either for Favour or Reward dispatch one Man, and for Displeasure or Ill Will delay another. That Merchants who intended some secret, and yet lawful Voyage, would be glad to pass their Writings privately by such Notaries and Brokers, as they knew would be secret to them in that Behalf. Of which Convenience they must utterly be deprived, if they should be forced to come to a publick Officer to pass the same. That the Credit and Fidelity of the Broker is occasion of divers Assurances, which otherwise would not be made, &c.

Of late many Jews follow this Calling. Insomuch that Endeavours have been made to restrain their Number. As appears by this Paper following.

Reasons humbly offered to the Right Honourable the Lord Maior, and Court of Aldermen, against a Jew (who is a known Enemy to the Christian Religion) his being admitted a Broker.

I. THAT the Act of Parliament to restrain the Number and ill Practice of Brokers and Stock-Jobbers, only limits the Number of Brokers to be one Hundred, and makes no mention of Jews, or any other Foreigners whatsoever.

II. THAT of the Jews, who are already Sworn Brokers, not above one half are of advantage to the Merchants in any Branch of Trade whatsoever.

III. THAT for the drawing and remitting of Money by Exchange to and from Foreign Parts, in which the Jews might be serviceable, if need required, there are already more than sufficient; which has occasioned almost one half of the Jew-Brokers to run into Stock-Jobbing: Which, with the great Number of other Jews employed to act under them as Brokers, contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of the aforesaid Act of Parliament, has been the Occasion of great Irregularities committed in dealing in Stocks.

IV. THAT there is no one Branch of Trade, which will receive any Detriment by not admitting a Jew to be a Broker at this time.

V. THAT the Jew Brokers are, for the most part, neither Free of this Honourable City of London, nor any Livery Company, and pay very little towards the Support of the Publick: Whereas the other Petitioners are most of them Housekeepers, Freemen and Livery-men, who pay Scott and Lott, and are otherwise Contributors to the Publick Charge, and have a Native Right to the Immunities and Privileges of Englishmen and Citizens, which the Jews have not.

VI. THAT the Jews have not any Right to the Immunities and Privileges of this City, nor deserve any Incouragement from this Honourable Court, will evidently appear by the many Statute Laws now in force against them, contained in a Book, printed Anno 1703, dedictated to the Reverend the Clergy, and particularly to the Members of the Convocation: Which Book is ready to be produced. And if duly considered, 'tis humbly hoped, this Honourable Court will find no Reason to admit any more Jews to be Sworn Brokers.

There was another sort of these, which they called Retailing Brokers, or Hucksters. And they were such as used to buy old Apparel, Housholdstuff, Bedding, Books, Ends and Remnants of Silks and Velvets, Linnen and Woolen Cloth, &c.

Of this Trade there were many Abuses discovered in Queen Elizabeth's Reign, as well as of later times. As the receiving and concealing of stolen Goods, and buying them at under Rates. Much of the Queen's own Plate and Jewels, Chains, Bracelets, &c. and of the Nobility's also, were stolen away from them, and brought to these Men to pawn or sell. Of which Complaint seems to be made to the City. This caused an Act of Common Council Anno 1595, and 38 Eliz. Wherein a Register was appointed to be of their Names that followed this Calling, written and kept by four honest and sufficient Persons, Freemen of the City, to be appointed and sworn by the Maior and Aldermen. And these to enter the Names of every such Retailing Brogger, or Broker, with the Place of their Dwelling, who should receive, buy, or take to pawn any such Plate or Goods: And likewise their Names, with the Place of their Abode, that should deliver, sell or empawn the same: Also a particular Note of the Things so delivered, sold or laid to pawn; with the Prices or Sums of Money, for which the same were so delivered. To the Intent that any Person from whom any such things have been unlawfully taken or conveyed, might make Search in the said Register Books for the same. Also, no Broker to buy, receive, or take to pawn these things, before he had presented to the Registers the Parties who should offer them to sale, keep or pawn; and shewed to the said Registers all such things so offered to Pawn or Sale: A true Note also first to be registered of the Names of those that should buy, &c. the same; and another Note describing the Nature, Colour and Quality of the Things, and of the Prices and Sums of Money, for which the same were to be sold or empawned. If they were empawned or left to be kept, then for what Time of Redemption: And if absolutely sold, yet it should not be lawful for any Brogger to make Sale, or put away those Things within the Space of seven Days next after. To the Intent, that if they had been stolen, the right Proprietors might freely view and see the same. The Broker to pay the Keeper of the Register one Halfpenny, when the thing so entered to be kept or empawned, be for 5s. or under: but if it be above, then one Penny, and no more.

No Broker or Huckster, after Notice given to him by any of the Registers of any Plate, Goods, &c. affirmed to be stolen, should buy or receive the same, but make stay of such things so offered to Sale or Pawn: and cause the Party, so offering the same, to be apprehended and brought before some Justice of Peace, to be examined concerning the same Felony supposed. And at every such Apprehension, to give Knowledge to the said Register who left the said Warning, as well of the Party so taken, as of the Goods by him offered. To the Intent that the right Owner might be advertised by the said Register. No Broker to receive, buy or take to pawn any Plate, Jewels, Goods, &c. on Sabbath-Days, Festivals, or any Holidays, being not open Market Days. Every Broker offending in any Article, Clause or Point aforesaid, to forfeit for every such Offence 5l. the one half to the City, the other to the Keepers of the Register: and to pay to the Party grieved the full Value of the thing so bought, received or taken in Pawn, and concealed or untruly entered.

The modern Pawn-Brokers are such as take Plate, or any other Goods, and lend Money upon them at unreasonable Consideration; and to be returned back upon a Day, or otherwise the Commodities left in Pawn to be forfeited. Which hard Condition poor People are fain to comply with, to supply themselves with ready Money upon some Extremity. These, 'tis pity, the State