to joyn issue upon to stand and fall by as I am by this challenging any to brand me with the least of injustice I ever did them being ready with my fortune to make good what I prosecute The thing I aim at is a right understanding between the free and unfree men of England a perfect love every one injoying their own and to be governed under our known and wholesome Laws as also an obedience thereunto and not by a hidden Prerogative alias Charters It being a wonder there dare be such presumption in this Corporation to exercise such insolencies which were the greatest obstructors of our Nations Liberties by garisoning that Town The Mayor Aldermen and Recorder with the Burgesses and others against the free-born of England which prohibited all Trade from the 9th day of January 1642. to the 14th of November 1644 in that Port which caused Coals to be four pound the Chaldron and Salt four pound the weigh the poor Inhabitants forced to flie the Country others to quarter all Armies upon free Quarter heavy Taxes to them all both English Scots and Garisons Plundered of all they had Land lying waste Coal-pits drowned Salt-works broken down Hay and Corn burnt Town pulled down mens wives carried away by the unsatiable Scots and abused All being occasioned by that Corporations disaffection And yet to tyrannize as is hereafter mentioned I appeal to God and the World Ralph Gardner Charter-Law with its Practice discovered CHAP. I. Newcastle upon Tynes Patron King John surnamed without land Raigned 17 Yeres and 7 monethes died â—9 daiâ— of october 121â— Was buried att Worcester in the 51. Yere of his age A KIng John who usurped the Crown of England was only for formalities sake sworn by a Bishop who being demanded the reason why he did so said that by the gift of Prophecy certified that at some time King John would take the Crown and Realm of England and bring all to ruin and confusion he pretending the King his Brother was dead in the time of his being absent beyond Sea being the first Author of Charters for gain and people like himself for lucre of gain sold their Birth-right to become Bodies Corporate and oppressors of the free-born people of England For before Charters were all the Free-holders of England were free to make Laws for the good of the Nation but Corporations being subordinate to such Laws as he by his Prerogative gave them being repugnant to the known fundamental Laws of England In the first year of his reign dreadful tempestuous weathers by rains that the grounds were so spoiled that whereas corn was sold for one shilling the Boule in King Henry the seconds daies then cost 13 shillings the Boule also an abundance of fish found dead upon the Land by the corruption of the waters no hay could be mowed and hale as big as hens eggs B He was an Usurper a Tyrant a bloody person a Murderer a perjured person a covetous person a demolisher of famous Towns with fire and a seller of Englands Supremacy to the Pope whose reign was oppressive and end shame For further satisfaction I refer you to his true History I shall onely give a brief of some passages in his reign He made a Law that all Jews that would not turn Christians should pay a certain great sum of money or be imprisoned and when they did turn they they should have their money again a young Merchant paid 60 l. to continue a Jew and after turned to be a Christian then he demanded his money from the King but he being unwilling to part with money demanded what reason he had to turn and sent for his Father and Mother to dis-swade him and to perswade him to change again to be a Jew C He gave command that all the Jews in England and Wales to be forthwith imprisoned men women and children by reason they turned so fast to be of his Religion and then seized on all their riches to satisfie his covetous disposition and such as would not confess where their money was pulled out their teeth and eies and then took the thirteenth part of all estates moveable to war against the Earls of Marsh who desired him to forbear but he would not for which they dispossessed him of all his Lands in France c. He having little love to his Wife Izabel the Queen was divorced pretending she was too near of Kâ—n to him and so took another D He murthered Duke Arthur Earl of Brittan his eldest Brothers Son being Heir to the Crown in the Castle of Roan in France and chased William de Branes out of England and caused his wife and children to be starved to death in Winsor Castle He dis-inherited many of the Nobility without Judgement of the Law and put to death Ramp Earl of Chester for reproving him for lying with his Brothers Wife and reproached others of his Nobles telling them how often he had defiled their beds and defloured their Daughters E He granted to the City of London their Charter and Letters Pattents to chuse their Mayor yeerly in the tenth year 1210 who governs well c. F He removed the Exchequer from London to Northampton and got a great Army to go against the King of Scots but the King of Scots met him and did him homage and gave him his two Daughters as pledges and Eleven thousand Scotch Marks and upon his return took homage of the Free-holders of England and sware them to his allegiance all above 11 years of age G He made oath to be obedient to the Pope of Rome by name Innocentius to Randolphe his Bâ—ll who went with his Nobles to Dover where he met with the said Popes Bull and there resigned the Crown with the Realm of England and Ireland into the Popes hand See his Oath in chap. 59. B Upon which the Bishops who he had banished returned to England by leave from the Pope King John met them and fell flat upon his face on the ground and asked them forgiveness melting bitterly into tears c. H He grants the very next year after his power was given to the Pope unto the Town of Newcastle upon Tyne Letters Pattents to be a Corporation and to hold the said Town in Fee-farm at the rent of 100 l. per annum as by the said recited Letters Pattents in the second Chapter more at large appears An. 1213. Surely this Charter is not good by Law c. I He was the cause of firing the chief Town in Northumberland called Morpeth and caused many more Towns in England and Wales to be burnt The Barons of England being armed demanded of him the Laws and Liberties granted by King Edward the Confessor vulgarly called St. Edward he desired respite till Easter and gave Sureties to perform them K He met with the Barons of England in Running Meadow between Winsor and Stains upon the 16 of June granted under his hand to them the Liberties of England without
