AN ACT OF Common-Council For the Government of Cars, Carts, Carrooms, Carters and Carmen; AND FOR The Prevention of Frauds in the Buying and Selling OF COALS.  
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Printed by Andrew clerk, Printer to the honourable City of LONDON. 1677.   

 arms Davies Mayor. Commune Concilium tentum in Camera Guild-hall, London, Vicesimo Secundo die Junii, Anno Regni Regis CAROLI Secundi, &c. Vicesimo Nono.  
IT is Ordered by this Court, That the Act of Common-Council, entitled, An Act for the Government of Cars, Carts, Carrooms, Carters and Carmen; and for the Prevention of Frauds in the Buying and Selling of Coals, be forthwith Printed and Published.  
wagstaff.   

 arms Commune Concilium tentum in Camera Guild-hall Civitatis London, die Lunae, secundo die Aprilis, Anno Domini, 1677. Annoque Regni Domini nostri CAROLI Secundi, nunc Regis Angliae, &c. vicesimo nono, coram Thoma Davies Milite, Majore Civitatis predict, Thoma Aleyn, Milit'& Baronet', Johanne Frederick, Milit' Aldermannis, Johanne Robinson, Milit'& Baronet', Aldermanno, Locum-tenente Turris London, Johanne laurence, Milit', Willielmo Turner, Milit', Richardo Ford, Milit', Josepho Sheldon, Milit', Francisco Chaplyn, Milit', Jacobo Edwards, Milit', Patientia Ward, Milit', Johanne Moore, Milit', Jacobo Smith, Milit', Nathanael hernia, Milit', Roberto Geoffery, Milit',& Thoma Gold, Milit'& Aldermannis, necnon majore parte Communiariorum de Communi Concilio ejusdem Civitatis tunc& ibidem Assemblat'.  
An Act for the Government of Cars, Carts, Carrooms, Carters and Carmen, and for the prevention of fraud in the Buying and Selling of Coals.  
FOR the better and more regular ordering and disposing of all Cars, Carts, Carrooms, Carters and Carmen, and of all other persons whatsoever, that shall hereafter work any Cars or Carts within this City or the Liberties thereof for Hire, Be it Enacted and Ordained by the Right honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons in Common Council Assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That one Act of Common-Council made in the Mayoralty of Sir John laurence Knight, for the Government of Cars, Carts, Carrooms, Carters and Carmen, and every Clause, Article and thing therein contained, be from henceforth Repealed, and the same is hereby repealed and made voided to all intents and purposes.  
And be it further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That the President and Governours of Christ, Hospital shall have the Rule, Oversight and Government of all such Cars, Carts, Carters and Carmen, and of all other persons whatsoever, that do or shall hereafter work or use any Cars or Carts within the City of London, or the Liberties thereof for Hire, according to the Rules. Directions and Provisions in this present Act mentioned and comprised. And the present Trade of this City being seriously considered, and to the end that all the Streets and Lanes of this City may not be pestered with Car or Carts, and His Majesties liege people have free passage by Coach or otherwise through the said Streets and Lanes.  
Be it Enacted, That no more than four hundred and twenty Carts shall be allowed or permitted to work for hire from one place to another within this City or Liberties thereof, and that each of them shall be made known by having the City Arms upon the Shaft of every such Cart, and a piece of Brass with the Number upon it, and that seventeen shillings and four pence per annum, and no more shall be received and paid for a Carroom, and twenty shillings and no more or greater Fine, upon any admittance or alienation of a Carroom; which seventeen shillings and four pence per annum, and twenty shillings aforesaid, is to be wholly applied towards the relief and maintenance of the poor Orphans harboured, and to be harboured in the said Christs Hospital. And that if any person or persons, shall presume to work any Car or Carts, within the said City and Liberties for hire, by himself or servant, not being duly allowed as aforesaid, such person or persons, for every time so offending, shall forfeit and pay the sum of thirteen shillings and four pence to be recovered, received, and obtained as is hereafter mentioned.  
