official blazon  official blazon  
The CASE of the City of London,  
In Reference to Their Debts due by Them to the Orphans of the said City, and Others.  
BY the Custom of LONDON (Allowed and Confirmed by divers Acts of Parliament, and particularly Saved in the Act 12 Car. 2. which took away the Court of Wards) The Lord Mayor and Aldermen are Guardians of the ORPHANS of all Freemen of the said City, And have the Care and Government of them and their Estates; and every Free-man's Executors are bound by Recognizance to pay his children's Portions into the CHAMBER of London, Or else become bound with Three sufficient Securities, (Citizens of London) to pay them when they come of Age: Pursuant, and in Obedience to this Custom, the Portions of great Numbers of Orphans of the said City, have been Paid into the said Chamber, whereby the Chamber is become Indebted to them, As followeth:  
The Debt owing from the Chamber of London is, Principal-Mony to Orphans 508314 12 4 to Others 97300 13 11  605615 6 3 And Interest for the same at Lady-Day last, about 143260 0 0 Total 748875 6 3 By the great Sums of Money exacted from the Chamber during the Civil Wars, the Chamber of London became Indebted in the Year 1660, the Sum of 180000 l. Which Debt in Anno 1665 (by Payment of Interest, or finding Money to Orphans, pursuant to the aforesaid Custom, and by divers extraordinary Expenses after the Restoration of King CHARLES the Second) Amounted to 265000 l.  
The greatest Part of the City of London being Burnt down in Anno 1666, As also the Cities Public Buildings, with the greatest part of their Revenue, The Chamber was forced (before the Grant of the Coal Revenue) to Disburse divers Great Sums of Money (All which were taken up at Interest) to Recover the City out of its Ruins, in Rebuilding their Prisons and other Public Buildings, Clearing and Paving the Streets, Repairing the Common Sewers, and other Public Works. And whereas before the said Fire, the Fines received upon Renewing of Leases were a great Support to the Chamber; Most of the City's Houses being Burnt down, The City was forced (for Encouragement of Tenants) to make Long Leases thereof without Fines, whereby the Chamber hath ever since been deprived of a considerable Income thereby.  
The City's Rights and Liberties having in the Reign of King CHARLES the Second been frequently Questioned and Invaded (the better to subject the City to Arbitrary Power,) And at last Judgement upon the Quo Warranto given against their being a Corporation; They were forced (for their necessary Defence therein) to Disburse very great Sums of Money out of the Chamber of London; By which Means aforesaid, and the constant Payment of Interest, The Debt (which in 1665 was 265000 l.) is now Swelled to near 750000 l.  
All the Freehold Lands and Tenements belonging to the Chamber of London do not amount to 4000 l. per Annum; Near 1000 l. per Annum whereof is charged with Charitable Uses, and the Residue is for Support of the City's Government; Which yet the City (if it shall be thought Convenient to leave Its Government without that Support) will Sell towards Payment of the said Debt. The WIDOWS and ORPHANS (to whom this Debt is Owing) are many Hundreds in Number, and very Many of them have no other Subsistence to Depend upon; Wherefore it is Humbly hoped the PARLIAMENT will Compassionate Their and the Cities deplorable Case, and afford a Relief suitable to the Greatness of the Debt; Which They Presume the rather to Hope, in Regard the Citizens of London have (on All Occasions) been Serviceable to the Public, and particularly in Their Guards, during All the Time of Prosecuting The Popish Plot, And upon Occasion of the late Disturbances before His Present MAJESTY'S Arrival to this City, Which hath Cost the Citizens near 300000 l.  
The Debt being so vastly Great, and the Creditors so Numerous, It will not be possible to Preserve the City, and Support its Government against the Multitude of Actions that will be brought, Whereby the Corporation must be Torn in Pieces, without the Parliaments Favourable Assistance, to Enable the City to Pay off the Debt. And it is Humbly Submitted, Whether the Support of the City of London, (and of Its Government) be not for the Interest and Benefit of the Whole Kingdom?   

Printed by SAMVEL ROYCROFT, Printer to the Honourable City of London, 1689.