any difficulty and the whole Realm was sworn thereunto And soon after subtlely and privately sends to the Pope and other Nations for Armies to make void those Charters and Liberties granted to the Barons and to subdue England and promised them great rewards Forty thousand Souldiers that were to have Norfolk and Suffolk to conquer England for King John were all cast away on the Sea The Pope sends in great strength who landed at Dover and destroyed many Towns by fire and with the sword slew many thousands of people the Pope excommunicating the Barons particularly by their names great subversion and dissolution thereupon fell laying all Hedges and Ditches level tormenting the Barons with their wives c. L The Barons were necessitated to send for Lewis Son to the King of France for to come with an Army to joyn with them to conquer King John whose cruelties were intollerable which was done and King John overthrown and forced to flee towards Lin being poysoned by a Monk at Swinsted the reason he gave was that if he had lived half a year longer a half penny loaf would cost 20 s. he died and was buried at Worcester and King Henry the third Son to King John of nine years of age was crowned at Glocester c. M The reason of King John his granting Charters in England and making Corporations was for that he had but little land to raise great Rents from them and to assist him with strength by out-voting the Knights of M the Shires as is hereafter exprest For all Free-holders of England that had forty shillings a yeer met two times a yeer at Sessions Meadows neer Rockingham Castle in Northampton-shire and there made such Laws as the Nation was governed by and confirmed by the King N King John resolving to have Monies and Aid of men to go to Normandy to conquer them could not conveniently motion it by reason of the numerousnesse of the Free-holders but made a speech to them that he had contrived a very â—it and convenient way for the making Laws for the good of the whole Nation which was that by reason he conceived it a great trouble for all them to come so far for that purpose onely to make Laws that they would chuse two Knights of every Shire and County in England and Wales and give to them the full power of the Nation and then the said Knights to come and fit with him in Parliament at Westminster and also to allow them four shillings a day out of the County stock which more plainly appears in the Statute of 35. Hen. 8. Ch. 11. Knights to have 4 s. per diem and Burgesses 2 s. per diem O King John when he had got the hundred and four Knights in Parliament they having the full power of the Nation from the Free-holders immediately required from them great Subsidies and Armies to go for Normandy to recover such Lands as he had lost P The Knights answered they onely were intrusted to make Laws and not to taxe the Free-holders who had intrusted them and not to raise Armies and that by so doing they could not discharge the trust reposed in them Q The King finding his expectation frustrated having nothing doubted but to have wrought his design on so small a number Mastered his passion and not long after acquainted the Knights that he was sorry for the great burden which lay upon them for making Laws being for a publick and that they were too few in number and that he had found out a way how to ease them and bring in a great revenew to free the Nation from impositions R Which was that he resolved to Incorporate all the great Towns in England and Wales and depute Magistrates to govern as his Lieutenants and every Corporation should hold their Town in Fee-Farm from him and his heirs at a certain Rent some more others lesse according to the quality c. S Also that every Corporation should chuse two Burgesses to â—it and vote with them in Parliament they knowing the state of every County and the Burgesses of the Corporation by which means the Burgesses being more in number then the Knights might out-vote them and vote for him the Knights medled not therein at all but were out-voted by these Vassals and Tenants to the King they granting to him what ever he demanded or else must forfeit their Charters And he granted to them what ever they demanded c. T The Free-holders of England were represented in Parliament by their Knights in their Election And if the Burgesses were Free-holders then represented in the same Knights V But if the Burgesses were no Free-holders then no power in England to make Laws or to â—it in Parliament to out-vote the true Representative which are the Knights especially representing no body further then the will of the King who was onely to confirm Laws but not to make them King John had four considerations in making great Towns Corporations 1 To assume â— Prerogative 2 To raise vast sums of Mony 3 To divide the Nation 4 To enslave bodies Corporate by being his Vassals and Slaves Charters are no Laws and nothing is binding that is not lawful no Laws are made but by Parliament read Stat. 2. Edw. 3. 