WHereas divers rude and disordered Young-men , Apprentices and others , do now of late presume and take to themselves a Liberty ( beyond what hath ever been in former times ) to throw about Squibs and Fire-works in the Streets and Publick Passages of this City , and especially in Places and at Times of greatest Resort ; whereby great and intolerable Mischiefs are continually done , proceeding sometimes even to Murder itself , ( as is too too evident by a late sad Example ) and very many Persons , especially Women and Children are terrified and affrighted , not daring to adventure themselves in the Streets for fear of such rude and barbarous Usage , which is no where else to be parallelled in the whole World ; and almost all Persons of Quality ( upon whom the Trade of this City does very much depend ) being so frequently assaulted in their Coaches in that rude manner , are driven and kept out from the City , to secure themselves from those dangers . Which disordered Practices , although they have been constantly disowned and prohibited by the Authority of this City , yet nothing hitherto hath been sufficient to prevent them , to the great Dishonour of the Magistracy of this City , the great Prejudice and Hindrance of the Trade thereof , and the Scandal of this once renowned City in all civilized parts of the World . The Right Honorable the Lord Maior of this City doth therefore think it fitting , and necessary , and highly incumbent upon him to take all possible care to obviate and prevent so rude and disordered a Practice , and he doth hereby streightly charge and command , that all Persons do for the future altogether forbear to throw about any Squibs , Fire-brands or Fire-works at any time , or upon any occasion , in any the Streets or Publick Passages of this City : And that all Masters of Families within the same be very diligent and careful , and use their utmost endeavours to keep in and restrain their Children and Servants from doing the same : In default whereof his Lordship is resolved , and he doth hereby publish and declare , that he will certainly inflict the utmost and severest Punishment , with all possible rigor , upon all such who shall hereafter be found to transgress herein . And wherever any person shall be so apprehended , besides their personal Punishment , their Parents or Masters for neglecting the Government , and their Remisness to contribute their Endeavours to the Weal and Publick Benefit of this City in the restraint of such Rudeness and Abuses , shall also have marks of his Lordships Displeasure inflicted on them . Given this third day of November , 1674. and in the six and twentieth year of His Majesties Reign .