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take any thing from them by force V. That they might hold their lands, and recover their just dues from whomsoever they be owing. VI. That they should hold their lands and tenures within the borough, according to the custom of the borough of Ipswich. VII. That none of them shall be fined or amerced, but according to the laws of the Free-boroughs, VIII. And that they might choose two bailiffs and four coroners out of the more lawful men of the said town; meaning by this the principal men of the town, and such as were before the enfranchisement of the charter, in a condition nearest to that of a free and fawful man, properly so called.

King Edward I. in the thirteenth year of his reign, for certain excesses and offences committed by the burgesses of Ipswich, (but what these were is not mentioned) seized the borough into his own hands, and kept it till his nineteenth year; when being pleased, (as it is said) with the service of some ships from Ipswich, in his expedition against Scotland; he re-granted the borough with its liberties, &c. to the burgesses, and confirmed the charters of king John and Henry III, by his charter, dated at Berwick, the 2 June, 19 Edward III. or A D. 1291. But he punished the town sufficiently, by raising the annual rent full 50 per cent, for instead of sixty marks, or 40 pounds,

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he made it sixty pounds; and thus it hath continued ever since.

The burgesses of Ipswich were a second time deprived of their charter on the 18th of Edward III. on the following occasion, at the assizes, which were held by a judge named Sharford, some sailors whose attendance was necessary, thought that his lordship staid too long at dinner; one of them in a frolic, took his seat upon the bench, and caused another to make proclamation, requiring William Sharford to come into court and save his fine; and as he did not appear directed him to be fined. The judge, who was a morose man, so highly resented the joke, that because the magistrates refused to apprehend the sailors, he prevailed upon the king to seize the liberties of the borough, the government of which was accordingly committed to the sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk; but before the expiration of a year it appears to have been exercised by the bailiffs as usual.

Next to the charter of king John that granted in 24 king Henry VI. was most beneficial; by this he incorporated the town by the name of "The Burgesses of Ipswich." He authorised them in every year to elect two burgesses to be bailiffs at the accustomed time and place, to exercise that office for one whole year. He granted to the bailiffs, and four such other burgesses as the said bailiffs shall be pleased to

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take them out of the twelve Portmen, the office of justice of the peace, &c. within the said town; granted all fines, forfeitures, and amercements arising from the office of justice of the peace, &c and the assizes of bread, wine, and ale; appointed such one of the bailiffs, as at the time of their election the burgesses shall choose, to be Escheator; and expressly granted the admiralty and clerkship of the market.

King Henry VI. being of the house of Laneaster, his successor Edward IV. recites in his charter all the charters of the former kings, but takes no notice of this. From hence it has happened that the charter of king Henry VI. is never mentioned; but it is certain the burgesses accepted it, and acted under it; for in the 26 Hen. VI. it was ordered that all the profits of the offices of Escheator and justice of the peace should be applied towards the expence of the building at the end of the hall of pleas. Robert Wode was the first escheator, elected in form 24 Henry VI. It is to be observed, that though the assize of bread, &c. and the offices of Admiral and Clerk of the market were first expressly granted in this charter of Henry VI. the bailiffs did always exercise those offices by the custom of the town. Thus particularly, on a Quo Warranto for removing the fish market in the time of Henry III. they justified them

selves by the custom, and that plea was admitted.

Though Edward IV would take no notice of the preceding charter, he himself granted all the previleges mentioned in that, with the following alterations and additions.

He incorporated the town by the name of the bailiffs, burgesses, and commonality of the town of Ipswich. He confined the election of bailiffs expressly to the eighth of September, and in the Guild-hall; and they were to serve for one year from thence next following; and he expressly exempted the burgesses from service ou juries.

The succeeding kings confirmed the charters of their predecessors; but the most interesting charter since those of Henry VI. and Edward IV. was that of Charles the II, who in his seventeenth year (to rectify some irregularities, and settle some disputes which had arisen in the preceding times of confusion, particularly with regard to the election of Portmen, and the twenty-four chief constables) granted his charter, in which he confirms the high steward, the twelve portmen, the twenty-four chief constables, the recorder and town clerk for that time being, by their names; and directed that upon the death or removal of one or more of the portmen or chief constables, all elections of portmen shall be made by the rest or residue of the port

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men, and all elections of the twenty-four should be made by the rest or residue of them, &c.

After the example of most other boroughs, towards the latter end of the reign of king Charles II. the burgesses of Ipswich surrendered their charter; and, instead of it in 36 Charles II. they received another, which reduced the number of chief constables to eighteen; and in this a power was reserved, that the crown might by an order of counsel, turn out any of the Portmen and eighteen chief constables, when and as often as his majesty and his successors, shall be pleased so to do. And therefore upon the publication of king James's proclamation of 17 October, 1688, the bailiffs, portmen, and twenty-four men who had acted under the first charter of 17 Charles II. resumed their functions; they assembled and filled up their bodies respectively, and from these portmen, and these twenty-four men, are the present portmen and twenty-four men in succession derived.

The principal officers in the corporation at present are, two bailiffs, a high-steward, a recorder, twelve portmen, of whom four are justices of the peace; a town clerk, twentyfour chief constables, of whom two are coroners; and the twelve sienors are head-boroughs; a treasurer, and two chamberlains to collect the revenues of the town. The corporation have fifteen livery servants, viz. five musicians,

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