Page:The histories of Launceston and Dunheved, in the county of Cornwall.djvu/324

This page needs to be proofread.

292 THE C AOL. man according to the orders and customs of the burgh ; and that, if such alderman afterwards were elected mayor, then he should forthwith repay and restore the said £$ 6s. 8d. to the commonalty. And, after further reciting that there had been controversies between the mayors and aldermen for the time being touching the said constitution, the mayor and aldermen of the burgh, whose names were subscribed, ordered and constituted as follows : " Every person that shall at any time or times hereafter be elected or chosen to be an alderman of the said burgh shall, at his own private and particular costs and charges, provide and maintain for himself one scarlet gown and a typet of velvet, within 6 m ths next after such his election and oath taken, Upon pain of forfeiture of 5 marks for default thereof, which, if he refuse to pay, then to be committed to prison, there to remain until he pay the same, and be disgraded from his place of an alderman : And that from henceforth there shall be no sum of money given or allowed by the said mayor and commonalty of the said burgh or their successors unto any person or persons for or towards the buying, or preparing, the said scarlet gown and tippet." We believe that the members of the Corporation con- tinued to wear scarlet robes until the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1835. At present the mayor wears a purple robe, trimmed with fur, and a massive gold chain. The chain was provided chiefly at the cost of the late John Ching, Esq., then senior alderman, supplemented by contributions of modern mayors. The justice wears a plain black gown. No other member of the Corporation appears enrobed. Cije (Saol was sometimes the dungeon of the Keep, sometimes the Watch Tower, sometimes Doomsdale, and lastly the prison