8. CHAP. II. Newcastles first Charter A KIng John by his Letters Pattents dated the day of in the fourteenth yeer of his Reign and in the Yeer of our Lord 1213. Granted Demised and Confirmed to the honest men of the Newcastle upon Tyne and to their Heirs his Town of Newcastle upon Tyne with all the Appurtenances to Fee-farm for one hundred pounds to be â—endred to the said King and his Heirs at his Exchequer to wit at the Feast of Eaâ—ter fifty pounds and at the Feast of St. Michael other fifty pounds saving to the said King the Rents Prizes and Assizes in the Port of the said Town Further he grants to them and confirmeth one hundred and ten shillings and six pence of Rent which they have by the gift of the said King in the said Town of Escheats to be divided and assigned to them who lost their Rents by occasion of a Ditch or Trench and of the new work made under the Castle towards the River or Water so that thereof they might have the more that lost the more and they that lost the lesse should have the lesse He also granted to them for him and his Heirs that in nothing they should be answerable to the Sheriffe nor to the Constable for those things which belong to them as the said Charter testifieth Wherefore he willeth and firmly commandeth that the said men and their Heirs may have and hold the same Town with its Appurtenances to Fee-farm for the said hundred pounds yeerly to be paid as is aforesaid well and in peace freely quietly and intirely with all Liberties and free Customes which they were wont to have in the time of King Henry the 2. Father of the said King
your bounden Grace with the assent of your Lords spiritual and temporal and the Commons in Parlament to enact ordain and establish that from henceforth any Merchant or Merchants or any other person or persons shall not ship load or unload any Merchandize or other Wares of Goods to be sold here between the said place called Sparhawke and Headwin streams being fourteen miles in length but onely at Newcastle upon pain of forfeiture of all such Goods and Wares and Merchandizes to the King And for the Mayor and Burgesses to pull down all Weires Goares and Engins which was granted by the said Statute provided alwaies this Act be not prejudicial to any person or persons being the Kings Subjects for building shipping loading or unloading any Salt or Fish within the said River and Port or to any of them or to any other persons repairing to the said Port with ships and Merchandizes for selling or buying of any Merchandizes or Wares needful for victualing and amending of the said ships * at the time of their being in the said Port this Act or any thing comprised in the same notwithstanding See ch 50. C A Table of Fees for Customs Toles c. in Towns B Stat. 22. Hen. 8. ch 8. Be it Enacted that every City Borough and Town Corporate their Officer shall set up or cause a Table in open place of and for the certainty of all such and every duty of every such Custom Tole and duty or sum of money of such Wares and Merchandizes to be demanded or required as above rehearsed shall and may plainly appear to be declared to the intent that nothing be exacted otherwise than in old time hath been used and accustomed upon pain of each City five pound and every Corporation forty shillings for every month that the said Table shall fail to be set up the moyety to the King and the other to the party that wil sue for the same by Writ Bil Plaint or Information in which the Defendant shall have no assoyn Wager of Law nor protection of Law allowed See chap. 44. E A Commission of Sewers c. C Stat. 23. Hen. 8. chap. 5. The King considering the absolute necessity of granting a general Act for Commissioners of Sewers to be directed in all parts of his Realm for the advancing of the Commonwealth and commodity of this his Realm And likewise considering the daily great damages and losses which have happened in many parts of the Nation in the decay and spoil of Rivers to the inestimable damages of the Commonwealth which do daily increase for remedy whereof it is enacted that there be Commissioners of Suers and other premises directed in all parts from time to time where and when need shall require to such substantial and indifferent persons as shall be named by the Lord Chancellor and Lord Treasurer of England and the two Chief Justices for the time being or by three of them whereof the Lord Chancellor to be one The Commissioners to be residing in the respective Countie where the Commission is directed which said Commissioners will preserve the said River having power given them to constitute and ordain Laws Ordinances and Decrees and to repeal reform and amend as need shall require any defects Also to pull down any Newsances incroachments or the like erected in the said Rivers and to cause buildings of Wharfs for the good of the same and power to Rate and Tax any person whatsoever towards the charge for the good of the said Rivers or having spoyled the same to seize his or their Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels for the said Taxes and to dispose of the same by Sail Lease or otherwise six Commissioners being present and every Commissioner is to have four shillings a day when they â—it and the Clerk two shillings a day out of the Taxes I refer the rest of this power to the relation of these Statutes following 3. Edward 6. 9. 