FOrasmuch as it is found by daily experience, That notwithstanding many good Lawes, Orders, and Ordinances heretofore made for amoving and preventing of annoyan­ces and abuses by Dust, Dirt, and Soile, Filth, noysome Stenches and Smells within the Streets, Lanes, and other places of this City and Liberties thereof; yet through the great unskilfulnesse, ignorance, and negli­gence [Page 6] of the Officers called Scavingers, and their Substi­tutes, principally occasioned by the yearely renewing and change of the persons, and the many particularities and divisions of them and their powers and authorities re­strained and limited into, and unto every Parish and Pre­cinct; the Streets, Lanes, and Alleyes of the said Citie, and Liberties thereof, are continually much pestered and made extreme offensive to the Inhabitants and Passen­gers, with ashes, dust, dirt, rubbish and filth, and with noysome and unwholsome smels, the Common Sewers and passages for Water are choaked up, and the River of Thames made daily lesse Navigable by the Seacole-Ashes and other Soile washed out of the Streets. For the pre­vention and hinderance of all which annoyances, and pre­servation of the said Citie and Liberties thereof, in all possible cleannesse and wholsomnesse, an expedient and fit means hath been contrived and propounded by John Lanyon Esquire, which having been throughly and duely considered of, and judged most advantagious, and con­ducing to that end, is allowed and approved of: And the said John Lanyon hath undertaken the execution and per­formance thereof. For the better effecting whereof, Be it Enacted by this Common Councell, That the parti­culars ensuing be hereafter duely kept and observed by all and every person and persons inhabiting within this City and Liberties thereof, or resorting thereunto re­spectively, as they and every of them tender the Honour and Welfare of this City, and the Government there of, viz.

That every Street, Lane, Market-place, publique Wharfe, Key, Court, open and publique Yard, way [Page 7] and passage within the said City and Liberties thereof, shall from time to time, and at all times hereafter be main­tained and kept by every particular Inhabitant or Owner respectively, according to the extent, length, and lati­tude of the house, building, or ground of every particular Inhabitant or owner toward the respective Streets, Lanes, Alleys, publique Wharfs, Keyes, Courts, open and pub­lique Yards, wayes and passages aforesaid, with meet, con­venient, sufficient, and due proportioned pavements and currents for water to passe; And that no Seacole-ashes or other matter but gravell only be used by any Pavier or other, for paving, or amending of pavements in and for the Foundation thereof. And that no person or per­sons whatsoever now or hereafter inhabiting or residing within this City or the Liberties thereof, by themselves or any of their Family, nor any other by their allow­ance, commandement, meanes or sufferance, after the five and twentieth day of December, which shall be in the yeare of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred fifty and five, either in the night or day time shall cast, lay, or leave, or suffer to be cast, laid, or lest, or permit to remaine before his, her, or their owne doores, walls, or houses in any Streets, Lanes, Alleys, common Courts, or Court-yards within this City and Liberties thereof: Nor shall any person or persons whatsoever, cast, lay, or leave in any of the said Streets, Lanes, Al­leys, common Courts, or Court-yards, any Seacole-ashes, Oyster-shells, bones, horns, tops of Turneps or Carrets, the shells or husks of any Peas or Beanes, nor any dead Dogs or Cats, offall of Beasts, nor any other ca­rion or putrid matter or thing, nor any Ordure or Ex­crements of Mankind or Beast, nor any manner of Rub­bish, [Page 8] Dust, Dirt, Soile, Filth, nor any other filthy or noy­some thing whatsoever; Nor shall make, temper, lay, cast, or throw any Lime, Mortar, Clay, or Loame; nor lay, throw, place or leave any Bricks, Stones, Earth, pie­ces of Timber, or Wood, nor breake, nor beate downe any walls of brick or plaister in the Streets, Lanes, Alleys, common Courts, or Court-yards aforesaid, for the building or repayring of any House or Houses, Edifice or Structure, or for any other use or purpose whatsoever, otherwise then within a Whord or Inclosure separated from the common and open way according to the ancient and accustomed manner; Nor shall scatter, spill, nor suffer to be scattered or spilt in any the Streets, Lanes, Alleyes, publique Wharfes, Keyes, Courts, and passages aforesaid any manner of Dung, Soap ashes, Earth or Rubbish; nor any Straw, Hay, Weeds, or other matter or thing used for packing or stuffing of any kind or sort of Wares, Merchandizes, or Victuals; Nor shall unlaw­fully burn, or expose to be burned any Wood, Straw, Hay, or other combustible matter in the Streets and places aforesaid, within this City and Liberties aforesaid. Pro­vided alwayes that this Act, or any thing herein con­tained shall not extend, or be construed to extend to the scattering or spilling of any Hay, Straw, Stubble, Brakes, Hearbs, Leaves, or other things within the compasse or precinct of any the publique Market-places of this Citie and Liberties thereof by the people resorting thereunto, for buying or selling there, occasioned by the unloading, unpacking, or opening, or loading, or packing up of any manner of Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, or Victuals which shall be brought to the same Market-places there to be sold, or which shall be there bought: Nor to the [Page 9] scattering or spilling of any such Hay, Straw, Stubble, Brakes, Weeds, Hearbs, Leaves, or other things in any Streets or publique places of the said Citie or Liberties thereof, occasioned by the unloading or unpacking, or loading or packing up of any Goods, Wares or Merchan­dizes, which shall be brought into, or carried from any Warehouse, Shops, or Inne within the said Citie or Liberties aforesaid. Provided neverthelesse, and be it Enacted, That the respective Shop-keepers, Warehouse-keepers, and Inne-keepers, of the Shops, Warehouses, and Innes aforesaid, doe immediately sweep, and gather up, or cause to be immediately swept and gathered up into meet Vessels all such scatterings and spillings of Hay, Straw, Weeds, or other things made, or caused to be made by his, her, or their particular occasions, and so keep the Streets, as thence no Dirt, Soile, or annoyance arise unto the adjacent parts and places, the same vessels to be emptied into the soile Carts.

