said City, before she do eniure her self in Marriage, or contract Marriage, or else according to the Lawes of the Realme, doe perfectly solemnize or consummate Marriage with any Person before such time as aforesaid; that then every Person so offending, shall forfait and lose eight Shillings of every Pound of her Portion of the Goods of her late Husband, due to her by the laudable Custome of the said City: The same to go to the use of such Orphane, or Orphanes, as then shall be entituled to have or demand any Orphanage or Portion, after the Death of his or her late Father: the same to be demanded, asked, claimed, or sued for, against such Executrix or Administratrix, by Bill Original of Debt, to be commenced in our Soveraigne Lord the King's Court, holden in the utter Chamber of the Guild Hall of the said City, before the Lord Maior and Aldermen of the same City for the time being, any Law or Custom heretofore had, made, or used to the contrary notwithstanding. In which Action no Wager of Law or Essoin be admitted or allowed.

The Law or Act is called Judd's Law; and though not repealed, yet the Lord Maior and Aldermen sometimes, for especial Reasons, thought fit to dispense with the same Act in Favour of Orphans that sought Relief against the Penalties mentioned.

But of later Years, namely, in the Reign of King Charles II. the City Stock was so low, that there was not sufficient to pay the Orphans their Portions of Money that had been brought in for their Use. Which made no small Clamour and Noise against the City.

The Orphans Condition being thus bad by reason of the Insolvency of the City, they made a Petition to the Court of Common Council in their own behalf, and propounded therein some Ways and Means that their Debts might be satisfied. And Feb. 3. 1690. the Common Council ordered Sir William Turner, Sir William Pritchard, Sir John Moor, Sir Samuel Dashwood, Aldermen; Sir Thomas Vernon, Sir Ralph Box, Arthur Baron, John Morrice, Francis Griffith, John Johnson, John Midgeley, and Thomas Blackmore, Commoners, to consider the Petition of several Orphans, and to receive the Proposals of the said Petitioners, or any other, and to report their Opinions concerning the same to this Honourable Court.

Accordingly they made this Report, "That they thought it reasonable, as well for the Honour of the City, as for the Satisfaction of this Court, and of the said Orphans, humbly to offer their Opinion, viz. That"

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"be appropriated and settled, free of all Charges, by Act of Common Council, towards Payment of 4l. per Cent. per Annum, for the present Relief of the Orphans." And they proposed, that this Fund be offered to be confirmed in Parliament; and that Application be made to that most Honorable Court for farther Aid, as they in their great Wisdom shall think fit. Whereby a Fund of 24000 l. per Annum may be vested in the Maior and Citizens of London for Satisfaction of the Debts due to the present Orphans: And for a further Security of all Orphans Money thathereafter shall be paid into the Chamber of London. This Report they gave in May 11th, 1691, with the Subscription of their Names. And upon this the Act of Parliament Anno 1693, the 5th and 6th of William and Mary, was grounded, for raising an annual Sum of 8000l. to be appropriated a perpetual Fund for the Payment of the City Orphans. Whereby 4l. per Cent per Annum was allowed for ever, for every Orphan's principal Money, with the Interest of 5l. per Cent. to the Year 1683, and of 3l. per Cent. from thence to 1694. And the Common Council had Power to assess upon the personal Estates of the Inhabitants of the City, 2000l. a Year for the raising this perpetual Fund. And other Ways and Means were appointed for the making up the said Fund, specified in the Act.

And for the time to come, no Person is obliged or compelled by vertue of any Custom within the City, or by Order or Process of the Court of Orphans, to pay into the Chamber any Sum of Money, or personal Estate belonging to an Orphan of any Freeman.

More will be said of the Orpahns of the City, when we come to treat of the Courts belonging to the City. Only it may be observed in this Place, that in the Year 1716, an Act of Common Council was made for the Assessment of this 2000l. yearly. Which Act was as follows.

Commune Concilium tentum in Camera Guildhaldæ Civitatis London, die Martis, decimo nono die Junij, Anno Regni Domini nostri Georgij, Dei Gratia Magnæ Britanniæ, Franciæ, & Hiberniæ Regis, Fidei Defensoris, &c. secundo, Annoq; Domini 1716. Coram Carolo Peers Mil' Majore Civitatis prædictæ, Willielmo Ashurst Mil' Johanne Parsons Mil' Willielmo Withers Mil' Samuelo Garrard Baroneto, Gilberto Heathcote Mil', Aldermannis; Willielmo Thomson Mil', Recordatore Civitatis prædictæ, Willielmo Steward Mil', Gerrado Conyers Mil', Petro Delmé Mil', Georgio Merttins Mil, Josepho Lawrence Mil', Francisco Forbes Mil' Johanne Eyles, Baronetto, Aldermannis ejusdem Civitatis, & Johanne Fryer Baronetto, Aldermannis ac Vicecomitibus dictæ Civitatis, necnon majore parte Communiorum dictæ Civitatis in eodem Communi Concilio tunc & ibidem assemblatis.

WHEREAS in end by a late Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act for the Relief of Orphans and other Creditors of the City of London, it is, amongst other things enacted, That for and towards the Raising a perpetual Fund to pay the yearly Interest of Four Pounds for every Hundred Pounds principal Money, and Interest thereof, and proportionably for any grreater or lesser Sum, due to any Orphan or other Creditor of the said City, or the Executors, Administrators, or Assigns of any such Orphan or Creditor, That from and after the Twenty fourth day of June, in the Year of our Lord God 1694, the Maior, Commonalty, and Citizens of the said City, shall and may, and they are required yearly to raise the Sum of Two Thousand Pounds, by an equal proportionable Assessment upon the Personal Estates of the Inhabitants within the said City and Liberties thereof, to be yearly assessed, collected, received and paid, or in default of Payment, distrained for, in such manner as the said Mayor, Commonalty and Citizens in