THE first Ward in the East part of this City within the Wall, is called Tower Street Ward, and extendeth along the River of Thames, from the said Tower in the East, almost to Belingsgate in the West; one half of the Tower, the Ditch on the West Side, and Bulwarks adjoining, do stand within that Part, where the Wall of the City of old time went straight from the Postern Gate, South to the River of Thames, before that the Tower was builded. From, and without the Tower Ditch, West, and by North, is the said Tower Hill, some time a large Plot of Ground, now greatly straightned by means of Encroachments (unlawfully made and suffered) for Gardens and Houses, some on the Bank of the Tower Ditch, whereby the Ditch is marred, but more near unto the Wall of the City, from the Postern, North, till over against the principal Fore Gate of the Lord Lumley's House, &c. but the Tower Ward goeth no farther that way.

Upon this Hill is always readily prepared (at the Charges of the City) a large Scaffold and Gallows of Timber, for the Execution of such Traitors, or other Transgressors, as are delivered out of the Tower, or otherwise to the Sheriffs of London by Writ, there to be executed. I read, that in the Fifth of King Edward IV. a Scaffold and Gallows was there set up by other the King's Officers, and not of the City's Charges; whereupon the Maior and his Brethren complained, but were answered by the King, that the Tower Hill was of the Liberty of the City, and whatsoever was done in that Point was not in Derogation of the City's Liberties; and therefore commanded Proclamation to be made, as well within the City as in the Suburbs as followeth,

Forasmuch as the seventh Day of this present Month of November, Gallows were erected and set up besides our Tower of London, within the Liberties and Franchises of our City of London, in Derogation and Prejudice of the Liberties and Franchises of this City; the King our Sovereign Lord would it be certainly unserstood, that the Erection and setting up of the said Gallows was not done by his Commandment: Wherefore, the King our Sovereign Lord willeth, that the Erection and setting up of the said Gallows, be not any President, or Example, thereby hereafter to be taken, in Hurt, Prejudice, or Derogation, of the Franchises, Liberties, and Privileges of the City, which he at all times hath had, and hath in his Benevolence, tender Favour, and good Grace, &c. Apud Westminst. nono die Novembris,
Anno Regni nostri quinto

Many Controversies have been in times past betwixt the Lord Maior and Citizens of London on the one Party, and the Lieutenant of the Tower of London, on the other Party, touching their Liberties: The Lieutenant usurping divers Privileges which were against the Laws of the Realm: As for Example,

If A. B. were indebted to C. D. dwelling in the Precinct of the Tower, and would suffer himself to be arrested and prosecuted by the said C. D. in the Court held within the Tower, and there to have Judgment upon the said Debt obtained against him: After which Judgment obtained, a Precept was awarded under the Seal of Office of the Lieutenant, redirected unto the Porter of the Tower, or to his Deputy, to take A. B. in Execution for the same Debt. And after that A. B. is so taken in Execution, there is Return made of the Execution of the said Precept; and thereupon the Lieutenant not only appointeth about a Dozen or more Keepers to the said A. B. and such as the said A. B. will nominate, but also suffereth the said A. B. to go at Liberty; giving unto him a Protection under the Seal of his Office: And thereby commandeth all Officers in any wise to forbear to arrest or trouble the said A. B. for the Space of one whole Year, being his Prisoner. Then if it shall happen that the said A. B. shall be arrested, being in the Custody of any of his Keepers, and having the said Protection to shew; if immediately upon the shewing of the same he be not set at Liberty again, in such case the Lieutenant pretendeth that he hath Power to arrest the Body of any Person dwelling in such City or County wherein the said A. B. was so arrested and troubled, if any such Person can be found within the Liberties of the Tower; and the Body of the same Person to detain in safe Custody until such time as the said A. B. shall be enlarged.

By which means the Execution of the Laws of the Realm is hindered, and the Subjects wronged.

PRæceptum est Janatori Turr. prædict. quod capiat Willm. Aston de Lond. Civem & Haberdasher: Ita quod habeatur Corpus ejus coram Edwardo Warner, milite, Locumtenen. Dominæ Reginæ Turr. præd. & ejus Senescall. ibi ad prox. Cur. infra Turr. præd. tenend. ad satisfaciend. Johanni Thomson viginti lib. legalis monetæ Angliæ, quas idem Johannes in eadem Curiâ recuperavit adversus præfat. Willm. & 21s. pro miss. & castag. Curiæ, quæ eidem Johanni in eadem Curia adjudicat. fuerunt. Et qualiter hoc Præceptum per te fuerit executum constare fac, ad præfat. Cur. Et hoc non omitt. periculo incumbent. Dat. apud Turr. præd. sub sigillo quo utor in hoc Officio, decimo tertio Die Novembris, Anno Regni Elizabethæ, Dei Gratia, Angliæ. Franciæ, & Hyberniæ, Reginæ, primo. Janitori Turris Lond.
aut suo Deputato.