And be it further Enacted for the purposes afore­said, That no person or persons shall hoop, wash, or cleanse any Pipes, Barrels, or other Casksor Vessels, nor wash, scowr, or rince any Cloth or other things in any the Streets, Lanes, or open passages aforesaid: Nor shall any Coachman, Carman, Drayman, Carter, or other person, feed or cause to be fed (except out of the hand or basket without scattering) any Horses or Oxen, or other Beasts or Cattell with Hay, Straw, Graines, or other things: Nor sift any ashes, nor keep, or cause to be kept or fed any Pigs or Swine, Ducks, Geese. Cocks, Hens, Chick­ens, Turkies, or any other Fowle, or Poultry in the Streets or places aforesaid.

[Page 10] And be it further Enacted, That every Inhabi­tant within every the Streets, Lanes, Courts, Alleys, open wayes and passages within the said City and Liberties thereof, shall daily every morning by eight of the clock in the morning from the 29^th. day of September, till the five and twentieth day of March, and by seven of the clock in the morning, from the five and twentieth day of March, till the nine and twentieth day of September, cause and procure his, her, and their respective pavement to be duely and cleanly swept, and the Dust, Dirt; and Soile arising thereupon to be laid together in some convenient place ready for the Soile-cart to take away: And shall likewise in like manner every morning cause and procure all the Sea-cole ashes, Dirt, Dust, and Filth daily arising, and made within his, her, and their respective houses and habitations (all manner of Rubbish onely excepted) to be daily brought forth in meet Vessells to the door, to be there ready to be taken away by the respective person or persons attending or driving the Soile-cart upon his or their call, or giving notice of coming therewith.

And be it further Enacted, That the present rates, taxes, and assesments for Scavingers and Rakers duties be hereafter duly and continually rated, taxed, assessed, raysed and levied by the Parishioners and Inhabitants of every Parish and Precinct within this City and Liberties thereof according to the ancient custome and usage of this Citie: And all new Messuages, Tenements, and Houses within the limits aforesaid, shall be likewise rated, taxed and assessed proportionably with others: And that as well the assesments for the same, as for any other charges con­cerning the cleansing or amending the Streets or Currents [Page 11] wherein many Inhabitants are joyntly concerned shall be made: And the Defaulters proceeded against according to Law, and the ancient usage, custome, and Ordinances of this City, and for the due and carefull prosecution and execution of all and singular the before mentioned premisses.

It is Enacted by this Common Councel, That the sayd John Lanyon shall be, and is hereby constituted and appointed Surveyer Generall of the Streets, and shall from time to time take and have the view and survey of the severall Streets, Lanes, Alleys, and common passages and places aforesaid, to finde out and discover every or any offence or abuse committed, omitted, done or suffered in any of the aforementioned particulars, or otherwise to the Nusance of the Inhabitants of this City and Liberties thereof: And also to view and peruse the severall presentments made yearely of the Wardmote In­quest, which (or the copies thereof) are for that purpose to be delivered him: And thereupon after fourteen dayes notice to the persons concerned, and the not removing or reforming the offence or Nusance within the time aforesaid, cause a speedy and strict prosecution to be had and made against all such Offenders by information, presentment, or otherwise according to Law, or to the Acts, Orders, Customes and Usages of this City, To the end such persons may have such Fines imposed upon them, or receive such punishment as their fauits shall deserve, and as in justice may be inflicted upon them.

