A COMMON COUNSELL HOLDEN BEFORE THE LORD MAYOR

26 octobre 1574.

« ...Be it enacted by the aucthority of this Gommon Councill assembled, that from henceforth no citizen of this Citie of what qualifie soever lie be, shall take as apprentice any person, whose father, being not the childe of an Englishman borne, is not or shall not be borne within the Queen's dominions, or whose father hath beene, is or shall be of the allegiance of any foreign Prince or state. And that no Ghamberlen of this Citie, Master

Warden of any company of this Citie shall admitt or receive any such apprentice to be enrolled^ presenled or made free of this Citie or of any Company tliereof. And that ail such taking of apprentices, présentation, enrolling and admitting into the liberties of this Citie or of anyComp. thereof, contrary to the true meaning of this act, shall be utterly voyde. And that every free man that shall z'eceive any apprentice, or présent or offer any such apprentice to be admittedj enrolled or made free, shall for such fîi^st offence forfaite 10 pounds to the use of the Maior and communaltie of this Citie, to be recovered by action of debt to be brought by the Chamber of this C.

«And for every second offence, every such person,. . shall be utterly disfraunchised and excluded from enjoying the liberties of the Citie for ever... one third part of the summes of money to be recovered, above the charges of the sute, shall be given in reward to him that shall présent the offence, and with eflect proceede in the proof thereof. And be it enacted that over and above the forfaitures aforesayd, if any person do take an apprentice against the meaning of this acte^ and do keepe such apprentice above the space of one year, that then every such offender shall for every month that he shall keepe such apprentice above the space of one year forfaite ! VI L. XIII s. II II d. to be recovered and employed as aforesaid ...»

(Placard imprimé, Arch. de l'Ëgl. holl. de Londres.)

No XIX.