arms
Commune
Concilium
tent
'
in
Guildhall
Civitatis
London
,
decimo
tertio
dic
Octobris
,
Anno
Regni
EDVARDI
Sexti
,
Dei
gratia
,
Angliae
,
Franciae
,
&
Hiberniae
Regis
,
Fidei
Defensoris
,
&
,
in
terra
,
Ecclesiae
Anglicanae
&
Hybernicae
supremi
Capitis
,
quinto
;
coram
Andrea
Judd
,
Milite
,
Majore
Civitatis
praed
'
,
Richardo
Laxton
,
Hows
,
Syll
,
Jervys
,
White
,
Turk
,
Hynde
,
Lyon
,
Kyrton
,
Ofley
,
Ayliff
,
Wyther
,
Huet
,
Robyns
,
&c.
Lambd
Vic'
,
ac
majore
parte
Communiar
'
,
&c.
sic
ordinat
'
fuit
.
FOrasmuch
as
the
City
of
London
is
of
late
years
sore
decayed
,
and
daily
is
likely
to
decay
more
and
more
;
A
great
Cause
and
Occasion
whereof
(
amongst
other
)
hath
been
,
for
that
Free-mens
Children
,
Orphans
of
the
said
City
,
sometimes
in
the
Lives
of
their
Parents
,
and
sometimes
after
their
Decease
,
being
left
wealthy
and
rich
,
do
bestow
themselves
in
ungodly
Marriages
for
the
most
part
in
their
young
age
at
their
own
wills
and
pleasures
,
without
the
Consent
and
against
the
minds
of
their
Friends
,
saying
and
affirming
,
that
the
Law
and
Custom
of
the
said
City
giveth
unto
them
their
Portions
,
whether
they
marry
by
the
Consent
of
their
Friends
or
not
;
and
so
do
daily
cast
away
and
undo
themselves
in
trust
to
have
their
said
Portions
,
whether
their
Parents
or
Friends
will
or
will
not
;
And
thereby
do
bestow
themselves
upon
simple
and
light
Persons
,
having
neither
Cunning
or
Knowledge
,
Substance
ne
good
or
honest
Conditions
,
by
reason
whereof
such
Orphans
inordinately
and
insolently
do
spend
and
consume
their
Patrimony
and
Portions
in
short
time
,
not
only
to
the
Vndoing
of
themselves
,
and
to
the
great
ignominy
and
shame
of
their
Friends
,
but
also
to
the
great
Slander
of
the
Lord
Maior
and
Aldermen
of
this
City
,
who
have
been
reputed
and
taken
as
Fathers
and
Protectors
of
the
same
Orphans
,
and
to
the
great
Loss
and
Hinderance
of
the
said
City
:
And
forasmuch
as
the
said
Lord
Maior
and
Citizens
have
by
their
Laws
and
Customs
,
Power
and
Authority
to
make
Laws
and
Ordinances
by
their
Common
Council
for
Redress
of
the
same
;
It
is
therefore
now
(
to
the
intent
to
reduce
the
same
to
a
more
godly
,
more
profitable
,
and
decent
Order
and
Conformity
)
by
the
said
Lord
Maior
and
Commonalty
and
Citizens
in
this
present
Common
Council
assembled
,
and
by
the
Authority
of
the
same
Common
Council
,
Ordained
,
Enacted
,
Authorized
,
and
Established
for
a
Law
perpetually
to
be
observed
and
kept
within
the
said
City
:
That
if
any
Orphan
or
Child
of
any
Free-man
or
Free-woman
of
the
said
City
do
offend
in
any
the
things
hereafter
expressed
,
and
be
thereof
lawfully
convicted
before
the
Maior
and
Aldermen
or
elsewhere
;
That
then
they
and
every
of
them
shall
to
all
Intents
,
Purposes
,
Constructions
,
and
Meanings
be
unabled
and
barred
to
demand
and
claim
their
Portion
or
Portions
,
and
also
shall
lose
and
forgo
,
and
be
debarred
for
ever
of
all
and
every
his
,
her
,
or
their
Part
or
Parts
and
Portions
to
him
or
them
belonging
by
and
after
the
Death
of
his
said
Father
or
Mother
of
the
Goods
and
Chattels
of
every
such
Father
and
Mother
,
by
reason
of
any
Law
,
Custom
,
Ordinance
,
Vsage
,
Franchise
,
Priviledge
,
Act
of
Common
Council
,
or
other
thing
heretofore
had
or
used
within
the
said
City
,
the
same
Law
,
Custom
,
Ordinance
,
or
other
thing
whatsoever
heretofore
had
,
made
,
ordained
,
allowed
,
and
put
in
use
to
the
contrary
in
any
wise
notwithstanding
:
that
is
to
wit
,
First
,
if
any
Man-child
or
Woman-child
shall
maliciously
go
about
or
attempt
to
do
or
cause
to
be
done
any
bodily
Harm
,
Death
,
or
Destruction
to
his
or
their
