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The People in Country and Town 409 of ten pounds that any one shall disturb them in it. With these witnesses, etc. The lists of rules established by the craft guilds, two examples of which are given below, cast much light on the industrial conditions and the habits of the mediaeval artisans. Be it remembered, that on Tuesday, the morrow of St. 164. Articles Peter's bonds, in the nineteenth year of the reign of King oftne Edward III, the articles underwritten were read before O f London John Hammond, mayor, Roger de Depham, recorder, and (i345) the other aldermen ; and seeing that the same were deemed befitting, they were accepted and enrolled in these words. In the first place, that no one of the trade of spurriers shall work longer than from the beginning of the day until curfew rings out at the church of St. Sepulcher, without Newgate ; by reason that no man can work so neatly by night as by day. And many persons of the said trade, who compass how to practice deception in their work, desire to work by night rather than by day ; and then they introduce false iron, and iron that has been cracked, for tin, and also they put gilt on false copper, and cracked. And further, many of the said trade are wandering about all day, without working at all at their trade ; and then, when they have become drunk and frantic, they take to their work, to the annoyance of the sick, and all their neighbor- hood as well, by reason of the broils that arise between them and the strange folk who are dwelling among them. And then they blow up their fires so vigorously, that their forges begin all at once to blaze, to the great peril of themselves and of all the neighborhood around. And then, too, all the neighbors are much in dread of the sparks, which so vigor- ously issue forth in all directions from the mouths of the chimneys in their forges. By reason thereof it seems unto them that working by night should be put an end to, in order to avoid such false work and such perils ; and therefore the mayor and the