To the Aldermen of the Ward.  By the Mayor.  
We charge and command you, 
Wardmote.  that upon S. Thomas day the Apostle next coming, you do hold your Wardmote, and that you have afore us at our general Court of Aldermen to be holden in the Guildhall, the Monday next after the Feast of the Epiphany next coming, all the defaults that shall be presented afore you by Inquest in the said wardmote, 
Inquest for a year.  and the said Inquest shall have full power and authority by one whole year to inquire and present all such defaults as shall be found within your said Ward, as oftentimes as shall be though to you expedient and needful, which we will shall be once every month at the least.  
2 And if it happen any of your said Inquest to die, or departed our of your said Ward within the said year, that then in place of him or them so dying or departing out of your said ward, 
Inquest dying.  you cause to be chosen one able person to inquire and present with the other in manner and form abovesaid.  
3 And that at the said general Court, 
Non-appearance.  you give afore us the names and surnames of all them of your said Ward, that come not to your said wardmote i● they be duly warned, so that due redress and punishment of them may be had as the case shall require, according to the Law.  
4 And that you do provide, that at all times convenient, covenable watch be kept: And that Lanterns with light by nightertaile in old manner accustomed, 
Watch, Light, Wizard.  be hanged forth: and that no man go by nightertaile without light, nor with vizard, on the peril that belongeth thereto.  
5 And also that you do cause to be chosen men of the most sufficient, 
Common Council.  honest, and discreet men of your said ward, to be for your said ward of the common Council of this City for the year ensuing, according to the custom in that behalf yearly used. And also that you do cause the said men, so to be chosen to be of the common Council, to be sworn before you, and in your presence, according to the Oath for them used, and of old time accustomed: the tenor of which Oath hereafter ensueth.  
Ye shall swear, that ye shall be true to our Sovereign Lord the King that now is, and to his heirs and successors, Kings of England, and readily ye shall come when ye be summoned to the common Council of this City, but if ye be reasonably excused: and good and true counsel ye shall give in all things touching the Commonwealth of this City, after your wit and cunning: and that for favour of any person ye shall maintain no singular profit against the common profit of this City, and after that you be come to the common Council, you shall not from thence departed till the common Council be ended without reasonable cause, or else by the Lord Mayor's licence: And also any secret things that be spoken or said in the common Council which ought to be kept secret, in no wise you shall disclose, as God help you.  

Constables, Scavenger, Bedle, Raker.  6 And that also in the said wardmote, you cause to be chosen certain other honest persons to be Constables, and Scavenger's, and a common Beadle, and a Raker to make clean the streets and lanes of all your said Ward, according to the custom yearly used in that behalf; which Constables have and shall have full power and authority to distrain for the salary and quarterage of the said Beadle and Raker, as oftentimes as it shall be behind unpaid.  
7 Also that you keep a Roll of the names, surnames, dwelling places, professions and trades of all persons dwelling within your ward, 
Roll of names.  and within what Constables precinct they dwell, wherein the place is to be specially noted by street, lane, alley or sign.  
8 Also that you cause every Constable from time to time, 
Constable.  to certify unto you the name, surname, dwelling place, profession and trade of every person, who shall newly come to dwell within this precinct, whereby you may make and keep your roll perfect. 
Roll.  And that you cause every Constable for his precinct to that purpose, to make and keep a perfect roll in like manner.  

Inholder. Lodger. sojourner.  9 Also that you give special charge that every Inholder and other person within your ward, who shall receive any person to lodge or sojourn in his house above two days, shall before the third day after his coming thither, give knowledge to the Constable of the precinct where he shall be to received, of the name, surname, dwelling place, profession and trade of life, or place of service of such person, and for what cause he shall come to reside there. And that the said Constable give present notice thereof to you: 
Suspect persons.  and that the said Inholder lodge no suspected person, or men or women of evil name.  
10 Also that you cause every Constable within his precinct, 
Search.  once every moveth at the farthest, and oftener if need require, to make diligent search and inquiry, what persons be newly come into his precinct to dwell, sojourn, or lodge. 
New comers.  And that you give special charge, that no Inholder or person shall resist or deny any Constable, in making such search or inquiry, but shall do his best endeavour to aid and assist him therein.  
11 And for that of late there is more resort to the City of persons evil affected in religion, and otherwise than in former times hath been: 
Frank pledge.  you shall diligently inquire if any man be received to dwell or abide within your ward, that is not put under frank pledge as he ought to be by the custom of the City, and whether any person hath continued in the said ward by the space of one year, being above the age of xii. years, and not sworn to be faithful and loyal to the King's Majesty, in such sort as by the law and custom of this City he ought to be.  
12 To all these purposes the Beadle of every ward shall employ his diligence, 
Bedle.  and give his best furtherance.  
13 Also that you have special regard that from time to time, 
Fire.  there be convenient provision for Hooks, Ladders and Buckets, in meet places within the several Parisbes' of your ward, for avoiding the peril of fire.  
14 Also that the streets and lanes of this City be from time to time kept clean before every Church, 
Street●,  house, shop, warehouse, door, dead wall, and in all other common passages and streets of the said ward.  

