And forasmuch as the sayd Lord Maior and Citizens ; haue by theyr lawes , and customes , power and authoritie to make lawes and ordinaunces , by their common counsaile , for redresse of the same . It is therefore now ( to the intent to reduce the same to a more godly , more profitable and decent order and conformitie ) by the said Lord Maior , and Communaltie , and Citizens , in this present common counsayle assembled , and by aucthoritye of the same common Counsaile , enacted , ordeined , authorized , & established for a Law perpetually to be obserued & kept within the said Citie . That if any Orphane , or child of anye frée man or frée woman , of the sayd Citie doe offend in any the things héereafter expressed , and be thereoff lawfully conuicted , afore the Lorde Maior and the Aldermen or els where , that then they and euery of them , shall to al entents purposes , constructions & meanings ; be vnabled and barred to demaund and claime their portion or portions , & also shal lose & forgoe & be barred for euer , of all and euery his , hir , or their part or parts , & portions to him or them belonging , by and after the death of his or their said father or mother , of the goods & cattalles , of euery such father & mother , by reason of any Law , custome , ordinance , vsage , fraunches , priuiledge , act of Commune counsale , or other thing , héeretofore had or vsed , within the sayd Citie . The same Law , Custome , Ordinaunce , or other thing whatsoeuer , heeretofore had , made , ordeined , allowed , & put in vre , to the contrarye in anye wise notwithstanding . That is to wit . First , if any manchild , or womāchild , shal malitiously go about or attempt to do , or cause to be done , any bodily harme , death , or destruction to his or their Father or Mother : Or if any manchilde do héerafter mary or contract mariage in the life of his father or mother ( by whom he will clayme any portion ) vnder the age of xxi . yeres , without the consent of his sayd Father , or Mother , by whom hée will claime any portion : Or if any womanchilde doe héereafter mary or contract mariage , in the life of hir father , or other parent , by whom she shall claime any portion , before the age of xviii . yeares , without the consent of hir Father , or such other Parent by whome shee shall or maye claime any portion : Or if any man-childe bée a Thiefe , or a Fellon , or a common whore haunter , a common Diser , or a common player at vnlawfull games notoriously known : Or if any womanchilde shal héerafter commit any whoredome , or be a common Picker , that then euery of the persons so offending , shal be barred & excluded to haue , or demaund any portion .

¶ Prouided alwayes , that it shal be lawful , for the father , or mother of any such childe , or children , to giue & bequeath in Legacie , to such childe or children , as much as the portion of such child so , offending shal amount vnto , by the custome of the said citie and then such childe therby to be enabled to haue , & demaund the same , as portion , this Act , notwithstanding , so that the same Legacie be conteined in his or their testament in writing , & not otherwise . And that then , and from thenceforth , his said childe , or children , to be admitted and restored to claime such legacie , or legacies , in such sort , manner & forme , as if there had bon neuer any such offence done , or committed by any such childe .

Item , it is further ordeined , enacted , authorized and established , by the authoritie aforesaid , that if any womanchilde , being an Orphane , & vnder the age of . xxi . yeares , at any time héerafter , after the death of hir father , do ensure or contract hir selfe in mariage , or els according to the Ecclesiastical lawes of this Realine , do perfectly solempnize or consumate Mariage , with any frée man of this Citie , the consent & agréement of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this sayd citie of Lond●n for the time being , not obteined & had , that then for euerye such default & offence committed or done , by any Orphane or Orphanes , of the sayde Citie , the same béeinge confessed or sufficientlye proued by two witnesses , or otherwise before the said Lorde Mayre and Aldermen of this sayde Citie of London , for the time béeing , at and in a Court of Aldermen , she or they that so happen to behaue hir or themselues , as is afore sayde , shall forfeit , forgoe and loose . ij . d of and for euery pound , so due or to be due vnto hir , or them , by reason of any such Orphanage , the summe of . xij . d. of euery . li. to goe , or to be to the vse of the chamber of the sayd citie , according to the auncient custome before this time , in such case vsed . And if the said contract or mariage of the sayde Orphan or Orphans , be made with any forrein , not being frée of this Citie , at the time of any such contract or mariage made , that then the sayd Ophan or Orphans , and euery of them shall forfait and loose . iij. s. of euery pound , or to be due vnto hir or them , by vertue of any Orphanage or custome had and vsed within the sayd Citie . The one shilling of the sayd , iij. s. of euerye pound , to go , or to be , to the vse of the chamber of the sayd citie , in such manner & forme as is aforesaid . And the other . tj . s. so forfeited of euery pound , to go to the vse of such other Orphane , or Orphanes , as than shal remain vnmaried . Or els for default of such Orphanes , or Orphane , to remain to the next of the kinred of the Orphane so offending .