13. Eliz. 9. See 34. Chap. C 35. A. B. An Attaint against a Jury D Stat. 23. Hen. 8. Chap. 3. The Law having first used all good devices to cause Sheriffs Under-Sheriffs Bayliffs of Liberties Coroners and all others authorized to return and impannel Juries to be indifferent and to return the said Jurors and Juries without all partiallity and that they shall be no Furtherers Maintainers nor Assisters to perjury subordination or embracery and also having provided that all those Jurors which be so returned upon Inquests and to try Inquests and to try Issues between party and party may again one by one be sifted tryed and examined whether they standing unsworn be indifferent or not she doth then expect from those Jurors veridictum a true Tale that is to say a true Verdict or Presentment of such things as be given them in charge according to their evidence but if the same Jurors will decline from truth and make a false presentment contrary to their evidence * then it is not to be tearmed veredictum but perjurium and it will be returned to them as maledictum for by the Common-Law they being Attainted by the Verdict of four and twenty other Jurors shall receive a cursed and villanous judgement therefore viz. The said Jurors shall lose the freedom of the Law their Wives and Children shall be thrust out of their houses their houses shall be pulled down to the ground their Orchards and Gardens shall be subplanted their Trees shall be digged up by the roots their Meadows shall be eyred up all their Goods and Chattels which they have at the time of the Attaint brought or at any time after shall be forfeited to the King the King shall have all the profit of their forfeited lands during their lives and they shall be committed to perpetuall prison which judgement was devised and many years put in execution to the intent it might be known how much the Common-Law did detest and punish wilfull perjury and falshood in those who she trusted in place of justice and from whom she accounted to receive truth See Poulton Perjury 16 See Chap. 58. B. C. D. Stat. 23. Hen. 6. 10. D. To prevent spoyl in Rivers by Ballast C Stat. 34. Hen. 8. 9. The King for the good and preservation of Rivers Enacted that what person or persons do cast or unlade any Ballast Rubbish Gravel or other wreck out of any Ship Crayer or other Vessels being within any Haven-road Channel or River to any Port Town or other City or Borough within this Realm but onely upon the land above the full Sea-mark upon pain of forfitude of five pound a time the one half to the King the other to the party discovering that will sue for the same by Bill Plaint or otherwise no wager of Law admitted or any Essoyn or protection allowed This is a legal course but Newcastle acts not hereby as you may see in Chap. 34. C 35. A. B. 12. Chap. 6. 14. B. King Edward the First Sheriffes punished for refusing Bail A STat. 3. Ed. 1.
any Pattent or Grant to any to the contrary but such Pattents or Grants be repealed and of no force nor value Stat. 17. Rich. 2. See Chap. 35 Statute of Mortmain D Stat. 15. Rich. 2. 5. Be it Enacted what Mayors Bayliffs and Commons of Cities Boroughs and other Towns which have perpetual Commonalty and others which have officers that from henceforth they shall not purchase to them and their Commons any Lands c. nor no religious or other person what ever he be * do buy or sell or under colour of gift or terme or any other manner of title any Lands Tenements upon pain of forfeiture of the same whereby the said Lands and Tenements might have come to Mortmain Riots Routs c. E The 4. year King Rich. 2. Riots Routs and unlawfull assemblies have been so many times pernicious and fatal enemies to the peace and tranquility of the Nation that it did shake the foundation and form of State-Government as that of a Collector of a Subsidy at Dartford in Kent in his dayes in requiring but a Groat of a Taylor and his wife grew to such a head of discontentment and not being timely queld became such a Rebellion that it put the King in great hazard of his life the burning of the City of London the Nobles and Gentry with the learned of the Law beheaded and others in hazard of their lives and families overthrown and the Records of Law burnt Wat. Tyler was Captain See Hen. 6. B See Chap. 37. A. Queen Mary Maria nata Grenouici in Febru 1505 Incipit regnare 6 Iuli 1553 Regnauit 5 annos et 4 mensis Obyt annos nata 45 et 9 mensis The Town of Gates-head taken from Newcastle A STat. 1. Mary Chap. 3. So soon as Bishop Tunstall was created Bishop of Durham laid open to the Queen and Parliament the Illegallity of Gates-heads being taken from the County of Durham and Incorporated with Newcastle and how surreptitiously they got it past by Act of Parliament and humbly beseeched that the Town and Liberties of Gates-head might be restored to the County of Durham again which could not well be done without that Statute of the 7. Edw. 6. 10. were repealed After a great debate in Parliament it was found onely a covetous disposition in the Corporation of Newcastle to require that from King Edward the sixth and in no wayes for the good of any in any particular sense who Enacted that the Statute of the seventh of Edward the sixth Chapter the tenth should be repealed and of no force to all intents and purposes and the Town of Gates-head should be free from the Corporation of Newcastle c. See Chap. 7. and Chap. 8. Sweet Queen Queen Elizabeth The most excellent Princes Elizabeth Queene of Englande France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. She raigned 44 yeares died the 24 of March 1602 aged 69 6 monthes and lieth buried at Westminster Compton Holland 〈◊〉 How long Apprentices should serve A STat. 5. Eliz. 4. Be it Enacted that all Apprentices in every Corporate Town through England shall serve after the Custome and Order of London the full term of seven years at least so as the terme and years of such Apprentices do not expire or determine before such