Hucksters of Ale & Beer.  15 And where by diverse Acts of common Council, afore time made and established for the common weal of this City, among other things it is ordained and enacted, as hereafter ensueth.  
Also it is ordained and enacted, That from henceforth, no huckster of Ale or Beer be within any ward of the City of London but honest persons, and of good name and fame, and so taken and admitted by the Aldermen of the ward for the time being, and that the same hucksters do find sufficient surety afore the Mayor and Aldermen for the time being, to be of good guiding and rule. And that the same huckers shall keep no bawdry nor suffer no lechery, dice-playing, carding, or any other unlawful games to be done, exercised, or used within their houses, and to shut in their doors at nine of the clock in the night, from Michaelmas to Easter, and from Easter to Michaelmas at ten of the clock in the night, and after that hour sell none Ale or Beer. And if any huckster of Beer or Ale, after this Act published and proclaimed, sell any Ale or Beer within any ward of the City of London, and be not admitted by the Alderman of the same ward so to do, or find not sufficient surety, as it is above rehearsed, the same huckster to have imprisonment, and make fine and ransom for his contempt, after the discretion of the Mayor and Aldermen. And also that the said hucksters suffer no manner of common eating and drinking within their cellars or vaults, contrary to the ordinance thereof ordained and provided, as in the said Act more plainly appeareth at large. We charge you that you put the same in due execution accordingly.  
16 And also that ye see all Tiplers and other sellers of Ale or Beer, 
Measures sealed.  as well of privy Osteries, as Brewers and Inholders within your ward, not selling by lawful measures sealed and marked with the letter C. crowned, according as in that behalf it is ordained and purveyed, be presented, and their names in your said Indentures be expressed, with their defaults, so that the Chamberlain may be lawfully answered of their amercements.  
17 And also that you suffer no stranger borne out of the Realm to be of the common Council, 
Stranger born.  nor to exercise or use any other office within this City, nor receive or accept any person into your watch, privy, or open, but Englishmen borne. And if any stranger borne out of this Realm, made denizen by the King's Letters Patents, or any other after his course and lot be appointed to any watch, that then ye command and compel him or them to find in his stead and place, one Englishman to supply the same.  
18 And also that you cause an abstract of the Assize appointed by Act of Parliament for billets and other firewood to be fair written in Parchment, and to be fixed or hanged up in a Table in some fit and convenient place in every parish within your ward, where the common people may best see the same.  
19 And furthermore, 
Streets.  we charge and command you, That you cause such provision to be had in your said ward, that all the streets and lanes within the same ward, 
Pain. 40.2.  be from time to time cleansed and clearly voided of ordure, dung, mire, rubbish, and other filthy things whatsoever be to the annoyance of the King's Majesty's subjects.  
20 And also that at all times as you shall think necessary, you do cause search to be made within your said ward, for all vagrant beggars, 
Vagrants.  suspicious and idle people, and such as cannot show how to live, and such as shall be found within your said ward, that you cause to be punished and dealt with according to the law and the statute in such case ordained and provided.  
21 And also we will and charge you the said Alderman, 
jury men.  that yourself certify and present before us at the said general Court to be holden the foresaid Monday next after the Feast of the Epiphany all the names and surnames truly written of such persons within your said ward, as be able to pass in a Grand-Iury by themselves: And also all the names and surnames truly written of such persons, being and dwelling within your said ward, as be able to pass in a Petty-Iurie, and not able to pass in a Grand-Iury, by themselves: that is to say, every Grand-Iury man to be worth in Goods an hundred Marks, and every petty jury man forty Marks, according to an Act in that case ordained and provided; And the same you shall endorse on the backside of your Indenture.  
22 Item, 
Harlots.  for diverse reasonable and urgent considerations us especially moving, we straight charge and command you on the King our Sovereign Lords behalf, that you diligently provide and foresee, that no manner of person or persons within your said ward, of what condition or degree soever he or they be of, keeping any Tavern or Alehouse, Ale-cellar, or any other victualling house or place of common resort to eat and drink in, within the same ward, permit or suffer at any time hereafter any common woman of their bodies, or harlots to resort and come into their said house or other the places aforesaid, to eat or drink, or otherwise to be conversant or abide, or thither to haunt or frequent upon pain of imprisonment, as well of the occupier and keeper of every such house or houses, and all other the places afore remembered, as of the common woman or harlots.  
23 Also that you do give in charge to the wardmote inquest of your ward, 
Articles.  all the articles delivered to you herewith.  

