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126
The Vestry entrusted the beadles with the duty of
reporting cases of non-compliance with the law, with the
result that very little was done.
By Statute of 2 William and Mary, cap. 8 (1690) the
former obligations were re-enacted, with an extension of
of the hours until twelve o'clock midnight and an increase
of the penalty; but with an exception which render the
law capable of easy evasion:—
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid That every
householder within any of the parishes places or precincts in
the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, and city and liberty of
Westminster, comprised within the weekly bills of mortality,
whose house adjoins unto or is near the street, from Michaelmas
unto our Lady-day yearly, shall every night set or hang
out candles or lights in lanthorns on the outside of the house
next the street, to enlighten the same for the conveniency of
passengers, from time to time, as it shall grow dark, until
twelve of the clock in the night, upon pain to forfeit the sum
of two shillings for every default; excepting such person or
persons as shall agree to make use of lamps of any sort, to be
placed at such distances in the street, as shall be approved of
by two or more Justices of the Peace.
Private enterprise then stepped in, aided by the "common
informer," with one eye directed to the moiety of the
penalties and the other to the profit to be derived by the
use of a particular description of lamp. The subjoined is
borrowed from the Minute Book of the Justices:—
15th June, 1711. Several Informacons offered against psons who
have not Lighted their houses according to the Statute.
"Mr. Hart ye Undertaker of Conick Lamps declare that he
will not expect any thing of People who by reason of Poverty
are excused from paying to the Church and poor.
"Time to be given to the Inhabitants to acquit themselves of
their Informacons by paying to the Public Lamps.
"Agreed that Informacons will be reced and psons summoned
only concerning houses that stand in the same street at one
time to avoid crowd and confusion and soe on till the whole of
the defaulters be gone thro."
The Justices called the constables to their assistance in
detecting infringements of the law :—
21 Oct., 1714. Ordered that the sev11 Constables of and belonging
to this parish do go abt their Respective Wards and give notice
to all and every the Inhabitants to hang out lights as the Law