Apprentices be of the age of four and twenty years at least And if an Apprentice be mis-used by the non-conformity of the Master then the next officer upon complaint shall bind the Master to answer the Sessions and the cause appearing the Bench may discharge the Apprentice from his Master See Chap. 55. C. The Punishment of Perjury c. B Stat. 5. Eliz. 9. Be it Enacted that if any person or persons at any time shall unlawfully and corruptly procure any Witnesse or Witnesses by letters rewards or any other promises to commit any wilful and corrupt perjury in any matter or cause whatsoever now depending or which hereafter shall depend in suit or variance by any Writ Action Bill Complaint or Information upon any matter or cause whatever and being thereof convicted shall forfeit forty pound and if he have not so much then to be imprisoned for half a yeer without Bail or Mainprize and to stand in the Pillory one hour in a Market day in the open Market and never to be received as a Witnesse in any Courts of Record and if judgement be given upon his testimony it shall be void and the party grieved have his damages And if any person shall wilfully perjure himself by committing wilfull perjury by his deposition in any Courts or being examined Ad perpetuam rei memoriam for which offence he shal forfeit twenty pound and imprisonment for six months without Bail or Mainprize and never to be as a witnesse in any Court and that the Oath shall be void and party grieved to recover his damages and if he be not able to pay his Fine then to be set in the Pillory having both his ears nayled thereunto and never to be credited again in any Court the one half of the Fine to the Queen and the other to the party grieved that will sue for the same by Bill of Indictment c. wherein there shall be no wager of Law c. And all Witnesses are required upon summons to appear to give evidence reasonable charges allowed and upon default to forfeit ten pound and all the damages sustained to be recovered in any Court of Record by Action Bill c. no Wager of Law c. See Stat. 21. K. James 28. made perpetual See Chap. 31. A 34. A. B 42. A. Fore-stallers of Corn c. C Stat. 5. Eliz. 12. Be it Enacted that no person or persons shall buy any Corn out of open Fair or Market to sell again unlesse such persons shall have special and express words in a licence that he or they may so do upon pain of the forfeiture of five pounds for so doing which forfeiture to come to the Queen the one half and the other half to the party that will sue for the same by Bill c. See Stat. 5. 6. Ed. 6. 14. See Chap. 50. A 51. C. Arrestings in other mens names and delayes c. D Stat. 8. Eliz. 2. Be it Enacted by this present Parliament that if any person or persons shall by any means cause or procure any other person to be Arrested or Attached at the suit or in the name of any person where indeed no such person is known or without the assent consent or agreement of such persons at whose suit or in whose name such Arrest or Attachment is or shall be so had and procured That then every such person and persons that shall so cause or procure any such Arrest or Attachment of any other person to be had or made for vexation or trouble and shall thereof be convicted or lawfully accused by Indictment presentment or by the testimony of two sufficient Witnesses or more or other due proof shall for every such offence by
are not free of their Corporation pag. 20. 94. 92. 93. 95. 96. 97. 45. 78. 76. 75. 37. 190 162. D. And if this be not a Monopoly of as high a nature and producing as ill effects and those of as large extent as any that to the great content and satisfaction of the Nation hath bâ—en abolished let the * world judge A Welch Pedigree doth not descend by more steps and degrees than the propriety of their coals is varied while it is derived from the Owner of the Collery unto him that at last buyes the commodity to spend it as well Trades as others The Owners of Colleries must first sell the Coals to the Magistrates of Newcastle the Magistrates to the Masters of ships the Master of ships to the Woodmongers or Wharfingers and they to those that spend them Every change of the propriety adding to and enhancing the price of the Coals thus interchangeably bought and sold which course as it picks some money out of the purses of every man that buys Coals besides bad Coals being therby vented so it grinds the faces of the poor who in these latter years by reason mainly of this Monopolizing of them have found it as hard a matter to fortifie themselves against cold as against hunger p. 104. Whereas if the owners of every Collery had free liberty to sell p. 118. his Coals to ships immediately Tinmouth Haven would afford Two hundred thousand Chaldrons of Coals in the year more than now are vented which would reduce the late exorbitant excessive rates of Coals in the City of London p. 60. 75. to under twenty shillings a Chalder all the year Winter as well as Summer and bring into the common Treasury above Forty thousand pounds per annum p. 57. 94. 96. Some owners of Coal-pits will rather let their pits be fired like those at Benwell and consume than let their Coals to the Magistrates of Newcastle If the Coal-owners in each County from whence all Coals come should be as refractory to the Magistrates in denying their Coals as the Magistrates are to the Masters pag. 97. 93. 92. few or none would be brought to London or any Revenue raised Eighthly Forcing all ships up the River six miles amongst dangerous Sands Shelves and the bulks of sunk ships p. 69 70 71. 