Revealing of secrets was strictly prohibited.

xxvij die Aprilis, Ad 1559.

The same daye and yere Wyllm Brexstone, one of the xxiiii, was expelled the Counsell Howse for that he revealyd the secrettes spoken in the same Howse unto Strangers.

At the next Meeting the said Wm. Brexstone was re-admitted,

On payment of the sum of 10s. for his offence afore wrytten, for the makinge of a Cubborde for the Records in the Counsell Howse.

Slandering or blaspheming the Mayor and Aldermen subject to imprisonment.

At a Comon Convocation helde at Winchester the thyrde day of Aprill, in the thyrde yere of the Raigne of Kinge Harrye the fyvthe, after the Conquest, it was ordeyned and enacted that whatsoever fre ma win the libertye of the cytie of Winchester dothe blaspheme or speake slaunderouslye of the Mayor of the cytye aforesayd hereaft, or of any bayliffe, or of the Recorder of the said cytie, or of any that dyd beare office of the Maioraltie of the same cytie, or of any officer of the Court of the same cytie, of any thinge touchinge there office, or dothe slaunder ther names, whereof blasphemy maye

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ensue, except he can openlye and lawfully prove his intencio. That then he whh slaunderethe any Mayre hereafter shall be imprisoned at the will of the Mayre, and shall paye to the use of the same x; and he that slaunderthe any of the officers aforesayd, and canot prove it as aforesayd, that he shall be imprisoned as afore wryten, and shall paye to the prfft of the said citye half a marke, w'out any grace of pardon; and that the sayd paymt be levyed of there goods by and by, after the offence done, and after thei hathe fayled of there proffe by the Mynisters of the Court of the cytie aforesayde, with any other Sute to be made for the same payt to be levyed; and if it chaunce any of the xxiiij of the sayd cytie to entreat for any payt to be mittigated of the sayd blasphemers, that straitway wtot delaye the sayd money shall be levyed in forme aforesayde of the goods and catalls of him that makythe deft.

By a municipal statute made in 1462, all citizens were bound to attend the Mayor, in order to maintain the pomp and dignity of his office, and otherwise.

Tempore, John Butler, Maiore.

At a Common Convocation there holden the Frydaye next after the Feaste of St John the Evangeliste, in the vii yere of the Raigne of Kinge Harry the VIIIth, It is ordayned by John Butler, then Maior of the cytie aforesaide, David Anderson and Peter Byrd, bailiffes of the same cytie, and all the Commons of the same, That frome hensforthe everye cytizen of the cytie

aforesaide shall come at the commandemente of the Maior for the tyme beinge, uppon paine of everie one of them that make defaute to forfaite half a pounde of wex.

The following is an Ordinance for suspending Mr. Woodman, an Alderman, for slandering the Mayor, and other offences; and also on account of outrageous conduct at St. Maurice's Church ::

20th Sept', 1656.

Whereas by former ord' Mr. John Woodman standing suspended from acting in or ptaking of the Counsills of ye sayd citty, and hee having lately made applicacon to be heard therin, this p❜sent day being appoynted for that purpose, upon his apparance in this Assembly, and full debate had therin touching ye same: It appearing that ye cause of such suspencon was for words and actions spoken and used by him the sayd Mr. Woodman in the tymes of the respective Maioralties of Mr. Edmund Riggs and of Mr. Thomas Muspratt, in ye years Sixteene hundred and fiftie and Sixteene hundred fifty and one, That is to say, to ye sayd Mr. Riggs, upon conference with him in councell of affaires of ye sayd citty in a slighting and upbraiding mann', saying, "Tush! I would have had Jack Soppe of Hampton (being a notorious fool) have sayd as much to the "business as you have donne:" And for that hee, ye sayd

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Mr. Woodman, in the Maioralty of Mr. Thomas Muspratt, being

then a Justice of Peace within the sayd citty, and alsoe sworne to be assistant unto the Maior then (contrary to the Oathes of both ye sayd offices and the trust comitted to him therin) did on ye lords day appeare in the head of a tumultuous company, who in a riotus mann' had broken up the dores of ye church called St Maurice Church, wch was by authority assigned to the Minist setled in the sayd citty: And ye Maior being informed of that Ryott and unlawfull assembly (according to the duty of his place), went in pson to pserve the publique peace. But the sayd Mr. Woodman (notwithstanding the trust and Oathes afforesayd) was soe farr from assisting the Maior as a Justice of ye peace or assistance, that he annimated that Riotous party, and affronted the Maior with many opprobrious tearmes, in soe much that the company being encouraged by his bad example, did very much abuse the Maior, ye cheife officer of the same citty, who for feare of further mischiefe then threatened, was compelled (without disolving ye sayd Assembly) to forsake yo place, to the greate dishonor of Magistracy, and as much as was in the power of sayd Mr. Woodman, to the destruction of the Government of ye sayd citty: And ye Minist" aftrward coming to the sayd church to pforme his duty, was alsoe abused in the church, and his Bible taken out of his Hands by ye comand or countenance of ye sayd Mr. Woodman, and was forced to leave the church to his company: And because the Orduce by wch Mr. Woodman was suspended the Councills of this citty was too gen'all, Mr. Woodman did desire that ye pticulars might be expressed wch was this day agreed upon, And ye question being putt, whether there was good cause for ye making of the sayd

Ord of Suspencion, It was gen'ally carried in the affirmative, And that ye Ord' should stand untill hee give satisfacion unto the citty as afforesayd.

Certain citizens to wear decent gowns.

31st Oct, 1656.

Whereas this citty hath beene a very auncient and famous citty, and in it there hath beene div'se laudable usages and customes wch hath very much upheld the honor and esteeme thereof; amongst wch it hath beene one auncient usage and custome That the cittizens of ye same citty have worne decent Gownes upon sev'all occasions according to their sev'all degrees, wch hath beene a very great ornament to the sayd citty, and hath putt a distinction betweene the sayd cittizens and others, weh sayd custome of late hath beene very much neglected by many of ye sayd cittizens, some having noe gownes at all, and others who have gownes are such that are not suitable to their places and degrees; wherfore for the redressing of such disordTM in time to come, It is ordained and established, that ev❜y Alderman of ye sayd citty have three sev'all Gownes (that is to say), A scarlett gowne, and two cittizens gownes as are now in use; And that they weare their skarlett gownes ev'y Sessions, Sessions and Burroughmotes to be holden for the sayd citty, Days of thanksgiving, and at ye tyme of the election of ye Maior; and the Maior to weare his skarlett gowne at ye Assizes to attend ye Judges: And that they weare their