An Act of Common Council for the Better Relief of the Poor Within the City of London, and Liberties Thereof

Author: City of London (England).2016-02

AN ACT OF COMMON COUNCIL FOR THE Better Relief of the Poor WITHIN THE CITY OF LONDON, And LIBERTIES thereof.

Printed by Samuel Roycroft, Printer to the Honourable City of LONDON, 1698.

Commune Concilium tent' in Camera Guihald' Civitat' LONDON', die Jovis Octavo die Decembr', Anno Domini 1698. Annoque Regni Domini Nostri WILLIELMI Tertij, nunc Regis Angliae, &c. Decimo. Coram Francisco Child Mil', Majore dictae Civitatis, Roberto Clayton Mil', Johanne Moore Mil', Willielmo Hedges Mil', Thoma Rawlinson Mil', Roberto Beddingfield Mil', ac ejusdem Civitat' Aldermannis: Necnon major' parte Communiar' in eodem Commune Concil' tunc & ibidem assemblat'.
An ACT of Common Council, For the Raising of Five Thousand One Hundred and One Pound, Eighteen Shillings and Six Pence; For a Stock towards Employing the POOR of the CITT of LONDON and Liberties thereof.

WHEREAS in and by an Act of Parliament, made Anno 13 & 14 CAROLI Secundi Regis, Entituled An Act for the better Relief of the POOR of this Kingdom; It was (amongst other things) Enacted, That from thenceforth there be, and shall or may be One or more Corporation or Corporations, Work-house or Work-houses, within the City of [Page 2] London, consisting of a President, a Deputy to the President, and a Treasurer; And that the Lord Mayor for the time being, be President of the said Corporation, Workhouse or Workhouses within the said City; And the Assistants to be the Aldermen of the said City for the time being, and Fifty two other Citizens to be Chosen by the Common Council of the said City; And that the said President and Assistants, or the Major part of them, shall and may Elect a Deputy President and Treasurer, and all other necessary Officers thereby constituted to Execute the Powers and Offices appointed by the said Act.

And whereas the Common Council of the said City, have in Pursuance of the said Act Erected and Chosen a Corporation, for the Purposes in the said Act mentioned; And the President and Governours have Elected a Deputy President and Treasurer and other Officers; which said President and Governours have met and considered of proper Ways and Methods for Imploying of the Poor of this City, and have certified under their Common Seal unto this Court, their want and defect of a present Stock for the Foundation of the Work, and for supply thereof, and that the Sum of Five thousand One hundred and one pound Eight shillings and Six pence, will be necessary to be raised for the same; And in further Pursuance of the said Act of Parliament, This Court hath thereupon agreed the said Sum of Five thousand One hundred and One pound Eight shillings and Six pence, shall be raised upon the seberal Parishes and Precincts within the said City and Liberties thereof, in the proportions herein after mentioned.

Be it therefore Enacted by the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, the Right Worshipful the Aldermen, and the Commons of the said City in Common Council Assembled, That the said Sum of Five thousand One hundred and One pound Eight shillings [Page 3]and Six pence, shall be Rated and Assessed by one entire Assessment, upon the Inhabitants within the said City and Liberties, according to the seberal and respective Proportions hereafter following; That is to say,

