WHere by the auncient Charters , Customes , Franchises , and Liberties of the Citty of London , confirmed by sundrie Actes of Parliament , no person not being free of the said Citty , may or ought to sell , or put to sale any wares or marchandises within the said Cittie or the Liberties of the same by retaile , or keepe any open or inward shop , or other inward place or room for shew sale , or putting to sale , of any wares or marchandises , or for vse of any Arte , Trade , Occupation , mysterie or handicraft within the same . And whereas also Edward sometime King of England of famous memorie , the third of that name , by his Charter made and granted to the saide Citty in the fifteenth yeare of his Raigne , confirmed also by Parliament amongst other things granted , that if any Customes in the said Citty before that time obtayned and vsed , were in any part hard or defectiue , or any things in the same newlie arising , where remedie before that time was not ordained , should need amendment , the Maior and Aldermen of the said Citty and their Successors , with the assent of the Communalty of the same Citty , might put and ordaine thereunto fit remedie , as often as it should seeme expedient vnto them . So that such ordinance should be profitable to the King for the profite of Cittizens and other his people repairing to the said Citty , and agreeable to reason . And wheras by force of the said Customs , Franchises , and Liberties , and of the Charter last afore mentioned , confirmed as is afore specified by Parliament , the Lord Maior , Aldermen and Commons of the said Cittie , did the twelfth day of October in the third year of the raign of Edward somtime King of England the fourth , as a thing thought fit and conuenient for that time , ( amongst other things ) agree and ordaine , that the Basketmakers , Gold-wyerdrawers , and other forraines , contrarie to the libertie of the said Cittie , holding open shoppes , in diuers places of the Cittie , and vsing mysteries within the said Citie , should not from thenceforth hold shoppes within the libertie of the Cittie aforesaide . But if they would hold any shoppe , or dwell in the same Cittie , they should dwell at Blanchapleton , and there holde shoppes , so as they might haue sufficient dwelling there . And where also the Lord Maior , Aldermen and Commons of the said Cittie , did afterwardes the sixeteenth day of May , in the seuenteenth yeare of the Raigne of our late Soueraign Lord of famous memory King Henry the eight , as a course thought fit and agreeable for that time , ordaine , establish , and enact , that no manner of person or persons being estrange from the Liberties of the saide Cittie , from thenceforth should holde or keepe any open shoppe or shoppes within the saide Cittie or liberties of the same , neither with any Lattesses before , nor yet without Lattesse , certain numbers of the poore men occupying the feate of Botchers , Taylors and Coblers , onelie except , vpon paine of imprisonment , and also to forfeite and to pay xl . s. to the vse of the Communaltie of this Citty , as oftentimes as he or they should doe the contrarie . And where also the Lord Maior , Aldermen and Commons of the same Citty , did afterward the xx . day of Ianuary , in the said xvij . yeare of King Henry the eight , ( reciting that where at a common Councell holden the xvj . day of May , in the seauenteenth yeare of the raigne of King Henry the eight . It was ordained and enacted , that no manner of person or persons being estrange from the Liberties of this Citty , from thenceforth should holde or keepe any open shoppe or shoppes within this Citty or Liberties of the same , neither with any Lattesses before , nor yet without any Lattesse vpon pain of imprisonment ) Further , ordaine , and establish , that if any person or persons being forraine , should holde and keepe open any shoppe or shoppes as is aforesaid , he should forfeite for euery time so doing xl . s. to be leuied by distresse , to the vse of the Communaltie of the saide Cittie , by the Chamberlaine for the time being , or other Officer of this City , and also haue imprisonment by the discretion of the Maior and Aldermen for the time being .

