Rebuilding of London Act 1666

XIII. Ground not built upon in Three Years;

Notice to build.; Neglecting to build; Warrant by Lord Mayor, &c. to Sheriff to impannel a Jury.; Jury to estimate Value of Ground on Oath; and then the same to be sold under Common Seal of the City; and the Money paid to the Owner.; Sale made and enrolled to be final, and Purchaser may hold and enjoy.

And be it further enacted that if any person or persons bodies Pollitique or Corporate being seised possessed or interessed of or in any Ground which was formerly builded upon, and the Houses thereupon being now burned or pulled downe at the time of the late Fire shall not within three yeares next ensueing build up the same that then the Maior Aldermen and Coo[m]mon Councill of the Citty of London by Act of Coo[m]mon Councill may cause Proclamation [X1 publiquely to be] made betweene the houres of twelve and two of the clocke in the afternoone as well at or upon the said Ground as [X2 alsoe] at or upon the publique Exchange of the said Citty thereby to give notice to all persons that shall be or may be therein concerned to cause the same to be rebuilded according to the direction of this [X2 pp[re]sent] Act within the space of nine moneths then next following, And in case the Owners thereof or other person or persons haveing Interest therein shall refuse or negclect to rebuild the same in manner and within such time as aforesaid that then in such case the said Maior and Court of Aldermen of the said Citty are hereby authorized to issue out Warrants to the Sheriffes of London for the time being requiring them to impanell and returne before them a Jury of good and lawfull men of the said Citty which the said Sheriffes are hereby authorized and required to doe accordingly, which Jury soe returned shall upon their Oathes to be administred to them by the said Maior and Court of Aldermen (who are likewise hereby authorized to minister the same) enquire estimate and assesse the true and just value of such void Ground according to their Judgements, and that from and after such Inquiry and Valuation thereof made as aforesaid (by Inquest of the said Jury) it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Maior Aldermen and Coo[m]mon Councill of the said Citty to make Sale of the Fee or Inheritance thereof by Conveyance under their Common Seale to any person or persons that will purchase the same at such Price at which the same shall have beene soe as aforesaid estimated and valued by the said Jury, and the moneyes thereupon to be received of the purchasers thereof shall be paid into the Chamber of London and from thence to be issued out. and paid by the Chamberlaine of London for the time being unto such person or persons who shall have any Estate or Interest into or out of the same according to his or their respective Estate or Estates Title or Interest which Sale soe made and inrolled of Record according to the Custome or Usage of the said Citty for Inrolment of Bargaines and Sales shall be finall and conclusive to all other persons whatsoever and shall barr them their Heires and Assignes to claime any Estate Right Title or Interest of in or out of the Grounds soe sold precedent to the said Sale And the Purchaser or Purchasers thereof his and their Heires and Assignes shall and may by vertue of this Act have hold and enjoy the same against all persons claiming any Estate Right Title or Interest into, or out of the same his and their Heires, Executors Administrators and Assignes freed and discharged of and from [X3 all] Incumbrances in Estate Title Charge or otherwise precedent to the said Sale.

Editorial Information

X1 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: to bee publiquely O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]

X2 interlined on the Roll.

X3 interlined on the Roll.