On the Parish of St. Alban Woodstreet, Twenty eight pounds Three shillings and Six pence.
On Alhallows Barkin, Ninety one pounds Four shillings and Seven pence.
On Alhallows Breadstreet, Twenty three pounds Twelve shillings and Six pence.
On Alhallows the Great, Fifty six pounds Seventeen shillings and Six pence.
On Alhallows Honylane, Thirteen pounds.
On Alhallows the Less, Twenty five pounds One shilling and Nine pence.
On Alhallows Lumbardstreet. Thirty nine pounds Ten shillings and Four pence.
On Alhallows Stayning, Thirty seven pounds Thirteen shillings and Three pence.
On Alhallows the Wall, Fifty pounds.
On St. Alphage, Twenty five pounds One shilling.
On St. Andrew Hubbard, Seventeen pounds Thirteen shillings and Three pence.
On St. Andrew Undershaft, Eighty one pounds Three shillings Four pence half peny.
On St. Andrew Wardrobe, Fifteen pounds.
On St. Ann Aldersgate, Twenty seven pounds Three shillings and Ten pence.
On St. Ann Blackfryers; Sixty seven pounds Sixteen shillings and Nine pence.
On St. Anthony, alias Antholin, Twenty nine pounds Eleven pence half peny.
On St. Austins Parish, Nineteen pounds Six shillings and Six pence.
On St. Bartholomew Exchange, Twenty nine pounds Nineteen shillings and Three pence.
[Page 4]On St. Bennet Fink, Twenty pounds.
On St. Bennet Gracechurch, Twenty four pounds Eleven shillings and Ten pence.
On St. Bennet Paulswhart, Thirty six pounds Seventeen shillings.
On St. Bennet Sherehog, Thirteen pounds eight shillings and Eight pence.
On St. Botolph Billingsgate, Fifteen pounds Sixteen shillings and Six pence.
On Christ Church, Fifty five pounds Seven shillings and Eight pence.
On St. Christophers, Fifty five pounds Five shillings.
On St. Clement East-Cheap, Nineteen pounds Eight shillings Six pence half peny.
On St. Dionis Backchurch, Eighty one pounds Ten shillings.
On St. Dunstan East, Eighty one pounds Two shillings and Two pence.
On St. Edmund Lumbardstreet, Forty six pounds Fourteen shillings Four pence half peny.
On St. Ethelburga, Sixty six pounds Ten shillengs and Two pence.
On St. Faith, Seventy one pounds Four shillings and Nine pence half peny.
On St. Gabriel Fenchurch, Thirty five pounds Nine shillings and Seven pence half peny.
On St. George Botolph Lane, Twenty pounds Eleven shillings.
On St. Gregory by St. Paul, One hundred and Thirty pounds.
On St. Hellen, Forty nine pounds Fifteen shillings Four pence half peny.
On St. James Dukes-place, Thirty pounds Eleven shillings and Seven pence.
On St. James Garlickhith, Thirty two pounds Five shillings and Six pence.
On St. John Baptist, Eighteen pounds Ten shillings One peny half peny.
[Page 5]On St. John Evangelist, Nineteen pounds one shilling and Ten pence half peny.
On St. John Zachary, Twenty one pounds Seven shillings and Ten pence.
On St. Katherine Coleman, Fifty pounds Six shillings and Five pence.
On St. Katherine Creechurch, One hundred and Nine pounds Seventeen shillings.
On St. Laurence Jury, and St. Mary Magdalen Milkstreet. Eighty four pounds
On St. Laurence Jury, and St. Mary Magdalen Milkstreet. Eighty shillings.
On St. Lawrence Pountney, Thirty seven pounds Ten shillings.
On St. Leonard Eastcheap, Fifteen pounds Eighteen shillings and Six pence.
On St. Leonard Fosterlane, Thirty two pounds Eleven shillings and Ten pence.
On St. Magnus Parish, Thirty pounds.
On St. Margaret Lothbury, Forty pounds Ten shillings.
On St. Margaret Moses, Twelve pounds Seven shillings and Six pence.
On St. Margaret Newfishstreet, Forty pounds Ten shillings and One peny.
On St. Margaret Pattons, Twelve pounds Five shillings and Eleven pence.
On St. Martin Ironmonger-Lane, Seventeen pounds Nine shillings Four pence half peny.
On St. Martin Ludgate, Forty two pounds Sixteen shillings and Eight pence.
