FOR the better and more regular ordering and disposing of all Cars , Carts , Carrooms , Carters and Carmen , and of all other persons whatsoever , that shall hereafter work any Cars or Carts within this City or the Liberties thereof for Hire , Be it Enacted and Ordained by the Right Honorable the Lord Mayor , Aldermen , and Commons in Common Council Assembled , and by the Authority of the same , That one Act of Common-Council made in the Mayoralty of Sir John Lawrence Knight , for the Government of Cars , Carts , Carrooms , Carters and Carmen , and every Clause , Article and thing therein contained , be from henceforth Repealed , and the same is hereby repealed and made void to all intents and purposes .

And be it further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid , That the President and Governours of Christ , Hospital shall have the Rule , Oversight and Government of all such Cars , Carts , Carters and Carmen , and of all other persons whatsoever , that do or shall hereafter work or use any Cars or Carts within the City of London , or the Liberties thereof for Hire , according to the Rules . Directions and Provisions in this present Act mentioned and comprised . And the present Trade of this City being seriously considered , and to the end that all the Streets and Lanes of this City may not be pestered with Car or Carts , and His Majesties liege people have free passage by Coach or otherwise through the said Streets and Lanes .

Be it Enacted , That no more than four hundred and twenty Carts shall be allowed or permitted to work for hire from one place to another within this City or Liberties thereof , and that each of them shall be made known by having the City Arms upon the Shaft of every such Cart , and a piece of Brass with the Number upon it , and that seventeen shillings and four pence per annum , and no more shall be received and paid for a Carroom , and twenty shillings and no more or greater Fine , upon any admittance or alienation of a Carroom ; which seventeen shillings and four pence per annum , and twenty shillings aforesaid , is to be wholly applyed towards the relief and maintenance of the poor Orphans harboured , and to be harboured in the said Christs Hospital . And that if any person or persons , shall presume to work any Car or Carts , within the said City and Liberties for hire , by himself or servant , not being duely allowed as aforesaid , such person or persons , for every time so offending , shall forfeit and pay the sum of thirteen shillings and four pence to be recovered , received , and obtained as is hereafter mentioned .

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid , That there shall not hereafter be any Car , Cart , or Cars permitted or allowed to any Wharf , Wharfingers , Woodmongers , or other retailer or retailers in Fuel , or kept , or worked by any Wharfinger , Woodmonger , or other retailer or retailers in Fuel , after the four and twentieth day of June next , but such Car , Cart , or Cars , as are part of the said number of four hundred and twenty Cars , Licensed by the said President and Governours ; which are allowed the Carriage of all Wood , Coals , and other Fuel within the same City and Liberties thereof , at such rates , and in all other respects as other Goods and Commodities are used to be carried , and not otherwise . And if any Wharfinger , Woodmonger , or any other retayler in Fuel , shall presume to keep and work any Car , Cart , or Cars , contrary to the true meaning hereof , such person and persons , for every time so offending , shall forfeit and pay for the first offence , the sum of thirteen shillings and four pence , to be recovered and obtained , as is hereafter mentioned , and for the second , and every other offence afterward , double the said Sum of thirteen shillings and four pence , to be also Levied as is hereafter expressed .

Provided nevertheless , That it shall and may be Lawful for every person and persons with his and their own , or with any other Car , Cart , or Carts to bring out of the Country to the said City , or to fetch from the said City into the Country , any Coals , Fuel or other Goods , Wares and Merchandizes . And that it shall be Lawful for every retailer of Fuel , to bring home to his or their own houses or Wharfs , all manner of Fuel , by and with his , their own , or with any other Car , Cart , and Carts .

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid , That such as have any Carroom or Carrooms , duly Licensed and allowed as aforesaid , shall not directly or indirectly let them out for hire to be worked by any others at any time hereafter , without the approbation and allowance of the said President and Governours of Christs Hospital for the time being , first had , obtained , and attested in writing under the said Presidents Hand , to the end that none may be admitted to work any Car but such as shall be found of civil Carriage , and able and meet for that imployment , upon pain that every person offending therein , shall forfeit the sum of ten shillings a day , for every day he shall let to hire the said Car , to be recovered as is hereafter mentioned .

And that the prizes of Carriage may be moderate , as well for the People as for the Carmen , It is Enacted , That forthwith this present year , and hereafter always from time to time as often as occasion shall require reasonable rates and prizes of Carriages within this City and Liberties , shall be set and appointed by the Court of Aldermen , they calling to their assistance such of the Commons as they shall think fit for their information therein . And the said prizes to be Printed , and set upon Posts in Publick places , and a Copy thereof to be always carried about by every respective Carman , for the satisfaction of all persons that shall desire to see the same ; and if any Carman shall demand and take more than according to such rates and prizes so to be set down , such person or persons so offending , shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of ten shillings , to be had and recovered as is hereafter mentioned .

It is hereby further Enacted , That if any person or persons Authorized to work any Car , or Carts , by himself or servant , shall neglect or refuse duly to pay the said yearly Rent of seventeen shillings and four pence a year , to the said President and Governours , for the uses aforesaid , for every the said Car , and Carts , as is beforementioned , the Carroom , that is , the Licence of such person or persons to work such Car or Carts be suspended , and such person and persons be disabled to work any longer by virtue of the same Licence , until he or they shall conform to the payment of the said Duty of seventeen shillings and four pence respectively : And if any person or persons for the cause beforementioned , being so disabled , shall presume before conformity , after such disallowance to use and work any ●ar , or Cars , either by him or themselves , or by his or their servant or servants , Agent or Agents , then every such person or persons , shall respectively forfeit and lose the sum of thirteen shillings and four pence , for every time they shall so work , to be recovered and applied as is hereafter mentioned .