72 78 93 that so they may cast out their Ballast upon their Shoars and all for the greediness of receiving eight pence for every Tun of Ballast which hath occasioned the spoil and loss of many ships to the utter undoing of the Masters and Owners of the ships and the destruction of the lives of many poor Seaman and Mariners whose blood will be required at their hands who put them on those dangers in which they perished Besides their choaking up the most part of that River by forcing the Ballast up their Sandy hils near the said Town of Newcastle many thousand Tuns whereof is blown and washed down into that River pag. 78. They will neither preserve the River nor let Doctor Swinbourn Vice Admiral for the County of Durham doe it who hath fined some of the Magistrates hundreds of pounds for Damages c. Lastly Countenancing their Officers in their oppressions nay in their very murthers as in the case of Thomas Râ—tter with others who having forfeited their lives to Justice for killing Ann the wise of Thâ—mas Cliff of North-Shields was by their power and favor rescued from that death which they justly deserved p. 80. God would not suffer his Altar to be a Sanctuary to a wilful Murtherer neither would King John their Patron pag. 34. If a man come presumptuously upon his Neighbor to slay him thou shalt take him from mine Altar that he may die Exo. 21. 14. The Law of England dâ—fines what murther is pa. 165. Blood defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it Numb 35. 33. When therefore God shall make inquisition they that staid him that offered â—iolence to the blood of his Nâ—ighbor and should have gone to the pit Prov. 20. 17. will be found to communicate in this murder and involved in the same guilt with him that committed it but the good God be merciful to them that have not approved or consented to this wickedness For though our eyes did see this blood yet our hands did not shed it and therefore let every one that would wash his hands clean from that blood pray as God prescribed Be merciful O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto thy people Israels charge Deut. 21. 7 8. Thus have I given you a short view of the tyrannical oppressive practices of the Magistrates of Newcastle whose sin receives no smal aggravation from their Office and Calling in that they are Magistrates whom God hath furnished with Authority to that end that they might prevent and redress Injuries done by others and execute wrath upon evill doers Rom. 13. So that in their oppressions they sin against the very end of their Calling they transform the very Image of Gods Power and Justice which they sustain into the Image of Gods enemy Satan whom herein they resemble and become after a sort wickednesses in high places as the Devils are for amongst them as much as any where is that of Solomon verified I saw under the Sun the place of Judgement that wickedness was there and the place of righteousness that iniquity was there Eccles 3. 16. And although attempts hitherto and all indeavors for redress of these oppressive courses have proved abortive and fruitless No man compassionating the people with Saul so much as to aske What ayleth this people that they weep 1 Sam. 11. 5. No after many addresses Petitions Remonstrances and Sutes at Law being stifled by the instigation of corrupt persons then in power and obstructed by the mutability and changes we have too just reason to complain with Solomon Behold the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no comforters and on the sides of their Oppressors there was power but they the oppressed had no comforter Eccles 4. 1. Yet at this time we are not without good hopes but that the cries of the poor and the oppressed will enter into the ears and hearts of this present Power That they will be as a hiding place from the winde and a covert from the tempest as Rivers of waters in a dry place as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Isa 32. 2. But if our hopes now fail us we must sit down and sigh-out that of Solomon If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Judgement and Justice in a Province marvail not at the matter for hee that is higher than the Highest regardeth and there he Higher than they Eccles 5. 8. THE TABLE A ATcheson Page 85 Arresting in others names Page 76 Arresting out of a Liberty Page 154 Arresting
John as by the said Letters Pattents appeareth The said King John was the cause of burning Morpeth the chief Town in Northumberland and many more Towns in Wales because of the enmity between him and the family of the Bruces who originally were planted in Wales Wherefore the said Charter made by the said King John to the said honest men of Newcastle upon Tyne cannot be valid in Law because in the fourteenth year of his Reign he subjected himself to be a Vassal to the Pope of Rome as is aforesaid and for many other reasons mentioned in the said Charter it self considered in themselves In this Charter of King John that he grants to the honest men of Newcastle upon Tyne he mentions not the Port of the River of Tyne from Sparhawk at Tinmouth-Bar upon the Sea to Hadwyn streams above Newburn in Northumberland neither is there so much as one syllable whereby the said King grants to them the two third parts of the said River or any of the Fishing between the said places c. CHAP. III. A KIng Henry the Third being earnestly supplicated by the good men of Newcastle to confirm King Johns Charter which was done upon the second day of July in the year of our Lord 1234. the said King Henry did not inlarge their jurisdiction at all but onely grants them the Charter in the very same words as King John had in his Charter granted B King Henry the Third by his Letters Pattents under the Great Seal of England dated at Westminster the first day of December in the three and twentieth year of his Reign upon the good men of