| Description | Thomas Ince, glover, was chosen by lot to be one of Mr Vernon's Almsmen, in succession to William Smalshaw, deceased.
By ancient custom, confirmed by divers charters, no person not free of the City might sell goods within the City to any person not free under pain of forfeiture of all the wares to the City. Such foreigners were also forbidden to sell their merchandize even to freemen without the leave of the Mayor and Citizens or of their officers. The Mayor and Citizens were empowered by their charters to ordain new remedies for the profit of the Citizens and to amend customs and ordinances where necessary. The customs had appeared defective in that (ZA/B/2/114) foreigners were not confined to any certain place for the sale of their commodities; they had sold in secret, without leave, not only to citizens but to foreigners. Thus forfeitures and customs were lost. Therefore ancient orders had been made that no inhabitant should buy any wares brought by any foreigner for sale in the City, before these had been taken to the Common Hall, nor receive the wares into his house or custody. Through neglect of these orders of late many persons not freemen had brought great quantities of wares to the City for sale and had not only refused to bring them to the Common Hall to be publicly sold, but had taken private cellars and warehouses within the City, not only from strangers but also from Citizens; here they had sold their goods to foreigners and Citizens so privately that that the officers responsible for collecting the customs had not known of them. It was therefore ordered that all former orders, except one dated 31st July, 1649, should be confirmed and executed. And since many persons not free of the City had lately brought wares into the City (ZA/B/2/114v), pretending to have them transported into Ireland, and, by colour thereof, had used cellars and warehouses in the City and had then sold the wares in Chester, it was ordered that all persons not free of the City, who should bring wares into the City to be transported to any other place, and afterwards, before removing them, should treat for their sale, should, before concluding any sale, bring the goods to the Common Hall to be exposed for sale. And if any person not free of the City should sell in the City, except in the Common Hall, for every offence he should forfeit to the Mayor and Citizens a sum representing one sixth of the value of the wares. These sums and penalties forfeited under former orders should be levied by distress or should be recovered by action of debt, and the money should be disposed of for the benefit of the Mayor and Citizens.
(ZA/B/2/115). It was ordered that a copy of the order of the last Assembly concerning absence of members should be shown to members who lived in the town, and that, if they did not appear at the next Assembly with satisfactory excuses, they should be discharged from membership.
It was agreed that the City should pay £40 a year to Mr. William Liptrett for his salary as Head School-master.
John Lanthey, esq., who was formerly chosen to be of the City's Counsel, was discharged from this position because of "his remote distance of abode in Ireland".
John Wilding's petition was deferred until it had been considered before the Mayor in the Pentice. In the meantime Mr Thropp was to have notice of it.
Henry Coe was given permission to hold a little house by the water-side in Handbridge, and was to pay 2s. yearly rent and all arrears due.
John Parry was granted liberty to work, with his servants, at his trade of carpenter within the City, paying 12d the quarter to the Company of Carpenters.
Upon the petition of Robert Ince, draper, it was ordered that he should hold the well house, with the "showreing" and porch, situated in Northgate street near the Flesh shambles, for his life at the accustomed rent; and that he should be granted a lease for the lives of Robert Ince and Mary Ince, his grandchildren, the children of his eldest son, Randle Ince, deceased, for a fine of 40s. and the accustomed rent.
The petition of Elizabeth Sutton, widow, was deferred, and she was allowed to attend upon the Mayor in the Pentice.
(ZA/B/2/115v). The petitions of Martha Sproston, widow, and Robert her son and of Richard Sproston, Alderman, and of Thomas Bolland, joiner, and of John Brerewood, esq. were deferred until the next Assembly.
The petition of John King, baker, was also deferred. |