London's ancient Privileges unvailed, OR An Extract taken out of the principal Charters of London, confirmed by many Acts of Parliament, which are still in force.  
By which appeareth,  
That the Freemen of the City of London have their liberty to choose Yearly, or oftener (if need be) a Major, two Sheriffs, four Treasurers, two Bridgemasters, Chamberlain, common Clark, common Sergeant, of the City aforesaid, and to remove them at Pleasure.  
That the Freemen of Wards have a Right, Yearly to choose their Aldermen; and that the same Aldermen are not to be chosen the next Year.  
These and many other particulars of the long concealed Rights of the Freemen of London, will most evidently appear in the ensuing Relation.  
The first Charter granted to the Citizens of London, was by King Henry the first, who Reigned in the Year one Thousand one Hundred.  
HENRY By the Grace of God, 
148. years since the first Sheriff of London, this year 1648.  King of England; Know ye that we have granted to my Citizens of London, to hold Middle sex by Farm for three hundred pounds upon Account to Them and their Heirs, of Me and My Heirs, so as the said Citizens shall appoint a Sheriff whom they please of themselves.  
Also granted that all Citizens of London shall be discharged and free, and all their goods throughout all England, and Seaports, of Toll, Passage and Lastage, and all other Customs; and if any shall take Toll or Custom of my Citizens of London, the City may take of the Burrow, or of the Town where the Toll or Custom was taken, so much as the man of London for Toll gave, and moreover for his damage which he shall receive, And that the Citizens of London may have their Chases to chase; to wit, in Chiltre and Middlesex, and Surrey.  
King Henry the second confirmed the said Charter, and granted to the Citizens of London, that all of them be free and discharged of Bridge-Toll, and Childewits, of Jerefgreen, and of Scotale.  
Richard the first confirmed the said Charters, and granted, That if any in all England shall take Toll or Custom of the men of London, after that such an one fail to do right, the Sheriff of London may take a Distress thereupon at London. Also the same King in his second Charter, grants in these words.  
Be it known unto you all, that We for the health of Our soul, and for the health of the soul of King Henry Our Father, and the souls of Our Predecessors, and also for the common profit of Our City of London, and Our whole Realm of England, granted and firmly commanded, that all the Weers which be in the Thames be removed, wheresoever in Thames they be, and from henceforth Weers be not set any where in Thames: We have also quite claimed all that which the Keepers of Our Tower of London use yearly to take of the foresaid Weers.  
King John in his first Charter, Confirmed all the foresaid Charters: and in his second Charter, which was in the year 1205. granted to the Citizens of London, That they of themselves may make two Sheriffs whom they will, and remove them when they please; and present those whom they make Sheriffs to Our Barons of the Exchequer: and if those for the time being, shall be appointed Sheriffs, shall commit any offence wherefore they ought to incur the merce of money, or be amerced; shall be adjudged or condemned in no more, but in forfeiture of twenty pounds, and that without loss or prejudice of other Citizens, if the Sheriffs be not able to pay the forfeiture: but if they commit any offence for which they ought to undergo the Trial of Life or Member, they are to be adjudged as they ought, by the law of the City; but of that which belongs to the Sheriffwick, the Sheriffs shall answer in Our Exchequer, before Our Barons; saving to the said Sheriffs the liberties which other Citizens of London have.  
King John in his fourth Charter, 
433 years since the first Mayor of London, this 1648.  in the sixteenth year of His Reign, which was in the year 1215. granted to our Barons of our City of London, That they may of themselves choose yearly a Mayor who is discreet, and fit for Government of the City, so that (when he shall be chosen, he shall be presented to Us, or to Our Justice, if We be not present, and to swear to Us fidelity; and that they may at the end of the year remove him, and appoint another or continue him if they please. And King Henry the third confirmed the said Charter, which was made by his Father King John.  
King Edward the second in the year 1338. 
