted that the former Act made heretofore at the Common Council here holden the nine and twentieth day of May, in the fix and thirtieth year of the Queen's majesties reign, for reformation of the abuses for Brokers shall from henceforth be utterly repealed and void.  
God save the Queen.   

Imprinted by john Wolf, Printer to the honourable City of London. 1595.