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That there shall not hereafter be any Car, Cart, or Cars permitted or allowed to any Wharf, Wharfingers, Woodmongers, or other retailer or retailers in Fuel, or kept, or worked by any Wharfinger, Woodmonger, or other retailer or retailers in Fuel, after the four and twentieth day of June next, but such Car, Cart, or Cars, as are part of the said number of four hundred and twenty Cars, licenced by the said President and Governours; which are allowed the Carriage of all Wood, Coals, and other Fuel within the same City and Liberties thereof, at such rates, and in all other respects as other Goods and Commodities are used to be carried, and not otherwise. And if any Wharfinger, Woodmonger, or any other retailer in Fuel, shall presume to keep and work any Car, Cart, or Cars, contrary to the true meaning hereof, such person and persons, for every time so offending, shall forfeit and pay for the first offence, the sum of thirteen shillings and four pence, to be recovered and obtained, as is hereafter mentioned, and for the second, and every other offence afterward, double the said Sum of thirteen shillings and four pence, to be also Levied as is hereafter expressed.  
Provided nevertheless, That it shall and may be Lawful for every person and persons with his and their own, or with any other Car, Cart, or Carts to bring out of the Country to the said City, or to fetch from the said City into the Country, any Coals, Fuel or other Goods, wears and merchandises. And that it shall be Lawful for every retailer of Fuel, to bring home to his or their own houses or wharves, all manner of Fuel, by and with his, their own, or with any other Car, Cart, and Carts.  
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That such as have any Carroom or Carrooms, duly licenced and allowed as aforesaid, shall not directly or indirectly let them out for hire to be worked by any others at any time hereafter, without the approbation and allowance of the said President and Governours of Christs Hospital for the time being, first had, obtained, and attested in writing under the said Presidents Hand, to the end that none may be admitted to work any Car but such as shall be found of civil Carriage, and able and meet for that employment, upon pain that every person offending therein, shall forfeit the sum of ten shillings a day, for every day he shall let to hire the said Car, to be recovered as is hereafter mentioned.  
And that the prizes of Carriage may be moderate, as well for the People as for the Carmen, It is Enacted, That forthwith this present year, and hereafter always from time to time as often as occasion shall require reasonable rates and prizes of Carriages within this City and Liberties, shall be set and appointed by the Court of Aldermen, they calling to their assistance such of the Commons as they shall think fit for their information therein. And the said prizes to be Printed, and set upon Posts in public places, and a Copy thereof to be always carried about by every respective Carman, for the satisfaction of all persons that shall desire to see the same; and if any Carman shall demand and take more than according to such rates and prizes so to be set down, such person or persons so offending, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of ten shillings, to be had and recovered as is hereafter mentioned.  
It is hereby further Enacted, That if any person or persons authorised to work any Car, or Carts, by himself or servant, shall neglect or refuse duly to pay the said yearly Rent of seventeen shillings and four pence a year, to the said President and Governours, for the uses aforesaid, for every the said Car, and Carts, as is beforementioned, the Carroom, that is, the Licence of such person or persons to work such Car or Carts be suspended, and such person and persons be disabled to work any longer by virtue of the same Licence, until he or they shall comform to the payment of the said Duty of seventeen shillings and four pence respectively: And if any person or persons for the cause beforementioned, being so disabled, shall presume before conformity, after such disallowance to use and work any ●ar, or Cars, either by him or themselves, or by his or their servant or servants, Agent or Agents, then every such person or persons, shall respectively forfeit and lose the sum of thirteen shillings and four pence, for every time they shall so work, to be recovered and applied as is hereafter mentioned.  
And for the prevention of such deceit hereafter, as divers persons have heretofore practised in the Sale and Measure of their Coals, It is Enacted, That all, Seacoals hereafter to be sold and uttered by retail by any person or persons whatsoever, shall be filled and brought home to the Buyers in the Seacoal-meters Sacks, or such other Sacks as contain the full Measure of the Seacoal-meters Sacks, and are and shall be marked by the Keeper of the Guild-Hall for the time being, according to an Order of a Court of Aldermen, made the twenty fifth day of October, in the time of the Mayoralty of Sir Thomas Cambell Knight, deceased; and carried by some Street-Car or Cars, of persons duly licenced and allowed as aforesaid, and bearing upon the same Cars the mark of the read across for a note of their allowance, as hath anciently been accustomend.  
