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Charter of 26 Henry VI granting rights that Mayor and Proctors are to be made Justices of the Peace

Reference Number: BC/1/1/1/17
Level of Description: Item
Title: Charter of 26 Henry VI granting rights that Mayor and Proctors are to be made Justices of the Peace
Date: 26 November 1447
Extent: Extent: 1 item
Description: Grant to the Mayor and citizens of the City of Bath and their successors that the Mayor and Proctors of the City of Bath and their successors shall serve as guardians of the peace within the city, its suburbs and precincts and that they shall keep the following statutes and ordinances:
- Concerning the preservation of peace and regarding workmen, artificers, servants, innkeepers, beggars, and other ‘travelling men’ [12 Richard II, c. 3-9].
- Concerning the giving of liveries of badges of association to knights and squires [1 Henry IV, c. 7 & 2 Henry IV c. 21].
- The statute against the Lollards [2 Henry V, Stat. 1, c. 7].
- Concerning counterfeiting of currency [3 Henry V].
- All other statutes and ordinances issued by the Crown.

The present Mayor and Proctors and their successors are appointed as Justices, with authority to investigate and punish all felonies, trespasses, forestallings, regratings and extortions occurring within the city or its liberties, suburbs, or precincts.

They may bring to justice those who attempt to attack the city, those who abuse measures and weights in the sale of victuals, officers guilty of misconduct or negligence in their duties, and any other persons committing or attempting to commit offences in the city. They are granted the right to hear and judge all legal matters and transgressions arising within the city, including cases involving issues with debts, accounts and contracts. Offenders can be punished through fines and all other penalties in keeping with the law and customs of the realm.

The city is further granted the right to hold the Assize of bread, wine, beer, and all other saleable goods within the city, and to amend measures and weights for the same, without interference from the Clerk of the Market of the King’s household.

The Bailiffs and citizens of the city are to cooperate fully with the Mayor and Proctors in their duties as guardians of the peace and outside authorities are not to interfere with the city’s jurisdiction.

These grants are made provided there is no negative impact on the Cathedral Church of Bath and Wells or the Bishop and his successors.

Language: Latin

Physical Description:
There is a large space at the start of the text left blank for the initial ‘H’ in ‘[H]enricus’. There are also spaces left in top line for embellishment of the initial letters in ‘[R]ex’, ‘[A]nglie’, ‘[F]rancie’, ‘[D]ominus’ and ‘[H]ibernie’.

Width 72.5cm x height 43cm.

Seal:
The Great Seal is pendent by cords. It is worn with much of the edge broken away, leaving only the centre and lower part of the seal intact. It is the seal referred to as the ‘silver seal’ of Henry VI by Benjamin and Alfred Wyon in ‘The Great Seals of England: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time’.