FOrasmuch as diuers parcels of Plate of her Maiesties, and of other persons of honor and credite, haue of late yeares beene stolne, and her Highnesse Armes or honorable Eschochions, and the Es­chochions of others, owners, therevppon being engrauen, haue beene defaced and blemished: and many Iewels, Chaines, and Bracelets, and such like thinges of Golde and Pearle, haue beene imbezelled from diuers honorable persons and others. And for that within this Cittie and the Li­berties of the same, there be very many Burgularies, Robberies, and Fellonies, dayly committed and done, many vile and notable Coozenages and deceites practised and put in vre, and many hou­ses also infected with the Plague, by reason that diuers persons, called Retayling Broggers, Brokers or Hucksters, and others, such as vse to buy olde Apparell, Householdstuffe, Bedding, Bookes, Endes, and Remnants of Silkes and Veluets, or of Lin­nen and Wollen cloth, or such like, to sell agayne, inhabiting within the same Cittie and the Liberties thereof: vnder pretence of lawfull and iusticiable contracting, doe often, very secretely for vnhonest lucre, and that most ordinarily, vppon the Sabbaoth dayes, Festiuall dayes, and other Holy dayes, whereon no markets ought to bee kept, nor bargaines, contractes, or sales to bee made, receiue, buy, and take to pawne, at the handes of base, shifting, and suspected persons, for very low prices, or small soms of money, diuers Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandises, Apparell, Bookes, and Bedding, Remnantes and Endes of Silkes, Veluets, and of Linnen and Wollen cloth, and other such like thinges, whereof the greatest part are stolne, some part gotten from the owners by Coozenage and sleight, and some newly brought out of houses infected with the Plague, takinge thereof billes of sale. And the same doe presently sell againe, & transact sometimes to persons vnknowne, sometimes to French and Dutch Brokers, who secretely conuay and make transportation thereof beyond the Seas, so that the right proprietors and true owners, by coulour of such pretended sales and secrete transportation, are not onely frustrated and depriued of all ordinary meanes for recouery or restitution of their saide goods, but also the fellons and malefactors, are thereby for the most part encou­raged and their offences cloaked and concealed. For due reformation whereof bee it enacted by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons in this Common Councell assembled, and by the authoritie of the same, that from hencefoorth, no Retaylinge Brogger, Broker, or Huckster, nor any other person or persons whatsoeuer, within this Cittie or the Liberties thereof, shall vp­on any Sabbaoth day, Festiuall day, or other Holy day, being not open market dayes, receiue, buy, or take to pawne, or sell a­ny Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Householdstuffe, Apparell, Bookes, Bedding, or any Endes or Remnantes of Silkes, Veluets, or of Linnen, or Wollen cloth, or any such like thing. And that for euer hereafter there shalbe kept and written within this Cittie and Liberties thereof, true and perfect Register bookes, by fower such honest and sufficient persons, being Free-men of this Cittie, as from time to time, by the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the saide Cittie, shalbe to that purpose nominated appoynted and sworne, and at such certayne places, as by the same Court shalbe likewise appoynted, Wherein they shall truely and particularly enter, aswell the names and surnames of euery such Retayling Brogger, Broker, and Huckster, and of euery other person, with the place of his and their dwelling, who shall receiue, buy, or take to pawne any Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Householdstuffe, Apparell, Bookes, Bedding, Endes, and Remnauntes of Silkes, Veluets, or of Linnen or Wollen cloth, or such like. And of euery such person and persons, with the place of his and [Page]their dwelling, who shall at any time hereafter, deliuer, sell, or impawne the same, As also a true, plaine, and particular note, and certayne description of all and euery such thinge or thinges, so deliuered, solde, or layde to Pawne, to any such Retay­ling Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or to any other person or persons, with the true and iust prices and summes of money, for which the same are or shalbe so deliuered, solde, or impawned: To the intent that any person from whome any such thinges haue bene vnlawfully taken or conuaighed, may make search in the saide Register bookes for the same. And bee it further ena­cted that no such Retayling Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, nor other person whatsoeuer, within the same Cittie, or Liberties thereof, shall at any time hereafter directly or indirectly by himselfe, or colourably by any other, buy, receiue, or take to Pawne, or to keepe as pledge or pawne, or cause or suffer any other to his vse, to