WHereas oftentimes heretofore, especially towards Winter the Evenings growing dark, many loose and vagrant persons have been found to wander about the streets and lanes and to lurk in corners within this City and Liberties thereof, and under colour of begging in the day time, have practised how to break into Houses, Shops, and other places in the night season, & in the mornings after the Watches are broken up, and thereby divers burglaries, robberies, fellonies, and outrages are committed to the breach of the Peace of the Common-wealth, & to the slander of the Government of this City; for the avoiding of which inconveniences and many others within this City and Liberties thereof. These are in the name of his Highnesse the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland and the dominions thereunto belonging, straightly to charge and command you, that from henceforth you cause a good and substantiall Watch to be kept nightly within your Ward, to begin this winter season at nine of the clock in the Evening, and to continue untill six of the clock in the Morning; And that once every week or oftner as shall be needfull, and in as private manner as may be, you cause diligent search to be made in all Innes, Ale-houses, Victualling-houses, houses of lodging and all other suspected places wherein your Ward, for any idle, loose, lewd and suspicious persons, and that they be brought before me or some other Iustice of the Peace within this City to be examined & dealt withall as to Iustice shall appertain. And that you cause the Beadle of your Ward from henceforth every night du­ring the time appointed in that behalf, to give warning to the Inhabitants within your Ward for Lan­thorn and Candle light, to be by them set, and hanged forth in convenient places according to the antient usage and order in that behalf. And that the same be duely continued untill the first day of March next; And that I be certified from time to time, of the name, sirnames, and welling places of all such as shall nake default therein, to the intent that due punishment may be inflicted upon such as shall fail in the doing of what is required. And further that you take order that the Lanthorn and Candle light, which is appointed for every Precinct be duly put forth and continued as by order is directed; And also that your Beadle and the Constables within your Ward make diligent search and inquiry from time to time, and that you certifie me in writing of the names and dwelling places of all such Inmates or undersitters as now are or hereafter shall be received or harboured within your Ward; And likewise the names and sirnames of such as shall receive or harbour them to the end they may be proceeded against according to Law, And further that you give present order to the Beadle of your Ward, to warn all the Inhabitants of the same to amend their Pavements where they are defective, and that the streets before their doors, shops and houses, be daily from time to time at their perills clean swept, pared and kept clean, and that no persons presume to lay their Sea-coal ashes in the streets, but that they bring the same in Baskets to the Raker, under the penalties in the severall Acts of Common-councell of this City mentioned; And that I may be certified of such Con­stables, Scavengers, Yeomen of the Channell, and other persons as shall make default in the performance of their severall duties in the premises; And also that you cause certificate to be made unto me, to [...] such persons as shall presume to keep Alehouses without Licence, and of such as shall suffer disorders in their houses being licensed: In all which you are to take especiall care, that so thereby such order may be taken for reforming the severall abuses within this City, as may be for the well governing and the quiet, peace, and safety of the same. And lastly, that you cause your Wardmote Inquest to meet once in every moneth, to oversee that all Weights, and Measures used in buying and selling be sealed, and according to the Stan­dard: And that the Bakers, Brewers, and Typlers do keep the assize according to the Law, And that Butchers, and Victuallers do put to sail no other Victuall but such as shall be good and wholsome for mans body; And that they observe and do all other things, which according to their charge, and the duty of their places they are to do and perform. And that you take an accompt of your Beadle, and the Constab [...]es and other Officers within your Ward once every moneth at the least, or oftner as you see cause how they have performed their severall duties herein: And that you take especial care that the orders aforesaid may be obser­ved. And hereof not to fail as you tender the welfare and good government of this City.

Dated this [...] of November. 1654.