By-Laws of the Borough of Warwick, Warwickshire, 1571-1664, Z.d.10

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This article features a transcription of a Folger Shakespeare Library manuscript, By-Laws of the Borough of Warwick, Z.d.10, (1571-1664), featured in the Age of Lawyers Exhibition, September 12, 2015-January 3, 2016.

The borough of Warwick, which obtained its charter in the 1500s, used its by-laws to outline many aspects of its government. Among other subjects, they list the duties of the bailiff and the schedule of the two courts. Burgesses were also encouraged to call each other "brother" and avoid slandering each other, a common rule.

Transcription

Below is a semi-diplomatic transcription of Folger manuscript Z.d.10. The transcription below was created by the Early Modern Manuscripts Online (EMMO) project. To access an image of the original leaf, click on each transcription's heading.

Z.d.10

To the honour of [almi]ghtye god in due obedyence to our souer[eign]
the maiestrates & mutuall societye betwene man & man and for the conty[nued]
prosperytie of the Inhabytantes of the borough of Warwik Certeyn orders
devysed & agreid vppon The effect wherof folowith breifly in articles viz
The othe of the Bailieff 1
The othe of euery principall Burgeys 2
What propertyes in hym that shulde be chosen baylieff or burgeis are to be required 3
That euery bailieff & Burgeis doo comes to churche in tyme of dyvyne seruice 4
What apparell euery burgeis shall weare & use 5
That the Burgessis vse diligent obedyence to the bailieff 6
That the Burgeisses attend on the bailief at certen especiall tymes 7
That the Burgeisses attend on the baylief at faires & specyall proclamacions 8
The parte of euery burgeis hearing the bailief euyll spoken of 9
The burgeis dylygence to appeace frayes nere his dwelling 10
The behavyour of euery Burgeise in conseltacions 12
Appeasing of quarelles emonges burgeisseis 11
Order of speaking in consultacions & metynges 13
The placing of bailief & Burgeisses at their metynges 14
The electyd bailief to prepare hymself to take the office at haloutyde 15
euery bailieff to put in bande to make Acompt for his baliwik 16
What apparell & staff the bailief shall weare 17
The bailief to kepe the Court of recorde weikly 18
The bailieff to be in the market in the markett tyme 19
Examynacion of felons & Suspectes 20
parambulacyons to be made about the libertyes ones euery yere 21
Survey to be made of tenementes within the borough yerely 22
Survey of the possessions lieng out of the Town ones in three yere 23
That the bailieff cause a hall or metyng of the burgessis ones euery moneth 24
Sessions for measures & weightes to be kept twise euery yere 25
Bredd of bakers to be weid wekely 26
The balief to appoynt a deputye in his absence to exercise his office 27
What auctoryty the baliefes deputy shall have 28
The ponishment of persones vsing extorcion in their offices 29
ponishment for such of the company as shall vtter any Counsaill 30
ponishment for such as shall graunt their good Willes out of the house 31
ponishment for such as shall consent to surrender the corporacion or doo practise
any thinges prouidiciall or hurtfull to the same corporacion or borough 32
Confirmacion of the said Articles 33
Confirmacion of such orders as hereafter shalbe made by the nowe balieffes
Burgeiseis or by their Successours 34