On St. Martin Orgars, Twenty pounds Fifteen shillings and Ten pence.
On St. Martin Outwich, Twenty six pounds Seventeen shillings and Four pence,
On St. Martin Vintrey, Twenty nine pounds six shillings and a half peny.
On St. Mary Abchurch, Forty one pounds and One peny.
On St. Mary Aldermanbury, Thirty four pounds Seventeen shillings.
[Page 6]On St. Mary Aldermary, Fifteen pounds Three shillings Six pence farthing.
On St. Mary Le Bow, Seventy five pounds Sixteen shillings and Nine pence.
On St. Mary Bothaw, Seventeen pounds.
On St. Mary Colechurch, Twenty pounds Nineteen shillings.
On St. Mary Hill, Thirty seven pounds Eleven shillings and Seven pence.
On St. Mary Magdalen Oldfishstreet, Sixteen pounds Thirteen shillings Peny half peny.
On St. Mary Monthaw, Eight pounds Two shillings and Three pence three farthings.
On St. Mary Somerset, Twenty two pounds Fifteen shillings and Eight pence.
On St. Mary Stayning, Twelve pounds Four shillings and Six pence.
On St. Mary Woolchurch, Thirty six pounds Seven shillings.
On St. Mary Woolnoth, Forty five pounds Two shillings Eleven pence half peny.
On St. Matthew Fridaystreet, Thirty nine pounds Seventeen shillings and nine pence.
On St. Michael Bassishaw, Thirty five pounds Five shillings.
On St. Michael Cornhil, Eighty four pounds Ten shillings.
On St. Michael Crookedlane, Thirty four pounds Six shillings and Eight pence.
On St. Michael Queenhith, Twenty seven pounds One shilling and Six pence.
On St. Michael Quern, Thirty pounds.
On St. Michael Royal, Nine pounds Ten shillings.
On St. Michael Woodstreet, Twenty three pounds.
On St. Mildred Breadstreet, Nine pounds Eight shillings and Seven pence.
[Page 7]On St. Mildred Poultrey, Twenty eight pounds Thirteen shillings Four pence half peny.
On St. Nicholas Acons, Twenty three pounds Three shillings and Eight pence.
On St. Nicholas Coleabby, Thirteen pounds Nineteen shillings and Six pence.
On St. Nicholas Olave, Ten pounds Seventeen shillings and Three pence.
On St. Olave Hartstreet, Sixty four pounds.
On St. Olave Jewry, Thirty four pounds Five shillings and Nine pence.
On St. Olave Silverstreet, Twenty nine pounds Five shillings Peny half peny.
On St. Pancras Soperlane, Twenty nine pounds Two shillings and Three pence.
On St. Peter Cheap, Twenty five pounds.
On St. Peter Cornhill, Eighty pounds Fifteen shillings.
On St. Peter Paulswharf, Ten pounds Seventeen shillings and Six pence.
On St. Peter Poor, Sixty five pounds Seven shillings and a Half peny.
On St. Stephen Colemanstreet, One hundred and thirteen pounds Ten shillings.
On St. Stephen Walbrook, Twenty five pounds.
On St. Swithin, Thirty pounds Fifteen shillings and Six pence.
On St. Thomas Apostle, Eighteen pounds One shilling and Five pence half peny.
On Trinity Parish, Twenty seven pounds Twelve shillings and Seven pence half peny.
On St. Vedast, aliàs Foster, Twenty six pounds Eleven shillings and Four pence.
On St. Andrew Holborn, One hundred Twenty seven pounds Fifteen shillings.
On St. Bartholomew the Great, Forty six pounds Eighteen shillings Eleven pence half peny.
On St. Bartholomew the Less, Twenty one pounds Fifteen shillings and Six pence.
[Page 8]On St. Bridget, One hundred and sixty pounds Eleven shillings peny half peny.
On St. Botolph Aldersgate, One hundred and thirteen pounds Fourteen shillings.
On St. Botolph Aldgate, Three hundred and two pounds Eight shillings and Six pence.
On St. Botolph Bishopsgate, Three hundred twenty two pounds Thirteen shillings and Six pence.
On St. Dunstan West, One hundred and nine pounds Nine shillings and Three pence.
On St. Giles Cripplegate, One hundred fifty two pounds Ten shillings.
On St. Sepulchers Parish, One hundred eighty three pounds Three shillings and Ten pence.