Newcastles supplication thought it fit to give them Licence to dig Coals and Stones in the common Soil of that Town without the walls thereof in the place called Castle-field and the Frith and from thence to draw and convert them unto their own profit in aid of their said Fee-farm Rent of a 100 â— per Annum and the same as often as it should seem good unto them the same to endure during his pleasure which said Letters Pattents were granted upon payment of twenty shillings into the Hamper nothing more was given neither Lands c. but only to work the Coals during pleasure for their own use C King Henry the Third was petitioned again by the same honest men for so they were called by King Johns Charters probi homines That his Majesty would be graciously pleased to give them all the Stone and Coals in a place called the Frith adjoyning to the former the better to enable them to pay their Fee-farm Rent which also was granted paying forty shillings per Annum into the Hamper upon the eleventh of May in the one and thirtieth yeer of his Reign All which Coals and Stones have do and will amount to many thousands of pounds yet no land above the said Coals was granted unto them CHAP. IV. A KIng Edward the First in the Nineteenth yeer of his Reign was supplicated by the good men of Newcastle to grant them a sum of money and a Licence for the building of a Wall round the Town on which Wall one of the Mayors of Newcastle was hanged as by the Record of the Registery appears That two third parts of the River of Tyne from Sparhawk to Beadwyn shelves were in this Kings hands And for such Lords as held any Fishings on the South-side of the said River of Tyne which went to the Mid-stream they were meer intruders of one sixt part more then was their own for whereas they were to have had but one third part they claimed half B And that this King gave Licence to build a Wall about the Town of Newcastle and gave mony towards this wall which was not bestowed C And that divers purpreslures were then incroached upon by the good men of the Town of Newcastle upon the Moat of the Newcastle built by William Rufus adjoyning thereunto And to the end that the then Sheriffe of Northumberland might present these incroachments into the Chancery whereby to discover their unjust dealing and intrusion upon the said Moat of the said Castle they the said good men gave to him the said Sheriffe a gift or bribe of ten Marks that he might not vex them as by the said Record more at large appears c. CHAP. V. THe said King Edward the Third by his Letters Pattents dated at Westminster the tenth day of May in the one and thirtieth yeer of his Reign confirms all former Charters with an addition of his own that he for himself and his Heirs Granted Demised and Confirmed unto his honest men of the Town of the Newcastle upon Tyne his Town of Newcastle before called Manchester with all its Appurtenances for a hundred pound per Annum to be paid to the said King and his Heirs c. Which he the said King confirms to the said men and Burgesses and to their Heirs for ever And because on the behalf of the said Burgesses of the said Town it was humbly supplicated to the said King That whereas the said Moore and Lands called Castle-fields and Castle-moor on the North-side of the said Town of Newcastle from a certain place called Ingler Dike c. as the same are butted and bounded c. even to the said Town of Newcastle are the lands and soil of the said Town of Newcastle belonging to the same beyond memory with all profits coming of the said Lands Moor and Soil as by an Inquisition thereof taken and returned into the Chancery appeareth And albeit the said Burgesses and their Predecessors from the time they have had the said Town to farm they have held the said Moor and Land as though it were appertaining to the said Town and have alwayes hitherto peaceably and quietly had and reaped all the profits coming of the said Moor and Lands yet the said Burgesses now they are turned from honest men to Burgesses the next will be to For that there is no mention made of the said Moor and Lands albeit they be of the Appurtenances of the said Town do fear that they may be impeached afterwards and for that the said Town as well by reason of the last Pestilence at that time as by the hazards of Wars and divers other adversities was so impoverished and destitute of men that the profits of the said Town sufficed not for the payment of the said Farm as they then pretended The said King being willing to provide for their indempnity in that behalf and for him and his Heirs granted that they and their Heirs might have and hold the same Moor and Soil as if it were appertaining to the said Town with all profits out of the same c. And that they the said Burgesses and their Heirs in the said Moor and Lands may dig and may have Coal Slaiâ— and Stâ—ne there and from thence may draw them and may make their profit of the said Coals Slait and Stones and other profits coming out of the said
