Council Minutes: Extracts from Corporation Books, 1708

Extracts from Corporation Books.

1708.

Official Oaths to be revised. Out-Burgesses claiming exemption from tolls must pay rates. Regulations for the sale of corn. Prohibition of public sale by foreign traders after fair-day. Regulations for the sale of cattle. Duties of the Clerk of the Market.

ATT a Com[m]on Councill held in the Guildhall this 22^nd of March 1708.

Ordered That the Towne Clerk doe lay before M^r Steward Coppyes of all Oathes taken by Bayliffs Aldermen & Burgesses or any other Officers of the said Towne and M^r Steward is desired to propose any Amendm^t or Alter'ons that he thinks ought to be made in those respective Oaths & then to be further consid'd of.

And Whereas sev'all persons have been & may be hereafter admitted Burgesses of the said Towne who are not nor shall not be resident in the same Towne and may hereafter p'tend to be exempt from paymm[en]t of Toll with in the s^d Towne to the great p'judice of the Inhabitants paying Scott & Lott for preventing whereof It is Ordered That all such out Burgesses or Honorary Burgesses who by themselves or their Servants shall insist upon the Im[m]unityes & priviledges of Burgesses shall be lyable & charged with bearing & paying towards the Reliefe of the Poore & other Charges incident to the said Towne.

That the Burgesses & poore Inhabitants of this Towne may have a reasonable time of buying & provideing for their respective familyes It is Ordered that noe Corne shall be sold w[i]ththin the said Towne before the Publick Towne Hall Bell shall have rung which Bell shall every Markett Day ring att Twelve a Clock and from that time till two a Clock noe p'son whatso'r but the Burgesses & Inhabitants of the said Towne not Exercizeing the Trades of Bakers or Badgers shall buy any Corne exposed there to Sale till two of the Clock Att which time the said Bell shall be rung a 2^d time and from and after that hour all Higlers Badgers & Bakers and all fforeig^rs shall have the liberty of buying any Corne or Grain there and not till that hour and that the said Bell is to be duely rung by the Hallkeeper for the time being twice in each Markett day att the hours aforesaid and shall continue ringing a reasonable time for the giving Notice to all p'sons concerned And this Order is to be fixed on the Markett house and other Public Places of this Towne and in case any shall Offend contrary to this Order the Clerk of the Markett shall give the Names of the Persons offending to the Towne Clerk who is hereby required att the publick Expence of this Towne to prosecute the Offenders w[i]thth the utmost rigour.

Whereas the Severall ffairs of this Towne ought by the Sev'all Charters granted to the same to be kept for one Day only yett notwithstanding sev'all Pedlars Scotchmen & other Traders doe p'tend to Expose to Sale Sev'all Goods & Wares in the open Streets of the said Towne after the Day appointed for the holding such ffair is expired for prevenc'on whereof tis Ordered that noe person whatsoever but what is a legall Burgess of the said Town doe expose to Sale within the same any Goods Wares or Merchandizes att any time but on the ffair Day only & in case any person offends the Clerke of the Markett shall give the Names of the Offenders to the Towne Clerk who is to p'secute the Offend^rs at the Towne Charge as aforesaid Publick Notice is to be given of this Order as aforesaid.

It is Ordered alsoe that to the End ffuture ffairs as well for Selling Cattle as other things within the Towne may be kept within y^e Towne & not without It is by Unanimous Consent Ord^d that Publick Notice be given that the sev'all ffairs for buying & selling Cattle shall be kept within the Towne and that all p'sons as well buyers as sellers as shall buy or sell Cattle w[i]ththin the Walls of the said Towne shall be Toll free in comeing & goeing out for the Space of Seven Years and that in Case any Acc'on sho^d be commenced ag^st this Corporac'on or ag^st any p'son who acts under this Order shall be defended att the Towne Charge.

That there be appointed & Sworne a Clerke of the Markett who shall measure between buyer & Seller all Corne that is brought under the Markett House in case the buyer will not admit the seller to strike as the Statute requires and that such Corne shall be measured under the Markett House & not Elsewhere and that the Clerke of the Markett doe upon opening the Bag take out of the same the accustom'd Toll due to the Poore (fn. 1). of the said Towne whether tis Sold or not.