And that all person and persons vending or uttering Seacoals by retail, and every Carman his Servant or Agent, shall hereafter from time to time and at all times, when they carry or sand abroad any Coals, within this City of London or Liberties thereof, carry along in their Car or Carts, together with their Seacoals a good and lawful Bushel Sealed, according to the Bushel in the Guild-Hall, allowed for Measuring of Seacoals, which agreeth with the Fat anciently used for Measuring of Seacoals.  
But if any person or persons shall bring home, in his or their Cart or Car, to any Buyer, any Coals in any other Sack or Sacks, and without such Bushel as are beforementioned and appointed, such person so offending shall forfeit and pay ten shillings for the first, and every other offence respectively.  
And be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said President and Governours of Christs Hospital, shall for time to come observe, perform, and execute such Legal Acts, Orders, and Rules, as are, or shall be made by the Common-Council, or Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this City for the time being, for, touching and concerning the Government, licencing, and Regulation of Cars, Carts, Carters and Carmen, working for hire within the City and Liberties, or touching or concerning the Measures or Assize of Coal-Sacks, Coals, or other Fuel, or any Matter or Thing, to the same or any of them in any wise belonging or appertaining.  
And whereas divers Woodmongers, and others, using to sell and utter Coals by Retail within this City and Liberties, in design to raise and enhance the prizes thereof, for their own private gain and commodity, have commonly heretofore gone or sent down the River of Thames, or otherwise traveled and employed their Agents to meet the Ships, and Vessels, coming from New-Castle, and other parts, towards this City laden with Coals, and at distant places from the said City, or by precontract within the same City and Liberties, have bought up, forestalled, and engrossed great quantities of Coals which should have been brought to the said City, by the Owners and Sellers thereof, to be there sold and uttered at reasonable prizes, and the same have conveyed and brought to the said City, to sell again at high and excessive prizes against the Custom and privilege of this City, and to the public detriment, oppression of the poor, and great charge of all others inhabiting and dwelling within the said City and Liberties thereof.  
For reformation hereof, Be it Enacted, Ordained, and Established by the Authority aforesaid, That no Free-man of the said City, shall from and after the First day of May now next ensuing either by himself, or any for him, or to his use provide, buy, bargain and contract for any Sea-coals, Scotch coals, Pit-coals, or other Coals coming towards this City, to be sold, other than such as shall be provided and bought to be spent within their own private houses, and that no person whatsoever, who hath bought Coals coming to the said City to be sold, shall sell and utter the same within the said City and Liberties thereof, but that the Owners and Sellers thereof at their own cost and charges shall and may bring the same Coals to the City themselves, here by them to be sold, upon pain that all and every person and persons whatsoever, that shall offend contrary to the true intent and meaning hereof, shall forfeit and lose five shillings for every cauldron of Seacoals, and the like sum for every Tun of Scotch-coals or Pit-coals that shall be bought, bargained, or contracted for, contrary to the intent and true meaning of this Act, to be recovered as is hereafter mentioned.  
And it is Enacted, That the Yeomen of the Wood-wharfs of this City for the time being, shall from time to time diligently over-see, that all persons coming and repairing to this City with any manner of Coals beforementioned, to be sold, do and shall observe and keep the Orders, Rules, and Directions before-going: And that they and also the Marshals of this City, and their servants respectively shall use their utmost endeavour in the execution of this Act, and shall use all diligence for the discovery and punishment of all offenders, in or about any particular thereof, according to the intent and meaning of this Act.  
And Lastly, it is Enacted, That all peins, penalties, and forfeitures, in and by this Act before limited and appointed, shall and may be levied by distress of the goods of the person so offending in the said City, to be found or recovered by action of Debt, Bill, or Information, in the name of the Chamberlain of this City for the time being in His Majesties Court holden before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the said City, in the Chamber of the Guil-Hall of the City of London. And after recovery thereof, one moiety( after all charges deducted) shall be to the Informer, and the other moiety to the poor of Christs Hospital in London, to be employed for and towards their relief.  
In all which Suits to be brought by this Act, the Chamberlain shall, in case he do recover, be allowed his ordinary costs and charges, to be expended in and for recovery of all such forfeitures against the offender or offenders; and in case upon a Trial the Verdict shall pass for the Defendant, or in case the party shall be nonsuit, or discontinue his svit, in every such case the Defendant shall also recover his reasonable costs.  
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Printed by Andrew clerk, Printer to the honourable City of London.