An Act for the Reformation of diverse abuses, used in the Wardmote Inquests.  

Commons, Dinners, Banqueting.  ITem, where the Wargmote Inquests within the several Wards of this City, for the maintenance of honesty, virtue, and good living, and for the abolishment, exiling and suppressing of all kind of vice, evil rule, and iniquity, according to the ancient landable Laws and Customs of the said City, are yearly severally charged and sworn, upon the day of Saint Thomas the Apostle, before the Aldermen of the said wards, chiefly and principally to the end and intent, that they with all diligence should truly and duly inquire and present all such enormities, nuisances, misorder; and offences, as are, or at any time within the space of one whole year than next ensuing, shall be severally used, committed or done within the said Wards, and have day yearly to make their said presentments, until the Monday next after the Feast of the Epiphany. The said Inquests heretofore, little or nothing at all regarding (as it is very manifest, and not unknown, the more is the pity) their said Oaths or yet the great commodities, utility, quietness, honour, and worship that might or should grow and ensue to the said City and inhabitants of the same, through their good, industrious, and indifferent proceed, for the advancement of virtue, and repressing of vices, have drawn it in a manner into a very ordinary course and common custom, to consume and spend a great part of their said time, that they have yearly given unto them when they receive their said charge: partly in setting up among themselves a certain commons, and making & keeping many costly and sumptuous dinners, suppers, and banquets, inviting and calling to the same at sundry times in a manner, all the inhabitants of the said several wards, to the no little charges of the same inhabitants: and partly in passing & occupying much part of the same time, in playing at dice, tables, cards, and such other unlawful games both to the great costs, chargrs, and expenses of the said Inquests (whereof the greater part are most commonly but poor men) and also to the very lewd, pernicious, and evil example of all such as have any access or recourse unto the same Inquests. And where also the said Inquests have of late usurped to dispense with such persons, as they by their search and otherwise have founden to offend and transgress the Laws, in using and occupying of unlawful Weights and Measures, taking of the said Offenders certain Fines, which Fines (as it is said) the said Inquests have commonly used to employ towards the maintenance of their said Feasting & Banqueting, directly against the due order of our Sovereign Lord the King's Laws, & the public wealth of all his Highness' Subjects within the said City, and much to the reproach and dishonour of the same City.  
For remedy and reformation thereof, be it ordained, enacted, and established by the Lord Mayor, aldermans, and Commons in this present common Council assembled, and by authority of the same: That all & every the wardmote Inquests of the said City, from henceforth to be yearly charged and sworn within the said several Wards, at the time afore rehearsed, shall at all times and places meet & convenient for the due execution of their said charge, meet and assemble themselves together, and that they and every of them after their said meetings, inquisition, and treating of their said necessary matters, shall go home to their own several houses to Breakfast, Dinner, & Supper, during all the said accustomed time of their Charge and Session abovesaid: And that none of the said Inquests shall from henceforth forward, set up any manner of Commons, or keep or maintain any manner of dinners, suppers, or banquets among themselves or use at their said Assemblies and Sessions, any of the games above mentioned, or any other whatsoever unlawful games or plays at any time, before the giving up of the said presentments, at the time above remembered: 
Fines.  or shall take or receive any manner of Fine or Fines, for the concealment and discharging of any of the offences afore recited: but truly present the same offences, and every of them, according to their Oaths, upon pain of imprisonment by the discretion of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the said City for the time being.  
Provided always, 
Fire and Candle, etc.  and be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shallbe lawful for all and every of the said Inquests, to take and receive towards the charges of their fire and candles, and other necessaries during the time of their said Session, all and every such sums of money, as any honest person or persons of their free will & benevolent mind, will give or offer unto them. And when they have made their said presentments, to go and assemble themselves together for their recreation and solace, 
Recreation.  where they shall think it good and there not only to bestow and spend the twenty shillings, which every Alderman within his Ward, according to a certain odrer lately taken, shall yearly give unto them at the time of the delivery of the said presentments, towards their said charges in this behalf: but also the residue of the said money received & gathered, as it is aforesaid, of the benevolence of their said loving friends, if any such residue shall fortune to remain: Any clause or Article in this peesent Act contained to the contrary notwithstanding.  
Not failing hereof, as ye tender the commonweal of this City, and advancement of good justice, and as ye will answer for the contrary at your uttermost peril.  
Dated at the Guildhall under the Seal Office of Mayoralty of the said City, the twelfth day of December, the year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles, by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. 
 God save the King.    

London printed by Robert Young, Printer to the Honourable City of London.