Also be it further ordeined , enacted , & established by authoritie aforesayd , for , & in eschewing of diuers variences , contentions , & sutes , that dayly héeretofore haue , & héereafter may ensue : that if any frée mans childe , man or woman fortune to be maried héereafter , in the life time of his , or their father , by his consent , & not fully aduaunced off , & to his , or hir full part , or porcion , of his , or hir , sayd Fathers goods , as he shal be worth at the time of his disease , according to the auncient lawes and customes , of this sayd Citie : that then euery such frée mans childe , so béeing maryed in the life time of his , or hir Father shal be to all intents and purposes , disabled to demaunde any further part or porcion , of his or hir fa●hers goods , after the disease of his , or ●ir father , but shal be adiudged , repu●ed and taken to be fully aduanced , ac●ording as the lawe and custome of ●his citie , hath bene long time out of minde , except his or hir sayd father , do mencion certainly in his last will , or ●estament , or by other writing signed with his own proper name , or marke ●he certeintie of the sum or sums of money , goods and cattells , & the value of them that the Father gaue , payed ●r departed withall , or otherwise ●ssured or héereafter shall giue , paye , ●epart withall , or otherwise make as●urance off , vnto him , or hir , before at ●r after the mariage of him or hir , or ●therwise in his lyfe time , for and towardes their aduauncements , in the name of his , or hir part , or portion .

And then euery such Orphane , or childe which after the decease of his or hir sayd Father , can bring foorth the sayd Testament or other writing signed or marked with the fathers hand or mark , wherein the certeintie of such mone● goodes , or Cattells , as they haue o● shall haue receiued of their sayd Father , or by the same father , assured b● especialtie , or otherwise shal haue a● much of the ready money , goods , cattells , and debtes , of the sayd Father as ( with that which he or they shal● haue receiued towards their aduauncements , in the life of their said father shall make vp a full childes part , o● his goods and Cattells , as he shall b● worth at the time of his decease . Th● same to be demaunded , asked , & claymed , or sued for against the executor or executors , administratour , or administratours , of the goods , and Cattells of the sayd Father , by bill Originall , to be commenced to our souereigne Lord , the kings court , holden in the vtter chamber of the guild-hal● of the sayd citie , before the sayd Lord Mayre and Aldermen of the same citie for the time béeing , any law or custome , héeretofore made , or vsed to th● contrary , notwithstanding . In which action , no wager of Lawe , or Essoine . shal be admitted , or allowed .

Prouided alway and it is further ●nacted , that if anye frée mans sonne , ●éeing of full age ( which shall heereafter be maried with the consent of his father , or any other pertem , being of ful age , which shall héereafter mary any frée mans daughter ) doe at the time of the espousalls , or anye time after , confesse themselues , by writing fully satisfied , of his , or their portion , or doo otherwise acquite and discharge , the Father of such frée mans sounes , or daughters , of all their part and portion , due , or to be due , by the Lawe and custome of the Citie , that then euery such person , so confessing , acquiting , or otherwise discharging , shal be reputed and taken , as fully aduaunced , of his , or theyr whole part , or portion , & shal not be enabled , to demaund any further , or greater part of the substaunce , goods , & cattells , of his or hir Father : this law , or any other law or custome héeretofore had , made , or vsed to the contrary , notwithstanding .

And further , for as much as it is thought very preiudicial & hurtful the fatherlesse children & Orphane when the mother , or mother in law being executrix of the last wil & test●ment of hir late husband , by whom after whose death , the Orphanes a● intituled to an Orphanage , ( acco●ding to the sayd laudable customes 〈◊〉 this citie ) doe diuers times marry 〈◊〉 contract matrimony , some with for●●…ners , & persons vnknowne , & some 〈◊〉 Free men , or euer a iust Inuentory 〈◊〉 the goods , cattels , plate , Iuells , re●dy money of the Testatours , be by t●●● brought in : By reason wheroff , man● times , they ( either for feare or affect●on of their husbands , or for some othe● sinister cause ) doe bring in very susp●tious Inuentories , omittinge there●● either ready money , Plate , Iuells , o● debts , or some other thing , or things whereby some benefit should redoun● to the fatherlesse children , to the grea● losse and hinderance of the Orphane● and sometime slaunder to the Lord Mayre , and Aldermen of the Citie notwithstanding their great care , an● trauaile that they take for the good ordering , and true aunswering of the sayd Orphanes .

It is therefore , by lyke authoritie , ordeined , established , and enacted , that if after the first day of Nouember next ensuing , any widow , which is , or shall be made executrix of the Testament and last will of hir late husband , ( being a frée man ) or shall take vpon hir the administration of the goods , & cattells , of hir late husbande ( béeing a free man ) doe not vpon hir othe bring in , and exhibit , or cause to be brought in , & exhibited before the Lord Mayre , and Aldermen of this sayd Citie , for the time being at , and in a court of Aldermen , a iust and perfect Inuentory ( to their knowledge , ) of all the goods , cattells , plate , and Iuells , ready money , and debts , as were hir sayd husbands , at the time of his death , appraysed according to the law of the said citie , before she do ensure hir self in mariage , or contract mariage , or els according to the lawes of the Realme , doe perfectly solemnize , or consummate mariage with any person , before such time as aforesaid , that then euery person so offending , shall forfait and loose viij s. of euery pound , of hir portion , of the goods of hir late husband , due to hir by the laudable custome of this sayd Citie , the same to go to the vse of such Orphane , or Orphanes , as then shal be entituled to haue or demaund any Orphanage , or portion , after the death of his or hir late Father , the same to be demaunded , asked , claimed , or sued for , against suche executrix , or administratrix , by bil original of debt , to be commenced , in our Souereigne Lord the kinges Court , holden in the vtter chamber of the Guild-hall , of the said citie , before the Lord Mayre , and Aldermen of the same Citie , for the time béeing , any law , &c. In which Action , no wager . &c.