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The Stuart London Project, Humanities Research Institute, The University of Sheffield,
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[Acts for] The TEMPORAL GOVERNMENT. [London Porters.]417

[Acts for] The TEMPORAL GOVERNMENT. [London Porters.]

before they be sold, if he shall be thereunto required, taking for his pains the usual Duties for weighing, and no more; and the Weigher to keep a true Book of his doing, touching the same Business, to the end the Poor of the Hospitals in this City may have their Rights and Duties accordingly.

Provided also, That any Stréet Porter, or other Porter whatsoever, admitted in form aforesaid to use the Feat of a Porter within this City or Liberties thereof, may lawfully and fréely, at the commandment of any Merchant whatsoever, frée of the this City, take, carry and bear away any notable Burthen of any manner of Wares or Merchandizes whatsoever, to or from any place within this City and Liberties thereof; this Act or any Article, Clause, or Sentence therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

And it is further enacted, granted, and agréed by like Authority, That one Act of Common Council agréed upon by this Court on the seven and twentieth day of June last past, touching the Porters, shall be from henceforth repealed, and made void to all intents and purposes, any thing in the said Act to the contrary notwithstanding.
GIBSON.

Commun' Concilium tentum in Camera Guihald' Civitatis London, decimo sexto die Octobris Anno Domini 1646, Annoq; Regni Domini nostri CAROLI, nunc Regis Angl' &c. vicesimo secundo, coram Thoma Adams, Majore Civitatis London' Johanne Woollaston Mil' Georgio Garrett Mil' Jacobo Bunce, Johanne Bide, Georgio Witham & Thoma Vyner ejusdem Civitatis Aldermannis, ac Thoma Cullum & Simone Edmonds Aldermannis, ac dictæ Civitatis Vic' necnon majore parte Communiaror' de Communi Concilio Civitat' prædict' tunc & ibid' assemblat'

WHereas divers Controversies and Differences have heretofore béen betwéen the Tackle-house Porters of this City and Ticket Porters, otherwise called the Stréet Porters of this City, in and about several things concerning the Government of their Company and their several Works, insomuch that their Government heretofore established hath of late béen discontinued, to the great disadvantage of the said Porters;

For settling Controversies between the London Porters.

And whereas much Difference hath of late arisen betwéen the said Porters, concerning the Clause of a late Act of Common Council made the six and twentieth day of March, 1607, in the Mayoralty of Sir John Watts, Knt. which Clause is touching the Overplus of certain Work, and is herein after expressed.

For the avoiding therefore of all the Differences that may hereafter arise betwéen the said parties, in their several and respective Works, and for the better establishment of their said Government and Labours in their several Employments, and for the better settling of the said Controversies concerning the said Overplus of Work, and for the settling of several other Ordinances fit and requisite to be observed and kept in and by the said Company:

Be it therefore Enacted, Ordained and Established by the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen his Brethren, and the Commons in this Common Council assembled, and by Authority thereof, That the Government by Acts of this Honourable Court enacted and ordained to be established, concerning the said Porters and their Works in all things (which are not hereby altered) shall be in all points for the time to come settled and continued by the said parties.

Be it also further Enacted, Ordained and Established for the better regulating the said Company in manner following, viz. That whereas heretofore there have béen yearly Twelve Rulers of the said Porters, Six of the Tackle-house Porters, and Six of the Ticket Porters; out of which Six Rulers on the behalf of the Tackle-house Porters, one of them was yearly chosen to be Register, for the kéeping of the Accounts belonging to the whole Company: For the time to come it is hereby ordained and established, That there be likwise chosen yearly out of the Six Rulers, on the behalf of the Ticket Porters, One of them to be yearly Register with the other, on behalf of the Tackle-house Porters; and such Register so chosen of the said Ticket Porters, to have like Authority with the other of the Tackle-house Porters in every respect, and that all Receipts, Payments and Disbursements belonging to the said Company, be from time to time, and at all times hereafter, made and done in the Presence and with the Approbation of both the said Registers.

And further, That the said Two Registers, once in every Year while they shall remain in their said Office, or at the determination of the same, or oftner, if their Governor or Governors for the time being shall think fit, shall make and yield up unto their said Governor or Governors for the time being, a just and true Account of all their Receipts, Payments and Disbursements whatsoever belonging to their said Company, and by them the said Registers during their said Office received and paid, the said Account being first surveyed and allowed under the hands of the said Rulers, or the major part of them for the time being; but if it shall happen that either of the said Registers be sick, and unable to be present, as aforesaid, that then what belongs to such Register (so sick and not present) to be discharged, shall and may be done by one of the said Rulers, by him the said Register to be substituted, the said Ruler being of his own Feat and Faculty.

Be it also further Enacted, Established and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every person and persons whatsoever, that is and shall be allowed to be a Porter, as well of the Tackle-house Porters as of the Ticket, shall from henceforth, according to the usual Custom, duly pay his and their Quarteridge, and other Duties belonging and heretofore used to be paid in the said Company, except such as are and shall be for the time being chosen Rulers of the said Company, and such their Exemption to be only during the time that they or either of them shall stand and be Ruler in the said Company, and no longer.

And further, Whereas by the aforesaid Act of Common Council made the six and twentieth day of March, 1607, in the Maioralty of Sir John Watts, Knt. as aforesaid, it is Enacted and Established, That at such time as the said Tackle-house Porters shall have an Overplus of Work, or that the necessity of preserving the Merchant's Goods require, then shall the said Ticket Porters discharge the same, as in and by the said Act appeareth.

And whereas in and about the said Clause, much Difference hath béen betwéen the said Tackle-house Porters and Ticket Porters, for that the said Ticket Porters sometimes do enjoy the said Overplus of Work, yet are paid for such their Work, either by the Day, half Day, or Hour as they work, and after the Rate of 18d. a Day in Summer, and 16d. in Winter, by which their Work, they being paid after the Rate aforesaid, the Tackle-house Porter probably earns much more.

For the Reconciliation of which Difference, for that it is conceived that the said Proviso or Clause of the said Act was made in favour of the Merchants, and for safety and preserving their Goods, and not in favour of the Ticket Porters, in regard that by the said Act it is in other places set forth at large, the particular Commodities whereof the said Ticket Porters shall have and enjoy the sole managing and working, and what Commodities the said Tackle-house Porters shall by themselves discharge, and how and in what manner it shall be so done, and wherein they the said Ticket Porters shall not

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© hriOnline, 2007
The Stuart London Project, Humanities Research Institute, The University of Sheffield,
34 Gell Street, Sheffield, S3 7QY