The Livery-men had not a Being until within this hundred years.  upon the Petition of the Mayor and Citizens granted thirty particulars of their Desires in their Petition: the first, That the Mayor and Sheriffs of the said City, be chosen by the Citizens of the same City, and not otherwise; and that the Mayor of the City aforesaid, shall not abide in his Office at one time, above one year, and none of the Sheriffs have but two Clerks, and two servants, in regard of that Office, and that they take such Clerks and sergeants at their own peril, for whom they will answer; and that the Mayor of the City aforesaid, while he is Mayor, hold no other Office belonging to the City, than the Office of the Majoralty of the same City, nor any other place then those which according to the ancient Custom of the said City, as Mayor he ought to hold.  
And that the Aldermen of the said City from year to year, and especially upon the day of St Gregory the Pope, by the said Communality be removable, and being removed, may not be chosen again for the ensuing year, but instead of those that be removed, others be chosen by the same Wards of which the Aldermen so removed were; and that all Tallages or Aids for the use of Us, or for the state or profit of the City from henceforth in the same to be assessed, after they be assessed by men of the Wards chosen or deputed for that end, may not be increased or raised by the Mayor, Aldermen, or others.  
And that the moneys arising from such Tallages or Aids be delivered into the custody of four honest Commoners of the City aforesaid for that end, to be chosen by the Commonalty of the said City to be paid over by the testimony of the same four men, so that the said four men may be able to inform the said Commonalty for what profit and what uses the said moneys went.  
And that strangers or others if they be of no trade, than they may not be made 〈◊〉 of the said City without the assent of the Commonalty of the said City, and who against their Oaths in this behalf or against the State of the City have acted and been lawfully convicted shall forfeit their freedom of the City: and that every year inquisition shall be made if any Free man of the said City shall sell in the City the Goods of others who are not free; by calling those Goods their own: those that shall be lawfully convicted do forfeit their Freedom of the City.  
And that the main Common-Seal of the City aforesaid, be in the custody of two Aldermen and two Commoners to be chosen for it by the Commons of the City, and that the said Seal be not denied to the poor nor rich Commoners of the City aforesaid, whensoever they stand in need of it; and that nothing be taken for the setting to of the said Seal.  
And that Weights and Measures of Merchandise to be measured betwixt Merchant and Merchant, of which the profit arising, and the cognizance of the same belong to the Commonalty of the said City remain in the keeping of honest men of the City, skilful in that calling, and to be chosen for this by the Commonalty of the City, to be kept at the pleasure of the said commonalty, and it to be trusted by no means to any other but to such so to be chosen.  
And that Merchants who are not of the freedom of the City aforesaid may not sell any Wines or other wares within the City or Suburbs thereof by retale.  
And that the keeping of the Bridge of the City aforesaid, and the Rents and profits belonging to the said Bridge be committed to two honest and able men of the City aforesaid, others then Aldermen to be chosen for that purpose, by the Commonalty of the said City to be kept at the pleasure of the Commonalty of the said City, who are to answer to the Commonalty of the said City, for the same.  
And that the Chamberlain, common Clark, common Sergeant of the City aforesaid be chosen by the Commonalty of the said City; and removed at their pleasure.  
And that the goods of Aldermen of the said City be taxed as the goods of other Citizens, in Aids, Tallages, and other Contributions hapening in the City, by men of the Wards, where these Aldermen abide.  
Moreover, We being willing upon their Petition, to confer more ample favour upon the Major, Aldermen, and Citizens, have granted to them for us and our heirs, that the Major, Aldermen, Citizens and Commonalty of the Commons of the City aforesaid, and their Heirs and Successors, for the necessities and profits of our said City, by their Common consent, among themselves, may assess Tallage upon the goods within the City, as well upon Rents as other goods: and as well upon Trades as any other way which they shall see expedient; and the same to levy without let of us, or our Heirs, or our Ministers whomsoever: and that the moneys arising out of such Tallages remain in the custody of four honest and lawful men of the City to be chosen for it by the Commonalty of the City, and expended out of their custody, for the necessities and profits of the said City, and not otherwise: In testimony whereof, we have caused to be made these our letters, patents: Witness ourselves, at York the eighth day of June, the twelft year of our Reign.  