And be it also Enacted, Directed and Appointed, in further Pursuance of the said Act, That the Alderman, Deputy and Common Councilmen of each Ward, in which any Parish doth entirely lie, and where a Parish doth extend into several Wards, The Aldermen, Deputies and Common Councilmen of those several Wards, or the major part of them that do appear, (being all duly summoned) shall on or before the Fifteenth day of this Instant December, meet together in some convenient place, who are hereby Authorized and Required forthwith to put this Act in Execution; And set and appoint such an equal and proportionable Rate of Money. upon the several Inhabitants within such Parish or Precinct, as that the said Assessment may produce the Sum of Money which every Parish respectively is Rated at, or Appointed to pay as aforesaid, on or before the Twentieth day of this Instant December.

And that the same when Rated or Assessed, they shall Subscribe with their Names, and proture a Warrant under the Hand and Seal or Hands and Seals of any Alderman or Aldermen, his or their Deputy or Deputies, to Authorize the said Churchwardens or Overseers for the Poor, to Demand, Gather [Page 9]and Receive of every Person and Persons, such Sum and Sums of Money as shall be Assessed upon him or them by virtue of this Act, and for default of payment, within Ten days after demand thereof made, or Notice in Writing left at the Dwelling House or Lodging of every Person so Assessed, to Levy the same by Distress and Sale of the Goods of every such Person, and after Satisfaction made, to Restors the Surplusage to the Party so Distrained, and forthwith to deliver the same Rate and Assessment so perfected, to such Churchwardens or Overseers so appointed to Collect and Receive the same, with which Tax, if any Person or Persons find him or themselves agrieved, supposing the same to be unequal, he and they, shall and may make their Complaint known to the Justices of the Peace at the next open Sessions, who shall take such final Order therein, as in like Cases is already by Law provided.

And for the true Collection and Payment of the said Moneys, which shall be so Collected to the said Treasurer for the time being, for the use aforesaid; such Parish or Place shall be answerable for the Churchwardens or Overseers therein Imployed, which said Treasurer shall give Acquittance Gratis to the said Churchwardens or Overseers, for all Moneys of them received, whose Receipt shall be a sufficient Discharge, for so much unto every such respective Churchwarden or Overseer; And the said Churchwardens and Overseers are hereby required and enjoyned, to Levy and Collect the same Rates and Assessments, according to the Assessments thereof by them received, and to make demand of the said Rates and Assessments of the Parties themselves, or at the place of their Habitation or Last aboad; And to pay the same unto Sir William Hedges Knight, Alderman and Treasurer to the said President and Governours, or to the Treasurer for the time being, on or before the last Day of February next [Page 10]ensuing: And if any Churchwarden or Churchwardens, Overseer or Overseers, so appointed or to be appointed, shall neglect or refuse to serve, or to perform his or their Duty in the speedy and due Execution of this present Act; every such Churchwarden or Overseer, shall for every such neglect or default, forfeit and lose the Sum of Five pounds, to the said President and Governours, for the Poor of the said City of London, for the use of the Poor, to be Levied by such Person or Persons, as shall be appointed by the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen, by Distress, in Manner and Form aforesaid.

And it is hereby further Enacted and Declared, That the Alderman, Deputy and Common Councilmen of each respective Ward, or any of them, shall and are hereby Authorized and Required from time to time, to call before them the Churchwardens and Overseers within such respective Parishes, and so from time to time to examine them, and assure themselves of the full and whole payment of the particular Sum and Sums of Money charged upon such Parish, and of the due payment thereof into the Hands of the said Treasurer, to the end there may be no Failure of the payment of any part thereof: And in case of any failure of the Premisses, The Alderman, Deputy and Common Councilmen of such Ward, are hereby Authorized and Required to cause the same to be forthwith Assessed, Levied and Paid according to the true intent and meaning of this Act.

And it is hereby further Enacted, Directed and appointed, That all Sheriffs, Constables, and all other Officers and Ministers of Justice, shall be Aiding and Assisting to the Corporation, and to all such Officers as shall be Imployed by them, or any of them, in the Execution or Performance of the said Service.

GOOD FELLOW.

Printed by SAMƲEL ROYCROFI, Printer to the Honourable City of LONDON, 1698.

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