say unto them ye shall not respect their debts for any gift or favour when ye may raise them without grievance to the Debtor Ye shall truly and righteously treat the people of your Sheriffwick and do right well to poor as to rich in all that belongs to your Office Ye shall do no wrong to any man for any gift or other behest or promise of goods for favour nor hate ye shall disturb no mans right ye shall acquit at the Exchequer all those of whom ye shall any thing receive of the Keepers c. debts ye shall nothing take whereby the Keepers c. may loose or that Right may be letten or disturbed or the Keepers c. debt delaid Ye shall truly receive and truly serve the Keepers c. Writs as far forth as it shall be in your cunning ye shall not have to be your Under-Sheriff any of the Sheriffs Clerks of the last years passed ye shall take no Bayliff into your service but such as you will answer for ye shall make each of your Bailiffs make such Oath as you make your self in that that belongeth to their occupation ye shall receive no Writs by you nor any of yours unsealed nor any sealed under the seal of any Justice save of Justices of Eyre or Justices assigned in the same Shire where you be Sheriff in or other Justices having power or authority to make any Writs unto you by the Law of the Land You shall make your Bayliffs of the true and sufficient men in the Country ye shall be dwelling in your own proper person within your Bayliwick for the time you shall be in the same Office except you shall be licenced by the Keepers c. you shall not let your Sheriffwick nor any Bayliwick thereof to farm to any man ye shall truly set and return reasonable and due luses of them that be within your Bayliwick after their estate and behavior and make your pannel your self of such persons as be most meet most sufficient and not suspect nor procured as it is ordained in the Statute and over this in eschewing and restraining of the Robberies Manslaughters and other manifold grievous offences that be done daily by such as name themselves Souldiers and by other Vagrants by which increase in multitude and number so that the good people may not safely ride nor go to do such things as they have to do to their intollerable hurt and hinderance Ye shall truly and effectually with all diligence possible to your power execute the Statute of Winchester for Vaggabonds All these things ye shall well and truly observe and keep So help you God It is the judgement of learned Councel that Sheriffs may be indicted for perjury by wilful neglect of their duty as other persons wilfully or procuringly perjures themselves c. King Hen. 3. King Henry the 3. Was Crouned at the age of 9 Yeres the 28 october 1216 he Raigned 56 Yeres and 20 daiâ—s dyed the 16 of nouember 1272 tyeth buried at Westminster None to be condemned but by the judgement of the Law SStat ninth year of his Reign chap. 29. in Parliament enacts that no Free-man shall be taken or imprisoned or be disseazed of his Free-hold Liberties or free Customs or pass upon him or condemn him but by lawful Judgement of his Equals or by the Law of the Land we will not sell to no man we will not defer to any man either Justice or Right Reg. fo 186. Coke Pla. 456. Dyer fo 104. Coke lib. 5. fo 64. lib. 10. fo 74. lib. 11. fo 99. Stat. 2. Edw. 3. 8. 5. Edw. 3. 9. 14. Edw. 3. 14. 28. Edw. 3. 3. 11. Rich. 2. 10. 3. Carol. Pet. of Right See ch 38. A. C. Bakers and Brewers faulty to be punished Stat. 51. year of his reign 1266 Enacts That if any Baker or Brewer be convict because he hath not observed the Assize of Bread and Ale for the first second and third time he shall be amerced according to his offence but if he amend not then to suffer punishment of body the Baker to the Pillory and Brewer to the Tumbrel which shall not be remitted for Gold nor Silver and Impowres Ale Cunners in every Town c. every Baker to set his own mark on his Bread See ch 49. C King Hen. 4. HENRY the 4. borne at Bollingbroke in the Countie of Lincolne began his Raigne the 26. of September 1399. Raigned 13. yeares 6. moneths died in Aâ— D 1413. Of the age of 46. Yeares buried at Canterbury Justice shall be done in England STat. first year of his Reign Chapter the first Enacts the confirmation of the Liberties of England and all Statutes not repealed Peace shall be maintained and Justice shall be done to all men Sheriffes shall not let their County to Farm Stat. the fourth year of his Reign Chapter the fifth Enacted that every Sheriff in England shall abide in proper person within his Bayliwick for the time he shall be such Officer And that he shall not let his Bayliwick to Farm to any man for the time that he occupieth such Office and that the said Sheriffe be sworn from time to time to do the same in special amongst other Articles comprized in the Oath of Sheriffs Stat. 23. Hen. 6. 10. King Henry the Fifth Henry the 5. began his Raigne the 20. of March. Was Crounâ—d At Westminster the 9 of Aprill 1413. He Raigned 9 Yeares 2. months died in the casteâ— of Boyes nere paris the 13 of Augâ—st 1422. buried at Westminster Coals to pay two pence per Chaldron Custome and Keels to be measured A STat. the ninth year of his Reign Chap. 9. 10. It was Enacted the King should have two pence of every Chalder of Coals of Unfranchized men in the River and Port at Newcastle upon Tyne as Customes And for the better knowledge of such Customes ordains that all Keels or Boats which carried Coals to ships should be of the just burden of twenty Chaldron of Coals notwithstanding this Act the Newcastle men made the Keels to carry some two and some three and twenty to wrong the King of his Customes which great Cheat was proved in Parliament where they Enacted to prevent such like for the future that sworn Commissioners should mark all Keels and other Vessels carrying Coals to ships upon pain of forfeiture of Keel and Coals See Chap. 9. A 11. Chap. 1 King Henry the Sixth Henry the 6 of the age of 8 moneths Began his Raigne 〈◊〉 of September 1422 Crowned at Westminster the 6 of Nouember 1429 Afterward Crowned at Paris 7 September 14â—â— Raigned 38 yeares 6 moneths 4 dayes Buried at Winsore Punishments of Customers for not clearing Ships A STat. the eleventh year of his Reign Chap. 15. Enacted That for as much as the Customers and Controlers in the Kings Ports do not write any Warrants in discharge of Merchants of their Merchandizes by them shewed and duely customed Transported or Imported the same Customers and