By all which Premises it is evident, according to the Express words of the Charters, That it is the Rights of the Freemen of London to choose the Mayor, two Sheriffs, four Treasurers, the Chamberlain, common Clerk, common Sergeant of the City, and to remove them at their pleasure: And it is also the liberty of every Freeman of every Ward, to have his voice in choosing the Alderman, and to remove them every year, and being removed, others to be chosen by the said Freemen of the said Ward. It is also the Rights of every Freeman, as they are Members of the Corporation, to have his voice in choosing the Parliament men for the City.  
And although it may be objected, that the Freemen of the City are so numerous, that it is impossible they should meet together at one place: Yet this they may do, (though they cannot all with conveniency meet) which is in the next place most equal, that all the Freemen in every Ward may meet together, and make choice of a number of men out of themselves, who they may depute as their trusties for that end, all Majors, Sheriffs, and Public Officers, chosen otherwise than aforesaid, their choice is null, and ought not to be obeyed: For a Freeman of London is not bound to obey any Officer thereof, unless he have a voice in the said choice.  
But contrary to the said Charters and Liberties of every Free Citizen of London, a corrupt party in the City takes upon them to engross the Choice and Rights of the rest of the Freemen, and doth nominate the aforesaid Officers and the Aldermen, who keeps that Office during life, if they please they choose one of those the Livery-men presents to be Mayor or Sheriffs: according to their pleasure most unjustly withheld, even by force from the Citizens: The Master, Wardens, and Livery-men of all Companies in London, unless it be Merchant-Taylors, are of late years unjustly chosen; for by the Charters of the Companies, the Master, Wardens, and Livery-men are to be chosen by the Comunalty of the said Company; Contrary thereunto of late years, twelve or fifteen men of the said Company, by usurpation made Orders and Ordinances, and present them in the Name of the Comunalty, although without the view, knowledge, or consent of the Comunalty, to the Lord chief Justice, who with other two Justices did assign them, and by this unjust means they proceed; and three or four, or the major part of twelve men chooseth the Master, Wardens, and Livery-men, and set a Fine, upon some men twenty, and some thirty pounds, to be paid at the first entrance of the said Livery-man, all which is contrary to the Charter; and this money, and the profit of the Companies Stock, they imbezel in Feasting, and in other unjust ways, on purpose to keep the Comunalty from their Rights, the Comunalty themselves who have right by their Charter to choose their Livery-men, and to make Orders and Ordinances, cannot make any Order to disannul any part of the said Charter, although the chief Justice hand be procured unto it.  
And whereas it hath been of late years used, that when there is a Sheriff or Alderman to be chosen, enquiry is made for the Richest men in the City, which is quite contrary to the Charter, for mention is made to choose honest men fit for Government, and not to choose men because they are rich, as it is frequently practised in most parts of the Land; By the Charter of Henry the third, the King makes a doubt of the two Sheriffs of London not worth 20. l. And in all just Governments men have been chosen for their honesty; poor men from the Plough have been chosen to the highest Office in the Land because they were honest: It is well known that most of the great rich men of the City and Country, got most of their Estates (or their Parents or Friends for them) unjustly, either by Patent, or Monopolising, or engrossing, or by great gifts from Kings or other great men; whose creatures they were, to do his work right or wrong; these men are not fit to be chosen into place of Trust by any honest man; only usurpers and robbers of the people of their Rights will endeavour to choose such men.  
There is a great deal of justness and equity in the Charters of London in this point; that all the Officers of the City are to be chosen once a year, and oftener if need be; and the next year others to be chosen in their steed, It would be happy for this poor Nation (and never will till then) that a just government be set up, wherein all men may be equally bound, and that all public Officers throughout the Land be chosen freely every year, or oftener if need be; for usually all or most men turn Tyrants if they be in Public Office above one year.  
And now, O all ye Citizens of London that have any goodness in you, stand up like honest men for your Rights and Liberties, and redeem them out of the hands of unreasonable usurping men: Is it a work of mercy to help your neighbour's ox even on the Sabbath day out of the ditch? How much more is it for you to stand up like men, and help to do that great work of mercy, wellpleasing to God, in assisting to the utmost for yourselves and neighbours both in the City and Country, that you may be free from all tyranny, of what kind soever? and in your so doing, you may expect the assistance of God, and all good men, and the blessing of God will attend you in so good a work. September 28. 1648.