And for the prevention of such deceipt hereafter , as divers persons have heretofore practised in the Sale and Measure of their Coals , It is Enacted , That all , Seacoals hereafter to be sold and uttered by retail by any person or persons whatsoever , shall be filled and brought home to the Buyers in the Seacoal-meters Sacks , or such other Sacks as contain the full Measure of the Seacoal-meters Sacks , and are and shall be marked by the Keeper of the Guild-Hall for the time being , according to an Order of a Court of Aldermen , made the twenty fifth day of October , in the time of the Mayoralty of Sir Thomas Cambell Knight , deceased ; and carried by some Street-Car or Cars , of persons duly Licensed and allowed as aforesaid , and bearing upon the same Cars the mark of the Red Cross for a note of their allowance , as hath anciently been accustomed .

And that all person and persons vending or uttering Seacoals by retail , and every Carman his Servant or Agent , shall hereafter from time to time and at all times , when they carry or send abroad any Coals , within this City of London or Liberties thereof , carry along in their Car or Carts , together with their Seacoals a good and lawful Bushel Sealed , according to the Bushel in the Guild-Hall , allowed for Measuring of Seacoals , which agreeth with the Fat antiently used for Measuring of Seacoals .

But if any person or persons shall bring home , in his or their Cart or Car , to any Buyer , any Coals in any other Sack or Sacks , and without such Bushel as are beforementioned and appointed , such person so offending shall forfeit and pay ten shillings for the first , and every other offence respectively .

And be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid , That the said President and Governours of Christs Hospital , shall for time to come observe , perform , and execute such Legal Acts , Orders , and Rules , as are , or shall be made by the Common-Council , or Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this City for the time being , for , touching and concerning the Government , Licensing , and Regulation of Cars , Carts , Carters and Carmen , working for hire within the City and Liberties , or touching or concerning the Measures or Assize of Coal-Sacks , Coals , or other Fuel , or any Matter or Thing , to the same or any of them in any wise belonging or appertaining .

And whereas divers Woodmongers , and others , using to sell and utter Coals by Retail within this City and Liberties , in design to raise and enhance the prizes thereof , for their own private gain and commodity , have commonly heretofore gone or sent down the River of Thames , or otherwise travelled and imployed their Agents to meet the Ships , and Vessels , coming from New-Castle , and other parts , towards this City laden with Coals , and at distant places from the said City , or by precontract within the same City and Liberties , have bought up , forestalled , and ingrossed great quantities of Coals which should have been brought to the said City , by the Owners and Sellers thereof , to be there sold and uttered at reasonable prizes , and the same have conveyed and brought to the said City , to sell again at high and excessive prizes against the Custom and Priviledg of this City , and to the Publick detriment , oppression of the poor , and great charge of all others inhabiting and dwelling within the said City and Liberties thereof .

For reformation hereof , Be it Enacted , Ordained , and Established by the Authority aforesaid , That no Free-man of the said City , shall from and after the First day of May now next ensuing either by himself , or any for him , or to his use provide , buy , bargain and contract for any Sea-coals , Scotch coals , Pit-coals , or other Coals coming towards this City , to be sold , other than such as shall be provided and bought to be spent within their own private houses , and that no person whatsoever , who hath bought Coals coming to the said City to be sold , shall sell and utter the same within the said City and Liberties thereof , but that the Owners and Sellers thereof at their own cost and charges shall and may bring the same Coals to the City themselves , here by them to be sold , upon pain that all and every person and persons whatsoever , that shall offend contrary to the true intent and meaning hereof , shall forfeit and lose five shillings for every Chaldron of Seacoals , and the like sum for every Tun of Scotch-coals or Pit-coals that shall be bought , bargained , or contracted for , contrary to the intent and true meaning of this Act , to be recovered as is hereafter mentioned .

And it is Enacted , That the Yeomen of the Wood-wharfs of this City for the time being , shall from time to time diligently over-see , that all persons coming and repairing to this City with any manner of Coals beforementioned , to be sold , do and shall observe and keep the Orders , Rules , and Directions before-going : And that they and also the Marshals of this City , and their servants respectively shall use their utmost endeavour in the execution of this Act , and shall use all diligence for the discovery and punishment of all offenders , in or about any particular thereof , according to the intent and meaning of this Act.

And Lastly , it is Enacted , That all peins , penalties , and forfeitures , in and by this Act before limited and appointed , shall and may be levied by distress of the goods of the person so offending in the said City , to be found or recovered by action of Debt , Bill , or Information , in the name of the Chamberlain of this City for the time being in His Majesties Court holden before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the said City , in the Chamber of the Guil-Hall of the City of London . And after recovery thereof , one Moity ( after all charges deducted ) shall be to the Informer , and the other Moity to the poor of Christs Hospital in London , to be imploied for and towards their relief .

In all which Suits to be brought by this Act , the Chamberlain shall , in case he do recover , be allowed his ordinary costs and charges , to be expended in and for recovery of all such forfeitures against the offender or offenders ; and in case upon a Trial the Verdict shall pass for the Defendant , or in case the party shall be nonsuit , or discontinue his Suit , in every such case the Defendant shall also recover his reasonable costs .