Charters

Analytical Index to the Series of Records Known as the Remembrancia 1579-1664. Originally published by EJ Francis, London, 1878.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'Charters', in Analytical Index to the Series of Records Known as the Remembrancia 1579-1664, (London, 1878) pp. 61-65. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/index-remembrancia/1579-1664/pp61-65 [accessed 19 April 2024]

Charters.

V. 80. Petition from the Lord Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London to the King, reciting that being questioned in the Star Chamber concerning that part of his late grant to the City not contained in their first petition, and as they were informed not yet warranted by His Majesty, they had presented a second petition, submitting to his grace and royal consideration such parts of that Charater as should appear to be unwarranted, which submission he had accepted in such a manner as gave them great content, and had further promised to confirm really whatever was warranted or intended; upon which they supposed the prosecution in the Star Chamber would have been stopped, but it had been prosecuted in a manner which their Counsel advised them was without precedent. They therefore prayed that he would direct all proceedings in that Court against them to be stayed, and they submitted to his grace and favour so much of their last Charter as would be found unwarranted, and further prayed that he would grant such of the other things as should be thought fit for His Majesty to grant and the Petitioners to enjoy.

Note. Upon this petition it pleased His Majesty to make stay of any further proceedings against the City.
Dated in margin, August 16th, 1620.

V. 87. Petition from the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London to the King, touching the City's Charter (to the same effect as No. 80).

Note in margin says, delivered at Windsor in September, 1620.

V. 88. Copy of an Order of Reference from the King, reciting that the City of London having humbly submitted to His Majesty their late Charter, questioned in the Star Chamber, to be disposed of as he should think fit, he had graciously accepted their dutiful obedience, and in respect thereof was pleased to re-grant what was intended by his former warrant upon which the Charter was passed, or what else he in his wisdom should think fit for them to enjoy, though not contained in the said warrant; and for that purpose he referred the consideration of their requests mentioned in the petition, and the manner of their submission, whether it should be by private surrender of the Charter, or otherwise, to the Lord Chancellor and others named, with the assistance of the Chief Justices of the King's Bench and Common Pleas, or either of them, and the Solicitor-General, upon whose certificate His Majesty would give order for the stay of all proceedings in the Star Chamber against them, and for granting their desires as he should find meet.
From the Court at Windsor, 8th September, 1620.

V. 108. Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London to the Lord Treasurer, reciting that, their last Charter being cancelled, some of the officers of the Exchequer refused to allow them recognizances, fines, issues, amerecements, and other forfeitures within London only, although formerly they had such allowance not only for London, but elsewhere, if the party that made humble petition, had referred the consideration of a re-grant to divers Lords Commissioners, who had not yet made any certificate to him. They therefore prayed his lordship to give order that all process and charges in the summons of the Pipe or Greenwas (fn. 1) against the petitioners, or any of them, for any of the particulars aforesaid forfeited in London, might be respited and stayed without putting them to the trouble or charge of pleading; and that the present and future Sheriffs might have an exodanno in their accounts for all process charges and sums of money imposed upon them in respect thereof, until the Lords Commissioners should make their reports to His Majesty.
Sans date.

V. 115. Petition from the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London to the King, reciting the reference made by His Majesty to the Lord Chancellor and others named, concerning the regranting of the City's Charter lately cancelled, and that some of the persons so named had become incapable of the employment, others had been raised to different positions in his service, and the rest were so continually employed in weighty affairs of State that a sufficient number of them had not as yet been able to attend to the business, whereby the City not only wanted the comfort of the grace he had promised, but many inconveniences were likely to fall upon them, contrary to his gracious intention and pleasure expressed in the reference. They therefore prayed that a new nomination and reference might be made to such of the former persons as he should think fit, with the addition of such others as he should deem proper.

V. 135. Letter from the King to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, Justices of the Peace for the City and precincts thereof, reciting that, by several Acts of Parliament and His Majesty's late Charter, the College of Physicians (fn. 2) were authorized to reform and suppress unlawful or unlearned practitioners in physic; but finding that neither Acts of Parliament nor Charter, for want of execution, had produced the desired results, His Majesty charged the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Justices of the Peace within the City and Precinets thereof to aid and assist the President and Censors of the College of Physicians or their officers in the execution of their Acts of Parliament or Charters, for the suppressing of such persons as, contrary to the law, practised physic in the City of London, its suburbs and precincts, or within seven miles thereof. That this might be effected with more diligence and authority, he commanded the letter to be read and published at the next Sessions, that the Justices might take notice of his commands.

2nd day of …, 20th James I. (Date illegible.)

VII. 155. Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London to the King, reciting that a Writ had been issued from the Exchequer to levy a sum of 70,000l. on the Lands and Goods of the City, imposed as a fine by the Court of Star Chamber, and praying His Majesty's commiseration. (fn. 3)

In margin, "Delivered to the King, at Hampton Court, 27th September, 1635."

VII. 181. Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London to the King, praying him to accept the sum of 100,000l., payable in five years by 20,000l. a year, for the settlement of all differences between His Majesty and the City.
In margin, "Delivered to the King, 16th of July, 1636."

IX. 31. Order of the privy Council upon the petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council for the confirmation of their Charter, with the answer of the King to the effect that, if they sent their Charter to the Attorney-General for his perusal, His Majesty would not only renew the same, but would make such further additions (if desired) as should be found fit and necessary.
Signed, G. Lane.