buy, receiue, or take to pawne, or to keepe as a pledge or pawne, any Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Apparell, Householdstuffe, Bookes, Beddinge, or any Endes of Silkes, Veluets, or of Linnen or Wollen cloth, or any other such like thinges whatsoeuer, before such time as such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person or persons, haue brought and presented to the Registers or such as shalbe appointed to kepe the said Register Bookes, and at such place or places, where such Register Bookes shall be appointed to be kept as aforesaid, or to one of them, all such partie and parties, who shall offer any such Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandises, Appa­rell, Householdstuffe, Bookes, Beddinge, Remnantes, or Endes of Silkes, Veluet, Linnen, or Wollen cloth, or any such like thing, to sale, keepe, or pawne, and haue plainely and openly shewed to the said Registers, or to some of them, who shalbe ap­pointed to keepe the same bookes, All such thing or thinges so offered to pawne or sale, without any alteration of the nature, colour or quallitie thereof. Nor before such time as he haue caused true note and entry to be registred in some one of the sayde Register bookes, aswell of the names and surnames, and dwelling place or places of the persons which shall so buy, receiue, or take the same to pawne, or to kepe, and of the partie or parties, who shall so offer to sale or pawne or to be kept, any such thing as aforesaide. As also a true plaine and perfect entrie or note, describinge the nature, colour, and qualitie of the thinge or thinges so offered to sale, or pawne, or to be kept, and of the true prices, and summes of money, for which the same are to bee solde or impawned, And whether the same bee absolutely and bona fide solde, impawned, or left to be kept, And if the same shalbe impawned, or left to be kept, then, for what time of Redemption, and when to be redeliuered. And if the same shall be absolutely and bona fide solde, That then it shall not be lawfull vnto, or for any such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other per­son or persons whatsoeuer to make sale, put away, or alter the nature, colour, or qualitie of the thinge or thinges so absolutely and bona fide solde as aforesaide, within the space of seauen dayes next after the buying thereof. To the intent that if it haue bene stolne, the right proprietors and owners, may freely view and see the same, For euery which entrie, euery such Broggar, Broker, and Huckster and other person or persons, shall pay to the Keeper of the saide Register booke, one halfe penny, if the thing or thinges so entred, be to be sold, kept or impawned for fiue shillinges or vnder. And if the same bee to bee solde, kept, or impawned, for more then fiue shillinges, then he or they shall pay for euery such entrie, one penny, and no more. And bee it further enacted that no such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person or persons whatsoeuer, within the said Cittie or Li­berties thereof, after notice or warninge giuen to hym or them by any of the saide Registers, of any Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, or any other thinges, affirmed to be stolne, shall buy, receiue, or take the same to pawne, or to keepe, or cause the same to bee bought, receiued, or taken to pawne, or to bee kept, directly or indirectly, or alter any propertie thereof, to defraude her Maiestie, or the right owners thereof, but shall make stay of any such thing or things so offered to sale, or pawne, or to be kept, And shall cause the partie or parties so offering the same to sale, or pawne, or to bee kept, to bee apprehended and brought before some of her Maiesties Iustices of Peace within the same Cittie, to bee examined concerning the same Fellonie supposed. And at euery such apprehension shall giue notice & knowledge to the same Register, who left the said warning aswell of the partie so taken, as of such goods by him or them so offered to be solde, impawned or kept, To the intent that the right owner, or owners of the same may bee aduertised of the saide Register, of the partie and goods, so taken and apprehended. And if any such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person whatsoeuer, within the sayde Cittie or Liberties thereof, shall haue bought, receiued, or taken to pawne, or to keepe, any such Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, or other things as aforesaid, being stolne, before any such notice or warning thereof giuen to him as aforesaide. Then presently vpon such no­tice [Page]or warning, he shall come to one of the saide Registers, and truely declare to him how, when, and of whome hee bought or tooke the same to pawne, or to keepe. And whether he haue made sale thereof againe or not. And if hee haue not made for­mer sale thereof before warning or notice giuen, that such thinge is stolne, as aforesaide, Then hee shall not make sale or alter the forme, colour, nature, or propertie thereof, within the space of seauen dayes following, To the intent the right proprietors may freely view and see the thinges supposed to be stolne. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid: that the Kee­pers of the saide Register bookes, nor any of them, shall not exacte or demaunde of any person or persons, for any search to bee made in the saide Register bookes, aboue the somme of one penny, except the parties comming to make search, doe desire that search may bee made for longer time then one moneth before. And then the saide parties shall pay for euery such search, two pence and not aboue, neither shall demaund or exact for entring or registring of any note, aboue the value and rate aboue decla­red, vpon paine to forfeite their saide offices or places. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaide, That no such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster or other person whatsoeuer, shall conceale, chaunge, or falsely reporte the names or surnames, or dwellinge places of such person or persons, that shall sell, impawne, or leaue to keepe, any such thinges as aforesaide, whereby any false entrie shall or may bee made into the saide Register bookes, or any entrie omitted contrary to the intent of this Act, And that no such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, nor any other person whatsoeuer, shall buy, receiue, or take to pawne, or to keepe, or sell, any such Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Apparell, Bookes, Bedding, or other such like thinges, which hath come out of any house infected with the plague within the space of three monethes before such sale, receiuing, or takinge to pawne, or to keepe. Nor shall put to sale any such Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Apparell, Beddinge, Bookes, Householdstuffe, or such like, before he haue hanged or laide open the same vppon the walles, or open stalles, in open strecte, or other open place, to the view of Passengers, by the space of seauen dayes at the least. And that no such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, nor any other person or persons whatsoeuer, shall transport beyond the Seas any Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, old Apparell, or householdstuffe whatsoeuer, before he haue caused true entrie therof to be made into the sayd Register [...]es, or one of them as aforesayd, and before [...] of the said Officers, or Keepers of the sayd Register bookes aforesayd, haue taken view thereof. And furthermore that n [...] Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person whatsoeuer, within the sayd Cittie and Liberties thereof, shall sell, lend, hyre out, or giue away, any pawne, pledge, or gage, before the same be forfeyted for want or fault of redempcion. And bee it further enacted by the same authoritie, That if any such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person whatsoeuer, shall offende or make default in any article, clause, pointe, or matter, contrary to the true meaning of this Act, Then euery such Broggar, Broker, or Huckster, or other person so offending, or making de­fault, shall forfeite for euery such offence or default, the summe of fiue poundes of lawfull mony of England. The one halfe ther­of to be to the vse and behoofe of the Mayor, Comminalty, and Citizens of London, the other halfe to the vse of such Officers or persons as shalbe appointed by the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen for the keeping of the said Register booke or bookes as aforesayd. And shall also forfeite to the party grieued, the full value of the thing so bought, receyued, or taken to pawne, or to keepe, and concealed or vntruely entered. All which forfeytures or penalties, shall bee recouered by Action of Debt, Bill, Plainte, or Information, in any of the Queenes Maiesties Courtes holden within the sayd Citty. Prouided alwayes that this Act nor any thing therein contayned, shall not extende to prohibite or restrayne any such Broker, or Huckster, or any other person, But that they may lawfully and openly buy any such Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, or other thinges aforesayde, at a­ny Out-roope within this Citty or Liberties thereof, as freely as they might before the making of this Acte. And that thys Act shall not extende to the preiudice of any Merchant vsing the trade of Merchandize, nor to the preiudice of any Broker, be­tweene Merchant and Merchant, except in such case, where any such Broker, shall happen to deale as a Retayling Broker or Huckster, as aforesayd. Any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding. And be it further enacted that the former Act made heretofore at the Common Councell here holden the nine and twentieth day of May, in the fixe and thirtieth yeare of the Queenes Maiestyes raigne, for reformation of the abuses for Brokers shall from hencefoorth be vtterly repealed and voide.

God saue the Queene.