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148
take action, where the Justices, Commissioners and Constables
omitted to do so:—
Wednesday, 6th July, 1670. That the present Churchwardens with
anie three or more of the Vestriemen doe view the Ditch or
Drayne leading from ye Easte end of the New Chappell Southward
by the wall of the Artillery Ground, and consider whether
it be fitt that the sayd Ditch should be Darned up or not and
Report their opinion therein unto the Yestry in writing.
That the Churchwardens doe speake with the jury of Annoyance
and informe them touching the greate Annoyance occasioned
by generall New Sinkes or Draynes that are lately made
neare the New Chappell and Eeport what they have done
therein.
Sunday, 3rd Jany., 1685. Ordered that the Churchwardens do give
notice to my Lord Pagitt that he may Order the Dunghill
behind his stable to be removed forthwith Or if it is not forthwith
removed they cause his Ldp to be Indicted or prosecuted.
Thirty years later the keeping of pigs gave rise to many
complaints, to remedy which the Yestry made an order,
after hearing the parties, that "the said hoggs he disposed
of between this and the 24th August, or the laws relating
to them will be put in the strictest operation."
Peremptory powers were given by Parliament in 1691 to
the local authorities for the suppression of pig keeping; a
practice not yet eradicated in Westminster:—
2 W & M, session 2, c 8, s 20—That no person or person whatsoever
shall breed feed or keep any sort or manner of swine upon
pain of forfeiting the same to the churchwardens and overseers
of the poor of the parish where such swine shall be kept . .and that it shall be lawful . . for all or any of the churchwardens,
chapelwardens, overseers of the poor, constables,
beadles, headboroughs . . to search in all such places
and all that shall be so found to seize . and the same to sell
for the best price that can be had.
A nuisance being apprehended from the burning of
bricks in St. James's Field, led to a petition being presented
to the Council of State in 1654-5 under the hands of 80
parishioners, for the prevention of the annoyance, and an
Order in Council was issued on 18th September, 1655,
directing that immediate steps be taken to restrain the use
the user of the place as a brickfield.