496 C. 16. Anno fecundo & tertio Philippi & Marine. A. D. 1555. Gravefrnd and Wind lor, and been carried by Water, by Reafon of the rude, ignorant and unfkilful Number of Watermen, which for the moft part been mafterlefs Men, and angle Men of all Kinds of Occupations and Faculties, which do work, at their own Hands, and many Boys being of fmall Age, and of little Skill, and being Perfons out of the R.ule and Obedience of any honeft Mailer and Governor, and do for the moft Part of There dial! ! upon the Sea, for that they have no known Place of abiding, do for the moft part abfent and convey themfelves into the Country, and other fecret Places, practifing there Robberies and Felonies, and other
- evil and deteftable Facts, to the great Annoyance of the Commonwealth : And fo after the faid Com-
s miffion of Preffing ended, oft times the faid evil Perfons do repair again to their former Trade of Rowing, ' colouring their evil Deeds; (3) and alfo divers of them being very ignorant, for Lack of convenient Time ' of Learning and Exercife, in the which they might obtain fufficient Knowledge of their Occupation, do ' oftentimes prefume and enterprife to receive divers of our faid Sovereign Lord and Lady the King and c Queen's Majefties loving Subjects into their Boats and Wherries, and do carry and convey their faid Sub- ' jeds from Place to Place by Water, upon the faid River of Thames, whereby divers Perfons have been ' robbed, and fpoiled of their Goods, and alfo drown'd; ' II. And for and by th; Occafion aforefaid, be daily put in Fear and Peril of their Lives, the which is ' very lamentable and not to be permitted or fuffered in any Commonwealth : (2) And by Reafon alfo, that ' a great Number, and the mcft Part of the Wherries and Boats now occupied and ufed, and of late Time ' made for Rowing upon the faid River, been made fo little and fmall in Proportion, and fo ftrait and narrow ' in the Bottom, varying much from the old fubftantial Sort and fure Making of Boats and Wherries which ' was ufed before the Space of twenty Years laft paft, infomuch as the moft Part of Boats and Wherries ' ufed at this Day, been fo fhallow and tickle, that thereby great Peril and Danger of Drowning hath ' many Times enfued, and daily is like to enfue, unlefs fome fpeedy Remedy be herein had and provided :' III. For Reformation whereof, be it enacted by the King and Queen's Majefties, the Lords Spiritual C1 ?!^ Overieers an( j Temporal, and the Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the uion the River fame, That there fhall be yearly appointed, chofen and elected by the Mayor and the Court of Aldermen of Tuames. of the City of London for the Time being, the Number of eight Perfons of the moft wife, difcreet and beft Sort of Watermen, being Houfholders, and occupying as Watermen upon the faid River between Gravefend and Windfor; (2) which Election fhall be yearly at the firft Court of Aldermen to be holden within the faid City next after the firft Day of March : (3) And the fame eight Perfons fo elected fhall be named and called The Overfeers and Rulers of all the Wnerrimen and Watermen that from and after the faid firft Day of March fhall ufe, occupy or exercife any Rowing upon the faid River of Thames betwixt Gravefend and Windfor aforefaid ; (4.) which faid Overfeers and Rulers fhall keep and maintain good Order and Obedience amongft the faid Watermen, according to the true Meaning of this prefent Act. Two Watermen IV. And alfo be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That after the Feaft of ' Pentecoji next com- ftiall not cany wg^ no Perfon nor Perfons, where two Watermen and not above the Number of two (hall row together in one Boat or Wherry, in any Place or Places betwixt Gravejend and JVindfor aforefaid, fhall prefume to en- terprife to receive or take any Perfon or Perfons into his or their Boat or Wherry, to the Intent to cany or convey him or them therein, unlefs one of the fame two Watermen have been for the. moft part exercifed two Years hath ?nc ] u j- ec j ; n Rowing upon the faid River of Thames, by the Space of two whole Years, before that Time j exerafed, &c. an ^ ^j. ^fo one f t h e f arn e two Watermen at leaft be duly admitted and allowed by the fame eight Over- feers and Rulers, or the moft Part of them, by Writing under their known Seal, to be a fufficient and able Waterman ; (2) upon Pain that every Perfon and Petfons prefuming or offending contrary to the true Meaning of this prefent Act, fhall by the faid eight Overfeers or Rulers be committed to Prifon in one of the Counters of the City of London, thereto remain by the Space of one Month or lefs, as the Offence ihall require. V. Arid alfo be it further enacted, That no Perfon or Perfons being fingle Men, not keeping Houfhold and not retained, fhall from and after the faid Feaft of Pentecoji next coming, ufe or exercife to row between Gravefend and Windfor aforefaid, unlefs he or they be Prentice or Prentices, or in Service retained with a Mafter by the whole Year at the leaft, upon Pain of like Imprifonment. Who (hall have VI. And alfo be it further enacted, That the Lord Mayor of London, and the Aldermen of the fame Authority to pu- City 5 anc } the Juftices of Peace within the Shires next adjoining to the faid River of Thames, every of them en ers. w j t ^j n t i le j r f evera j Jurifdictions and Authorities, fhall have full Power and Authority by Virtue of this prefent Act, upon Complaint made to them- or any of them by the faid Overfeers and Rulers, or two of I them, or the Mafter or Mafters of any fuch Servant's, not only to examine, hear and determine all Com- plaints. or Offences to be done or committed by any fuch Perfon or Perfons that fhall offend contrary to the true Meaning of this prefent Act, and to fet at large all and every fuch Perfon and Perfons as fhall fortune to be imprifoned by the faid Overfeers and Rulers according to this Act, if juft Caufe fhall appear unto them fo to do; but alfo by their good Difcretions and Wifdom to punifn, correct and reform the faid Overfeers and Rulers, and every of them, that ihall unjuftly, or without good Caufe or Ground, punifh any Perfon or Perfons by Colour of this prefent Act, or any Thing therein contained. VII. And be it farther enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, >m henceforth do or fhall make any Wherry or Boat, to the Intent commonly to ufe rowing and carrying. any, but where one of them is allowed by the Overfeers, and No fingle Man ihall be a Wa- terman, &c. The Length, Breadth and Goodncfs of Boats. ffo People upon. the faid River oJThames, which fhall not be xxij. Foot and a Half in Length, and iv. Foot and a Half broad in the Midfhip, or which fhall not' be fubftantially and well able and fufficient to carry two Perfons on-one Side tight, according to the old' Quantity, Scantling, Thicknefs of Board, Goodnefs-and 2 g°od