Father
or
Mother
;
or
if
any
Man-child
do
hereafter
Marry
or
contract
Marriage
in
the
Life
of
his
Father
or
Mother
,
by
whom
he
will
claim
any
Port
on
,
under
the
age
of
One
and
Twenty
years
,
without
the
Consent
of
his
said
Father
or
Mother
,
by
whom
he
will
claim
any
Portion
:
Or
if
any
Woman-child
do
hereafter
marry
or
contract
Marriage
in
the
Life
of
her
Father
or
other
Parent
,
by
whom
she
shall
claim
any
Portion
,
before
the
age
of
Eighteen
years
,
without
the
Consent
of
her
Father
,
or
such
other
Parent
,
by
whom
she
shall
or
may
claim
any
Portion
;
or
if
any
Man-child
be
a
Thief
or
a
Felon
,
or
common
Whore-Haunter
,
or
common
Dicer
,
or
a
common
Player
at
unlawful
Games
notoriously
known
;
or
if
any
Woman-child
shall
hereafter
commit
any
Whoredom
,
or
be
a
common
Picker
,
then
every
of
the
Persons
so
offending
shall
be
barred
and
excluded
to
have
or
demand
any
Portion
.
Provided
always
,
that
it
shall
be
lawful
for
the
Father
or
Mother
of
any
such
Child
or
Children
to
give
and
bequeath
in
Legacy
to
such
Child
or
Children
as
much
as
the
Portion
of
such
Child
so
offending
shall
amount
unto
by
the
Custom
of
the
said
City
,
and
then
such
Child
thereby
to
be
inabled
to
have
and
demand
the
same
as
Portion
,
this
Act
notwithstanding
;
so
that
the
same
Legacy
be
contained
in
his
or
their
Testament
in
writing
and
not
otherwise
;
and
that
then
and
from
thenceforth
his
said
Child
or
Children
to
be
admitted
and
restored
to
claim
such
Legacy
or
Legacies
in
such
sort
,
manner
,
and
form
as
if
there
had
been
never
any
such
Offence
done
or
committed
by
any
such
Child
.
Item
,
It
is
further
Ordained
,
Enacted
,
Authorized
,
and
Established
by
Authority
aforesaid
,
That
if
any
Woman-Child
being
an
Orphan
and
under
the
age
of
Twenty
One
years
,
at
any
time
hereafter
,
after
the
Death
of
her
Father
do
ensure
or
contract
herself
in
Marriage
,
or
else
according
to
the
Ecclesiastical
Laws
of
this
Realm
,
do
perfectly
solemnize
or
consummate
Marriage
with
any
Free-man
of
this
City
,
the
Consent
and
Agreement
of
the
Lord
Maior
and
Aldermed
of
the
said
City
of
London
for
the
time
being
not
obtained
and
had
;
that
then
for
every
such
Default
and
Offence
committed
or
done
by
any
Orphan
or
Orphans
of
the
said
City
,
the
same
being
confessed
or
sufficiently
proved
by
two
Witnesses
or
otherwise
before
the
said
Lord
Maior
and
Aldermen
of
this
said
City
of
London
for
the
time
being
at
or
in
a
Court
of
Aldermen
,
she
or
they
that
so
happen
to
behave
her
or
themselves
as
is
aforesaid
,
shall
forfeit
,
forgo
,
and
lose
twelve
pence
of
and
for
every
pound
so
due
or
to
be
due
unto
her
or
them
by
reason
of
such
Orphanage
,
the
Sum
of
twelve
pence
of
every
pound
to
go
or
to
be
to
the
use
of
the
Chamber
of
the
said
City
,
according
to
the
antient
Custom
before
this
time
in
such
case
used
;
and
if
the
said
Contract
or
Marriage
of
the
said
Orphan
or
Orphans
be
made
with
any
Forein
,
not
being
free
of
this
City
at
the
time
of
any
such
Contract
or
Marriage
made
;
that
then
the
said
Orphan
or
Orphans
and
every
of
them
shall
forfeit
and
lose
three
shillings
of
every
pound
due
or
to
be
due
unto
her
or
them
by
virtue
of
any
Orphanage
or
Custom
had
or
used
within
the
said
City
;
the
one
shilling
of
the
said
three
shillings
of
every
pound
to
go
or
to
be
to
the
use
of
the
Chamber
of
the
said
City
in
such
manner
and
form
as
is
aforesaid
,
and
the
other
two
shillings
so
forfeited
of
every
pound
,
to
go
to
the
use
of
such
other
Orphan
or
Orphans
as
then
shall
remain
unmarried
,
or
else
for
default
of
such
Orphans
or
Orphan
,
to
remain
to
the
next
of
the
kindred
of
the
Orphan
so
offending
.
