"should give light to our Interest. If yt shall please your Honours to appoint some of your Counsell to see their Records, we dowbt not to fynd Matter out of their own Graunts, to preserve our Title, and overthrow their injurious Claime."

" 1. Robert Kilwerbie, Cardinla, surrendered unto King Edward I. the Scite of Baynards Castle in London. Whereupon the said Edward, did graunt the Graunt of the same to the Friers Preachers, to build the Church there, &c. and also graunted it in liberam & puram Eleemosynam."

" 2. The Black Friers founded the 7th of Edward I."

" 3. Thomas de Bustings, of London, surrendered unto King Edward I. a Messuage next to Baynards Castle; the which the said King Edward graunted to the Prior, to the enlargeing of the said Baynards Castle; to hold of the said King Edward and his Heirs."

" 4. King Edward I. did graunt to the Friers Preachers, that they might bring their Conduit Water thorowe Smythefield, unto their Howse at Baynards Castle."

" 5. King Edward I. did graunt unto the Prior, all the Tenements, &c. with Howses theron built, that came unto him by the Surrendour of Will. Dale, to the enlarging of their Howses."

" 6. King Edward I. did graunt unto the Prior, that he should hold all the Tenements within the Precincts, bounding to the same, to him and his Successors."

" 7. King Edward II. did graunt unto the Prior, a Messuage, called Okeborne, in the Ward of Baynards Castle, to the enlarging of their Howse; with a Confirmation of all the former Grants unto them. And further graunting unto the Prior and Covent, that they and their Successors, should be discharged of Tenths, Fifteenths, Subsidies, Quota's, Tallages, or other Burthens whatsoever, graunted, or to be graunted to the Clergie, or Commons, &c."

" 8. An Exemplification of an Indenture made in French, between the Maior of London, and the Prior, in Henry III. his time."

" 9. The same incorporated by Parliament, in the 5th of Henry VI."

" 10. In 1484. Jhon Alford, of the Black Friers, was Executed for Felonie. Whose Goods the Sheriff of London would have had. But the Prior answered the same to the Lord of S. Jones, of whom the Scite was holden; and who did make the Bnridge at the Thames."

" 11. In the 22d of Hen. VIII. ten Sergeants would have served a Writ on six Priests in the Black Friers, and were resisted."

" 12. The Prior was by Law constrained to pave the Streets without the Wall, joyning to the Precinct. Whereupon a Cage being set up by the Citie, he pulled it down: Saying, That since the City forced me to pave the Place, they shall set no Cage there, on his Ground."

" 13. Sir John Portynarie, reported in his Life, that immediatlie after the Dissolution, the Maior pretended a Title to the Liberties. But King Henry VIII. informed thereof, sent to him to desist from meddling with the Liberties: Saying, He was as well hable to keep the Liberties, as the Friers were. And so the Maior no further meddled; and Sir John Portynarie had the Keyes of the Gates delivered to him, and a Fee for keeping the same."

" 14. The Maior's Officers arrested no Person within the Precinct, in the Friers Tyme."

" 15. The fowre Gates, enclosing the Precinct with Walls, were in the Friers Tyme, and sithence, to this present, kept shut from the Citie by a Porter."

" 16. Malefactors found within the Friers, were examyned by Sir Will. Kingston. and others of the Precinct, and not otherwise."

" 17. The Precinct never entred by the Citie, nor Watch there kept."

" 18. Rogues, and such like, punished in the Prior's Stocks, at his Commaundment."

" 19. The Precinct inhabited by Artificers not free, using their Arts without Controlment."

" 20. Carpenters, Masons, &c. have been fetched out of the Countrie, and worked there without Impeachment."

" 21. The Inhabitants never charged with any Imposition to the Citie."

" 22. If any be slaine there, the Coroner of the Verge inquiered the Deodands: Which the Lord of S. Jhones have. "

"23. In King Edward VI his Tyme, five Citizens committing a Riott within the Verge, within the Friers; were Indicted before Sir Nicolas Hare, then Justice of the same. And the Maior then calling a Sessions, to inquire thereof in the Citie, was by two several Letters from the Council, inhibited to deal therein, to the infringing of the King's Liberties. Whereupon he desisted."

" 24. In Queen Maries Tyme, the Maior sought the Liberties by Act of Parliament; but was rejected upon Argument, and not brought to the Question."

" 25. The Felons Goods, Waifes, Bloodsheds, Fynes, Forfeitures, Amerciaments, and Eschets, are still due to Her Majesty. Which she should loose, yf the Citie enjoy the Liberties."

" 26. All Friers, and other Spiritual Precincts, were privileged from temporal Jurisdictions through the Realm, by divers Statutes of this Realm."

" 27. All Castles, privileged: And the Black Friers, was the Scite of Baynards Castle."

" 28. Divers Statutes, confirming the Liberties of Religious Howses, especiallie in the 28 Hen. VIII. ca. 16."

" 29. All Liberties of suppressed Howses, vested in the King, by the Statutes of 31 H. VIII. ca. 13. H. VIII. ca. 20."

" 30. Larger Liberties then is now claimed, allowed in King Edward II. his Tyme, to Robert Fitz-Waters, for the Black and White Friers. Which was since the Liberties graunted to the City."

" 31. The Black Friers were of the Fee of S. Jhones; and thereby greatlie privileged."

An antient Record at large, of their Liberties, will follow afterwards.

But yet it is certain the Citizens struggled long with Black Friers, moved by the many Inconveniences they suffered by the pretended Freedom of the Place. Injuring such as had served their times to Trades, by being undersold by these Tradesmen that here inhabited, and injuring Buyers by selling bad Commodities; whereof there was no remedy, no City Searchers, whether the Commodities made and sold here were good, being admitted within the Liberties of the Friers. Here also, oftentimes, Harbour was given to Felons; and Malefactors took shelter here. So that an Order was moved and begun, Purchase Maior, about the Year 1497. for remedy of this. And no good coming of it, the Commons in a Com-