21 September 1358
[The record of these ordinances in B.M. Add.Ms.37791 is badly
damaged and parts are difficult to read.]
- Because the community recognizes that the office is burdensome
and costly, it is agreed that if a burgess is elected
mayor, accepts the office, takes
oath and serves for the year, then he is
exempt from holding the same office for two years following.
[This item is struck through, with the note "voided by
common assent".]
Each mayor, if he has served diligently and preserved the honour of
the town, is to receive £20 for his fee and shall be exempt from
taxation during his year in office; if not, then he shall have only
£10 and exemption from his tax.
If anyone elected as mayor refuses to accept the office, he shall
pay £20 to the community in return for being discharged from the
office for a period of two years (but shall be exempted from taxation
during the first year). If he refuses to pay the £20, the community
may use all powers at its disposal to levy the amount from him. In cases
where the person elected mayor is absent [at the time of his
election], he may come at a later time and offer the £20 to
be discharged. Any burgess elected chamberlain
may, if he wishes, be exempted from holding the same office again during
the next two years, on condition that he renders account within 15 days
[of leaving office] for all expenses and receipts.
No-one is to be made a chamberlain unless a
burgess and sufficient for that
office.
[This item is struck through, with the note "voided by
common assent, 14 August 1395". The reference to a chamberlain being
"sufficient" likely refers to having the means by which to be
distrainable for any arrears owing
to the community.]
No mayor is to place any charges [i.e. taxes or other
financial commitments] on the community without the aid and
counsel of his comburgesses and commoners.
[The comburgesses are presumably the
jurats, and the commoners are other
townsmen summoned to participate in assemblies possibly this was on
an ad hoc or rotational basis prior to the creation of a
Common Council.]
The 12 burgesses who are elected to give counsel to the mayor and
who elect another 12 to their number the which 24 (or the majority of
them) may, by advice of the mayor and chamberlains, ordain as seems
profitable [to the community].
Because burgesses [have proven] unwilling to appear
before the mayor to give aid and counsel regarding matters concerning
the community, it is ordained that if any burgess is summoned, by the
common sergeant or another, and defaults in appearance he shall pay 40d.
per occasion. If any [jurat?] defaults on election day
he shall pay 6s.8d, and each other burgess 12d. Each chamberlain who
fails to come [when summoned?] during the term of his
office [shall pay] 40d. per occasion. Unless they
provide a reasonable excuse.
Community taxations that are
granted from year to year are to be assessed in the first quarter of the
year and collected during the second quarter.