Also
,
Be
it
further
Enacted
,
Ordained
,
and
Established
by
Authority
aforesaid
,
for
and
in
discharge
of
divers
Variances
,
Contentions
,
and
Suits
that
daily
heretofore
have
,
and
hereafter
may
ensue
,
That
if
any
Freemans
Child
,
Man
or
Woman
,
fortune
to
be
married
hereafter
in
the
Life-time
of
his
or
their
Father
,
by
his
Consent
,
and
not
fully
advanced
of
and
to
his
or
her
full
Part
or
Portion
of
his
or
her
said
Fathers
Goods
as
he
shall
be
worth
at
the
time
of
his
Decease
,
according
to
the
antient
Laws
and
Customs
of
this
said
City
;
that
then
every
such
Free-mans
Child
so
being
married
in
the
Life-time
of
his
or
her
Father
,
shall
be
to
all
intents
and
purposes
disabled
to
demand
any
further
Part
or
Portion
of
his
or
her
Fathers
Goods
after
the
Decease
of
his
or
her
Father
,
but
shall
be
adjudged
,
reputed
,
or
taken
to
be
fully
advanced
according
to
the
Law
and
Custom
of
this
City
hath
been
long
time
out
of
mind
:
Except
his
or
her
said
Father
do
mention
certainly
in
his
last
Will
or
Testament
,
or
by
some
other
Writing
signed
with
his
own
proper
name
or
mark
,
the
certainty
of
the
Sum
or
Sums
of
Money
,
Goods
,
and
Chattels
,
and
the
value
of
them
that
the
Father
gave
,
paid
,
or
departed
withal
,
or
otherwise
assured
,
or
hereafter
shall
give
,
pay
,
depart
withal
,
or
otherwise
make
assurance
of
unto
him
or
her
,
before
at
or
after
the
Marriage
of
him
or
her
,
or
otherwise
in
his
Life-time
for
and
towards
their
Advancement
in
the
name
of
his
or
her
Part
or
Portion
;
and
then
every
such
Orphan
or
Child
which
after
the
Decease
of
his
or
her
said
Father
,
can
bring
forth
the
said
Testament
or
other
Writing
signed
or
marked
with
the
Fathers
Hand
or
Mark
,
wherein
the
certainty
of
such
Money
,
Goods
,
or
Chattels
as
they
gave
or
shall
have
received
of
their
said
Father
,
or
by
the
same
Father
assured
by
especialty
or
otherwise
,
shall
have
as
more
of
the
ready
Money
,
Goods
,
Chattels
,
and
Debts
of
the
said
Father
,
as
with
that
which
he
or
they
shall
have
received
towards
their
Advancements
in
the
Life
of
their
said
Father
shall
make
up
a
full
Childs
Part
of
his
Goods
and
Chattels
as
he
shall
be
worth
at
the
time
of
his
Decease
;
the
same
to
be
demanded
,
asked
,
and
claimed
,
or
sued
for
against
the
Executor
or
Executors
,
Administrator
or
Administrators
of
the
Goods
and
Chattels
of
the
said
Father
,
by
Bill
original
to
be
commenced
in
our
Sovereign
Lord
the
King's
Court
holden
in
the
utter
Chamber
of
the
Guildhall
of
the
said
City
before
the
said
Lord
Maior
and
Aldermen
of
the
same
City
for
the
time
being
,
any
Law
or
Custom
heretofore
made
or
used
to
the
contrary
notwithstanding
;
in
which
Action
no
Wager
of
Law
or
Essoin
shall
be
admitted
or
allowed
.