And it is hereby further Enacted, by this Com­mon Councell, That the said John Lanyon and his [Page 12] Assignes shall have sole, full, and absolute: power and au­thority daily and every day (except Sabbath dayes and such other dayes as shall be prohibited, and forbidden by publique authority) to take cart, and carry away in shut, close, and covered Carts to be brought into, and passe through every the Streets and Places aforesaid passable, and to the Entries, Doors and Gates of the places afore­said not passable, from and after the five and twentieth day of December now next coming, for and during the full time and space of twenty and one yeares, from thence next ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended, at meet and convenient time and times in the day time, all and all manner of Seacole-ashes, Dust, Dirt, Soile and Filth that shall be so swept up and laid together without doors, or made and brought forth from within doors as aforesaid, or found in the Streets, and likewise that shall happen at the coming and passage of the said Carts to be found lying in the Streets, Lanes, and places aforesaid, whereby the Streets and places aforesaid may be preserved and kept sweet and clean. For the better effecting where­of, and removing all causes and colours of excuse

It is Enacted by, and with the consent of the said John Lanyon, That he the said John Lanyon or his Assigns shall cause and procure a loud Clapper alwayes to attend every such Cart, and to be sounded and make distinct and loud noyse at the coming and approach thereof into the Streets and places passable as aforesayd, and to be sounded in every Court, Alley, or place into which the sayd Carts cannot passe, and such Carts to abide and stay at the entrance into such Court. Alley, or place, or some other convenient place neer thereabouts, whilest [Page 13] the Inhabitants may bring, or cause to be brought their respective Dust, Dirt, Filth and Soyle to the respective Carts so staying as aforesaid. And that the sayd Iohn Lanyon or his Assignes during the terme aforesaid shall from time to time, and at all meet and convenient times in the day time have the use of all such publique Wharfs for unloading of any of the sayd Carts into Lighters, Barges, or other Vessels, and for staying the same Ligh­ters, Barges, or other Vessels as are in the dispose of this Court, or of the particular Wards of this City, he and they paying for the same such rates and prices as shall be adjudged reasonable and fit by indifferent persons for that end to be chosen and appointed: And that such part of the said Ashes, Dust, Dirt, and Soile as shall not be so transported, or carried away by water, the said Iohn Lanyon and his Assignes shall from time to time, and at all times during the said term of twenty and one years, carry, lay up, and dispose of at such fit distances to be a quarter of a mile at the least from the said Citie and the continued buildings of the Suburbs, or in such manner as no stench, noysom, or unwholsom smell or other nusance thence arise unto this City, Liberties, or Suburbs thereof. And for the better encouragement, enablement, satisfaction and recompence of the sayd Iohn Lanyon and his Assignes in his and their execution, prosecution, and performance of the aforesaid office and place of Generall Surveyor, and the provision and charges to be by him made and sustain­ed for, and in the cleansing and keeping clean of the said Streets, Lanes, Alleys and places aforesaid, within this City and Liberties thereof, and taking and carrying away the said Soyle during the said terme of twenty and one years, according to the true intent and meaning hereof.

[Page 14] Be it further Enacted, That all and every the said Assesments, Rates and Taxes so to be assessed, rated and taxed as aforesaid, shall quarterly, or within twenty eight dayes next after every of the four usuall Quarter dayes in the year, yearly during the said terme of twenty and one years, be duely and truly satisfied and payd unto the said Iohn Lanyon or his Assignes by the respective Scavingers thereof: And also that the said Iohn Lanyon or his As­signes may have and take one full moyety, or halfe part of all and every the Fines, Paines, and Mulcts that shall happen to be imposed, layd, or set upon any person or persons for breach or transgression of any Law, Order, Matter or Thing herein contained, the charges and ex­pences in and about prosecution, being first deducted and allowed to the Prosecutors: And likewise that all present contributions and allowances made, given and paid for, and towards the cleansing of the respective Market places, Grates, Wharfes and Keys within this City and the Li­berties thereof, shall duly and orderly during the said term of twenty and one yeares be allowed, given, and paid unto the said Iohn Lanyon and his Assignes.

Provided always, and it is Enacted, That the said Iohn Lanyon shall not at any time alienate and assigne the premisses or any part thereof without licence of this Court under the Common Seale of the sayd City first had and obtained. And if in case the said work (as to the part of the said Iohn Lanyon and his Assignes) shall not be well and sufficiently done and carryed on: And the Common Councell of this City shall give notice thereof to the sayd John Lanyon or his Assigns by writing. Then if he or they shall not from time to time, and at all [Page 15] times during the said terme of twenty and one years with­in six weeks after such notice, amend and rectifie such de­faults, Then the power and authority hereby granted, and every clause, article and thing in this Act contained, may by Act of Common Councell be declared null and void; And the same after such Declaration shall be and become forthwith null and void to all intents and purposes, any thing to the contrary notwithstanding.

And for the purposes aforesaid, be it Enacted, That Indentures shall be made between the Mayor, and Com­munalty and Citizens of this City of LONDON of the one part, and the sayd Iohn Lanyon of the other part, under the Common Seal of this City for the confirmati­on of the severall Grants and allowances hereby made unto the said Iohn Lanyon, and his Assignes during the said tearm of twenty and one yeares under Covenants on the said Iohn Lanyon's part, to do, perform, and execute all every the matters and things herein contained to be by him done, performed and executed concerning the clean­sing of the Streets and places aforesaid according to the true intent and meaning hereof: With a Proviso to be voyd upon the Conditions aforesaid in this Act before mentioned.