IX. 45. Letter from the King to the Lord Mayor and the Commissioners appointed under the Great Seal for regulating the Corporation of the City, referring to his declaration upon the renewal of of their Charter, that he would leave out the names of some of the present aldermen, not exceeding five, whom he considered not fit for that office in these seditious times, and would nominate others, who had been previously chosen and fined for not serving the office, but who he believed would serve upon his nomination; and as the Commissioners had removed Alderman Milner (fn. 4) and Alderman Love (fn. 5) from the bench, he recommended Sir Thomas Rich, Bart., (fn. 6) and William Turner, (fn. 7) Esq., persons of well-known fidelity, in their room, and that they should take precedency as to their office as if they had not gone out by fines, and that, when they served the office of Sheriff, the fines formerly paid by them should be returned.
5th May, 1662.

IX. 46. Letter from Edward Nicholas, by command of the King, to the Lord Mayor and the Commissioners, referring to the above letter, and recommending Sir Thomas Bludworth, Knight, (fn. 8) in the room of Alderman Love removed, &c.
16th June, 1662.

Footnotes

  • 1. Green Wax process signified originally the colour of the wax in which the seal of the Court of Exchequer was affixed to estreats of fines, issues, forfeitures, and the goods and chattels of felons, which the Sheriff was directed to levy. Hence, subsequently, the expression "Green Wax," applied to the estreats themselves. The process is mentioned in the Statute 7 Hen. IV. c. 3. 1405–6. These fines were granted to the citizens of London by Charter, 1st Edward III. 1327, and given to the Sheriffs, by order of Common Council, April 20th, 1449, but this last Order was repealed by Act of Common Council, dated October 29, 1869.
  • 2. Projected by Dr. Linacre, who obtained a Charter of Incorporation, Oct. 23, 1518, he being first President. Their College at Amen Corner burnt, 1666. Sir Christopher Wren designed the new building in Warwick Lane; opened, 1689; removed to Trafalgar Square; the College designed by Sir R. Smirke, R.A., opened June 25, 1825.
  • 3. Vide 'Calendar of State Papers' (Domestic), 1635–6, page 56, No. 11.
  • 4. Tempest Milner, Merchant Taylor; elected Alderman of Cripplegate, September 27th, 1653; chosen Sheriff, June 24th, 1656; removed to Candlewick, May 5th, 1657.
  • 5. William Love, Draper; elected Alderman of Portsoken, January 27th, 1659; chosen Sheriff the same year.
  • 6. Vintner; elected Alderman of Bridge Within, September 11th, 1650. Robert Smith elected Alderman,loco Thomas Rich, discharged, September 24, 1650.
  • 7. Merchant Taylor; elected Alderman of Farringdon Within, October 30th, 1660, but, refusing to serve, he was discharged upon payment of a fine, 620l., November 27th, 1660, 100l. of which was remitted, December 4th, 1660; chosen Sheriff in 1662; Knighted, July 19th, 1662; Lord Mayor, 1668; removed from Candlewick to Castle Baynard, loco Sir Wm. Bolton, June 23rd, 1668; President of Bridewell and Bethlem Hospitals, 1669–1688. He took the oath on the Constitution anew of the Aldermen of the City, by a Commission issued by James the Second, February 17th, 1684; discharged from his office of Alderman by the King's letters patent, granted to him August 2nd, 1687. He was the son of John Turner, of Kirkleatham, Clevenland, Yorkshire; he carried on the business of a woollendraper in St. Paul's Churchyard; he died at Kirkleatham, without issue, on or about March 22nd, 1692, and was buried in the chancel of the parish church there. He founded and munificently endowed in his lifetime the Hospital and Free School in his native place, which still bear his name; to the former is attached a library, furnished with many scarce and valuable books, curiosities, &c., among which may be mentioned his effigy in wax, with the identical wig and bands worn by him in his lifetime. For details of this noble charity, see 'Charity Commissioners' Reports, '1823, vol. viii., p. 734 et seq. He was treasurer of the fund raised to rebuild the Merchant Taylors' School after the Fire of London, 1666; and by his will he left 3001. to his Company, to pay 31. yearly to three poor clothworkers. His portrait is at Merchant Taylors' Hall. See Graves's 'History of Cleveland,' 1808, p. 390 et seq.' Stow, edit. 1720, vol. ii. book 5, p. 147; and Clode's 'Memorials of the Merchant Taylors' Company.'
  • 8. Citizen and Vintner; elected Alderman of Dowgate Ward, December 9th, 1658; chosen Sheriff in 1662; removed from Portsoken by prerogative to Aldersgate, December 18th, 1663; Lord Mayor, 1665. Sir Richard Haw elected Alderman of Aldersgate, loco Thomas Bludworth, deceased. He was Master of his Company in 1665; he held the office of Lord Mayor in the year of the Great Fire, being sworn at the outmost gate of the Tower by Sir John Robinson, the Lieutenant, by virtue of His Majesty's commission directed to him, October 29th, 1665. Pepys, in his Diary, alludes in no commendable terms to his want of energy and decision, whereby the fire increased. This Sir Thomas endeavoured to explain in a letter addressed to the editor of the Gazette, and dated 29th September, 1666, preserved in the State Papers, vol. clxxiii., No. 82, Domestic Series, Charles the Second. He lived and died in Camden House, Maiden Lane. He gave 100l. towards the rebuilding of Vinters' Hall after the Fire. By his will (Principal Registry, Cottle, 82), dated November 24th, 1680, he directs his body to be buried, without pomp, in "some evening." He left to his Company his two silver bowls and covers (still in their possession), as a token of his respect for them. His daughter Anne was the wife of the notorious Judge Jeffreys, afterwards Lord High Chancellor. For Pedigree, see Le Neve's 'Knights,' Harleian Society Publications, p. 48.
PreviousTable of contentsNext