Provided
always
,
and
it
is
further
Enacted
,
That
if
any
Freemans
Son
being
of
full
age
,
which
shall
hereafter
be
married
with
the
Consent
of
his
Father
,
or
any
other
Person
being
of
full
age
,
which
shall
hereafter
marry
any
Freemans
Daughter
do
at
the
time
of
the
Espousals
,
or
at
any
time
after
,
confess
themselves
by
Writing
fully
satisfied
of
his
or
their
Portion
,
or
do
otherwise
acquit
or
discharge
the
said
Father
of
such
Freemans
Sons
or
Daughters
of
all
their
Part
and
Portion
due
or
to
be
due
by
the
Law
and
Custom
of
the
City
,
that
then
every
such
Person
so
confessing
,
acquitting
or
otherwise
discharging
,
shall
be
reputed
and
taken
as
fully
advanced
of
his
or
their
whole
Part
or
Portion
,
and
shall
not
be
able
to
demand
any
further
or
greater
Part
of
the
Substance
,
Goods
,
and
Chattels
of
his
or
her
Father
,
this
Law
or
any
other
Law
or
Custom
heretofore
had
,
made
,
or
used
to
the
contrary
notwithstanding
.
And
further
forasmuch
as
it
is
thought
very
prejudicial
and
hurtful
to
the
fatherless
Children
and
Orphans
when
the
Mother
or
Mother
in
Law
being
Executrix
of
the
last
Will
and
Testament
of
her
late
Husband
,
by
whom
and
after
whose
Death
the
Orphans
are
entituled
to
an
Orphanage
according
to
the
laudable
Customs
and
Ordinances
of
this
City
,
do
divers
times
marry
or
contract
Matrimony
,
some
with
Forreiners
and
Persons
unknown
,
and
some
with
Freemen
,
or
ever
a
just
Inventory
of
the
Goods
,
Chattels
,
Plate
,
Iewels
,
ready
Money
of
the
Testators
be
by
them
brought
in
,
by
reason
whereof
many
times
they
either
for
fear
or
affection
of
their
Husbands
,
or
for
some
other
sinister
cause
,
do
bring
in
very
suspicious
Inventories
omitting
therein
either
ready
Money
,
Plate
,
Iewels
,
or
Debts
or
some
other
thing
or
things
whereby
some
Benefit
should
redound
to
the
fatherless
Children
to
the
great
Loss
and
Hindrance
of
the
Orphans
,
and
sometime
Slander
to
the
Lord
Maior
and
Aldermen
of
this
City
,
notwithstanding
the
great
Care
and
Travail
that
they
take
for
the
good
ordering
and
true
answering
of
the
said
Orphans
:
It
is
therefore
by
like
Authority
Ordained
,
Established
and
Enacted
,
that
if
,
after
the
first
day
of
November
next
ensuing
,
any
Widow
which
is
or
shall
be
made
Executrix
of
the
Testament
and
last
Will
of
her
late
Husband
being
a
Freeman
,
or
shall
take
upon
her
the
Administration
of
the
Goods
and
Chattels
of
her
late
Husband
being
a
Freeman
,
do
not
upon
her
Oath
bring
in
and
exhibite
,
or
cause
to
be
brought
in
and
exhibited
before
the
Lord
Maior
and
Aldermen
of
this
said
City
for
the
time
being
,
at
and
in
a
Court
of
Aldermen
,
a
just
and
perfect
Inventory
to
their
knowledge
of
all
the
Goods
,
Chattels
,
Plate
,
and
Iewels
,
ready
Money
,
and
Debts
as
were
her
said
Husbands
at
the
time
of
his
Death
,
appraised
according
to
the
Law
of
the
said
City
,
before
she
do
ensure
herself
in
Marriage
or
contract
Marriage
,
or
else
according
to
the
Laws
of
the
Realm
,
do
perfectly
solemnize
or
consummate
Marriage
with
any
Person
before
such
time
as
aforesaid
,
that
then
every
Person
so
offending
shall
forfeit
and
lose
eight
shillings
of
every
pound
of
her
Portion
of
the
Goods
of
her
late
Husband
due
to
her
by
the
laudable
Customs
of
this
said
City
,
the
same
to
go
to
the
use
of
such
Orphan
or
Orphans
as
then
shall
be
entituled
to
have
or
demand
any
Orphanage
or
Portion
after
the
Death
of
his
or
her
late
Father
,
the
same
to
be
demanded
,
asked
,
claimed
,
or
sued
for
against
such
Executrix
or
Administratrix
by
Bill
original
of
Debt
to
be
commenced
in
our
Sovereign
Lord
the
Kings
Court
holden
in
the
utter
Chamber
of
the
Guildhall
of
the
said
City
before
the
Lord
Maior
and
Aldermen
of
the
same
City
for
the
time
being
,
any
Law
,
&c.
In
which
Action
no
Wager
,
&c.