Now forasmuch as diuers and sundry strangers borne , and likewise Forreiners from the liberties of the saide Cittie , nothing regarding the said auncient Charters , Franchises , Customes , or liberties of the saide Cittie , and actes and ordinances heretofore made according to the same , but wholie intending their priuate profit , haue of late yeares deuised and practized by all sinister and subtil meanes , how to defraud and defeat the said Charters , Liberties , Customs , good orders , and ordinances , and to that end , do now inwardlie in priuie and secret places , vsually and ordinarily , shew , sel , & put to sale , their Wares , & Marchandizes , and vse Arts , Trades , Occupations , Misteries , and Handicraftes within the said Cittie and Liberties of the same , to the great detriment and hurt of the Freemen of the said Cittie , who pay Lot and Scot , beare Offices , and vndergoe other Charges which Strangers and others not Free are not chargeable withall nor will performe . For reformation of which disorders , and for auoiding of such preiudice and damage , as thereby groweth to the Freemen of the said Cittie , and is more now of late vsed then was in any time heretofore suffered , and to prouide for the common profite and good of the Freemen and Cittizens of this Citty . It is therefore by the Lord Maior and Aldermen and Commons in this common Councell assembled , ordained and established : That no person whatsoeuer not being free of the Cittie of London , shal at any time after the feast of Saint Michael now next ensuing , by any colour , way or meane whatsoeuer , either directly or indirectly by himselfe , or by any other , shew , sel or put to sale any wares , or marchandises whatsoeuer by retaile within the Citty of London , or the Liberties or Suburbes of the same , vpon paine to forfeit to the Chamberlaine of the Citie , for the time being , to the vse of the Maior and Communaltie & Citizens of the said City the summe of fiue pounds of lawfull money of England , for euery time , wherein such person shall shew , sell or put to sale any wares or marchandizes by retaile , within the said Cittie , Liberties or Suburbes thereof , contrarie to the true intent and meaning hereof . And it is further ordained and established , That no person whatsoeuer , not being free of this Citty , shall at any time after the said Feast of Saint Michael , by any colour , way or meane whatsoeuer , directly or indirectly , by himselfe , or by any other , keepe any shoppe , or other place whatsoeuer , inward or outward , for shew sale , or putting to sale of any wares , or marchandises whatsoeuer , by way of retaile , or vse any Arte , Trade , Occupation , Mystery or Handicraft whatsoeuer within the saide Citty , or the Liberties or Suburbes of the same , vpon paine to forfeite the summe of fiue poundes of lawfull money of England for euery time , wherein such person shall keepe any shoppe or other place whatsoeuer , inward or outward , for shew , sale , or putting to sale of any wares or marchandizes whatsoeuer , by way of retaile , or vse any Art , Trade , Occupation , Mystery or Handicraft whatsoeuer , within the said Citty or Liberties or Suburbes of the same contrary to the true entent and meaning hereof . All which paines , penalties , forfeytures and summes of money to bee forfeyted by vertue of this Act , or ordinance , shall be recouered by action of debt , bill or plaint to be comensed and prosequuted in the name of the Chamberlaine of the Citty of London for the time being , in the Kings Maiesties Court , to be holden in the Chamber of the Guild-hall of this Citty , before the Lord Maior and Aldermen of the same Citty , wherein no essoigne or wager of law shall be admitted or allowed for the Defendant . And that the Chamberlaine of the said Cittie for the time being , shall in all sutes to be prosequuted by virtue of this Act or Ordinaunce against any Offender , recouer the ordinarie Costs of sute to be expended in and about the prosequution thereof . And further that one equall third part of all forfeytures to be recouered by vertue hereof ( the costes of suite for recouery of the same , being deducted and allowed ) shall be after the recouery and receipt thereof paide and deliuered to the Treasurer of Christes Hospitall , to be imployed towardes the reliefe of the poore children to be brought vp and maintained in the said Hospitall , and one other equall third part to him , or them which shall first giue information of the offences , for which such forfeitures shall growe and prosequute sute in the name of the Chamberlaine of the saide Cittie for the recouery of the same , any thing in this Act to the Contrary notwithstanding . Prouided alwayes , that this Act or ordinance , or any thing therein contained , shall not extend to any person or persons , for bringing , or causing to be brought any victuals to be solde within this Citty and the Liberties thereof , but that they and euery of them may sell victuals within the said Citty , and the Liberties thereof , as they lawfully might haue done before the making hereof , any thing herein to the contrarie thereof in any wise notwithstanding .