[1580, June 17. Sir Nicholas Woodrofe, Lord Mayor, to Lord Burghley, Lord High Treasurer, printed M. S. C. i. 47, from Remembrancia, i. 40-1.]
It may please your good Lp. Byside the continuall charge of
my Dutie, hauing lately receued by your Lp. a speciall and ernest
commaundement from hir Maiestie for the best meanes to be vsed that
I can for preseruing the Citty from infection, I will not faile so to do
my dilligence both for the cleane keping of the streates, for avoiding
of Inmeates, and for keping of good orders as haue ben heretofore
prescribed or that I can any way deuise, as shall ly in my power to
the vttermost that I shalbe able. Howbeit, because perill may and
doth commonlie growe vnto hir Maiesties Cittie and people many wayes
by such meanes as we cannot reforme, I humble besech your Lp.
that you wilbe meane to hir Maiestie and give the ayde of the hye
autoritie of your Lp. and the rest of the most honorable Counsell for
redresse of such thinges as in that behalf we finde dangerous, whereof
some thinges haue doble perill, both naturarly in spreding the infection
and otherwise in drawing Godes wrath and plage vpon vs, as the
erecting and frequenting of howses verie infamous for incontinent
rule out of our liberties and iurisdiction, also the drawing of the
people from the seruice of God and from honest exersises to vnchast
plaies. Some vther thinges do carrie other inconveniences, as the
pestering of the Cittie with mvltitudes of people for whome we shall
not be able to make prouision of vitale, fewell, and other necessaries
at any reasonable prises. I haue therefore sett downe a note which
I send to your Lp. hereinclosed of such matters as I do lack power
to redresse, but ame constrayned to craue such further ayde and
assistance, as shalbe by your Lp. thought meete in those cases. And
so I leaue to troble your Lp. At London this xvijth of Iune 1580.
Your Lps. humble to comaund,
N. W. M.
To the right honorable my singuler good Lord the Lord Tresorer
of England.
The 'note' enclosed includes:
'Item that haunting of playes out of the liberties be restrayned as well as within the fredome.'
xlviii.
[1581, July 10. The Privy Council to the Lord Mayor and the Justices
of Middlesex and the Liberties, printed M. S. C. i. 49, from Remembrancia,
i. 221. The minute of the letter is in Dasent, xiii. 128.]
After our right hartie commendacons. Whereas we haue ben
credibly informed that the plage and other contagious diseases are
sumwhat of late increased within the Citie of London and liberties
thereto adioyning: fforasmuch as it is to be feared that the said
infections will spred further, in case any great assemblies of people
together, especially in this somer season, be permitted, as by former
experience it hath appeared, We haue thought good to requier yowe
