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government of the same yearly upon Easter Thursday to nominate
and elect twelve sufficient merchants or tradesmen to be
denominated Burgesses, with a like number of persons for
their Deputies or Assistants, to preside over the respective
wards for one year, and so from year to year during
life, good behaviour, or residence in the City or Liberties
thereof. And that all and every of the said Burgesses or
their Deputies that should refuse to serve after he or they
were duly elected, the former to forfeit the sum of ten
and the latter five pounds, each to be levied by distress.
Also that as often as any of the said twelve Burgesses or
their Assistants should happen to die, remove, or be displaced,
their several places to be supplied by proper persons to be
chosen by the said Dean, High Steward, or his Deputy, who
were likewise to appoint out of the twelve first, two to be
denominated Chief Burgesses, who were likewise to continue
as such for the term of one year, upon the penalty of ten
pounds, to be levied as aforesaid. And by the same
authority, the said Dean and his successors, the High
Steward or his Deputy, the two Chief and other ten
Burgesses or any three or four of them (whereof the said
Dean, High Steward or his Deputy, or one of the Chief
Burgesses to be at all times one) for the good government
of this City or Borough or the Liberties thereof, to hear,
examine, determine, and punish according to the laws of
the kingdom, or laudable and lawful custom of the City
of London, all matters of incontinencies, common scolds,
inmates and common nuisances, and to commit all persons
to prison that should be guilty of a breach of the peace, of
which they were to give notice to a Justice or Justices of the
Peace for the County of Middlesex, within the space of
twenty-four hours.
"And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid that
all good ordinances that shall from time to time be made
* * * for or concerning the government of this City
and Liberties, not repugnant to the Royal prerogative or