All burgesses summoned by the common sergeant to come to the [gild]hall and failing to appear before the hammer is struck for the second time shall pay 4d. If he sits down before paying the 4d., he must pay 8d. If he absents himself for the duration of the whole meeting, he must pay 12d. If, on the next time he returns to the hall he sits down before paying the 12d. or offering to the assembly an excuse for his absence, he shall be fined 2s. to the use of the community.

["Burgesses" here likely refers to the members of the recently instituted Common Council. A very similar ordinance was passed in October 1425 and it is difficult to know whether that above is simply a variant draft, or an earlier ordinance on the same subject. The 1425 ordinance applied to the jurats, councillors and chamberlains who arrived after the mayor had taken his seat (4d. fine); 8d. was the fine for sitting down without offering an excuse, 2s. for failing to offer an excuse for being absent for an entire congregation, and 4d. for any jurat refusing to sit in a particular place designated by the mayor. There were evidently periodic ordinances on this matter, for in October 1421 the corporation confirmed an earlier ordinance (record of which has not survived) imposing a fine of 12d. on any jurat or councillor failing to attend a congregation when advised to do so, and 4d. fine for arriving late (again defined as after the mayor had taken his seat).]