Markets

Markets.

II. 55. Letter from Lady Dorothy Stafford and Mary Scudamore, (fn. 1) Ladies-in-Waiting upon the Queen, to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, on behalf of Annes Bartlett, daughter of Richard Stowe, late of London, bone-setter, and Robert Stewart, his servant, complaining that the fourteen butchers' stalls in Leadenhall, bequeathed to them, had been withholden by his Lordship, and praying that they might be restored, or a full compensation allowed.
From the Court at Greenwich, 26th May, 1595.

III. 40. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and the Recorder (Sir Henry Montague), stating that the Fishmongers' Company had complained to them that, whereas of ancient time there had been appointed three several markets within the City for the sale of watered, salt, and fresh sea fish by retail, viz., Old and New Fish Streets and the Stocks, which had been thus instituted by the ancient custom and usage of the City, and by many Charters granted by His Majesty's progenitors to the Fellowship, that the store and quantity of fish to be sold might appear there to the buyers, for the better governing of the price, and that the Wardens might more readily survey the same, and see whether it was wholesome, but that persons now sold fish in such corners and remote places as might best serve to sell their bad and unwholesome fish without control or oversight of the Company. Order should be taken with such Fishmongers for keeping such markets. When the Council heard further from the Company what other persons they complained of, and in what places in or near the City they sold their fish, they would proceed to remedy any abuse.
25th February, 1611.

VII. 141. Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London to the Lords of the Council, reciting that, contrary to their Charter of the 1st Edward III., confirmed by Parliament in the 7th Richard II., by which no market was to be permitted within five miles of the City, one Henry Darrell was seeking to obtain a grant from the King for the erection of two markets, on Tuesday and Saturday, and three fairs in the year, to continue six days each, in the parish of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, and praying the Council by their mediation to obtain a stay of the grant.

A Note is appended that, upon consideration of the Petition, the Council requested Mr. Secretary Windebank to acquaint the King therewith, whereupon order was given to the Attorney-General to proceed no further with the Patent.
Dated in margin, 10th April, 1635.

VII. 196. Order in Council, reciting that a Petition had been presented to the Board from Henry Darrell and the inhabitants of the parish of St. Giles-in-the-Fields and adjacent parts, stating that King James had granted to Trinity College, Oxford, six markets and twelve fairs towards the building of their hall, which grant had, in July, 1632, been confirmed by the present King. Two of these markets and three fairs had been purchased of the College by the Petitioners. In August, 1634, a Petition for settling the said markets and fairs in a piece of ground in the parish of St. Giles, belonging to the King, had been referred to Sir Henry Spiller, (fn. 2) Sir Kenelm Digby, (fn. 3) and George Gage, (fn. 4) Esq., who certified to the convenience and necessity thereof, whereupon they were granted by the King, on the 15th December, 1634, one-fourth of the toll being reserved to the Duke of York. (fn. 5) The Petitioners had thereupon sued out a Writ of ad quod damnum, which, by a jury of sufficient freeholders, had been found very convenient, and to the damage of none, and a book had accordingly been drawn up by the AttorneyGeneral, for the King's signature. On a complaint from the City of London to the Council, the King had directed proceedings to be stayed, but in January, 1636, the Attorney-General had been ordered to proceed; the Petitioners therefore prayed they might be no longer hindered. The Council had directed a Copy of the Petition to be sent to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and that they should answer by Counsel or otherwise. The Petitioners and the City had been that day heard, and the Charter of the 6th March, 1st Edward III., made in Parliament, granting that no markets should be allowed within seven miles of the City, which Charter was, in the 7th Richard II., confirmed by Parliament, had been pleaded. It had been further alleged that the grants prayed for would be inconvenient and prejudicial to the City; would draw a great number of inhabitants into those parts, and cause more erections of buildings and divided houses. The City had, by Charter of King John, the Sheriffwick of London and Middlesex, for which they paid to the King 300l. per annum. The principal means of raising this sum was by the toll on cattle coming to the markets, and the proposed markets and fairs, if allowed, would disable the City from raising their rent. The Council were of opinion it would be very inconvenient and unfit that there should be any market or fair at St. Giles's-in-the-Fields, contrary to the grants in Parliament, and therefore ordered their decision to be entered in the Register of Council causes.
At the Inner Star Chamber, 17th May, 1637.

IX. 80. Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London to the King, stating that, by the Charter of the late King, in the sixteenth year of his reign, and by former Charters, granted to the Petitioners by his progenitors and confirmed by His Majesty, no market should be erected or permitted within seven miles of the City, and though attempts had been made in times past to erect markets in direct violation of their ancient privileges, upon their application, the same had been made void. Attempts were now being made to erect markets in the suburbs and parts adjacent, one in East. Smithfield, by one Barnehurst; another in the Parish of Stepney, by the Earl of Cleveland, (fn. 6) and others in other places, which would cause exceeding damage to the City. The Petitioners prayed the King to maintain the City's ancient privileges, and to prevent the erection of the said new markets.
(Circa 1664.)

IX. 81. Letter from Sir Henry Bennet, Secretary of State, by command of the King, to the Lord Mayor &c., acknowledging the above Petition, and informing them that he had referred the same to the Attorney-General for his consideration and opinion.
26th April, 1664.

IX. 82. Opinion of the Attorney-General, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, thereon.
2nd May, 1664.

IX. 83. The opinion of Sir Heneage Finch, Solicitor-General, upon the same subject.
(1664.)

IX. 84. Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London, to the King, calling attention to their former Petition, and requesting His Majesty to declare his will and pleasure therein.
(1664.)

IX. 85. Petition of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to the King, stating that they had been informed that one Barnehurst had obtained His Majesty's warrant to erect three weekly markets in East Smithfield, contrary to their several Charters before referred to, and requesting him to withhold his said warrant, until the Petitioners had been heard by the Council, upon the subject.
(1664.)