Rebuilding of London Act 1666

XV. In case of Combinations and Exactions of Workmen and Labourers for their Hire; Lord Mayor, &c. may appoint Wages, Prices of Materials, &c.;

Table thereof to bind Persons concerned.; Artificers, &c. refusing to sell or work at such Prices; or leaving Work unfinished; or giving more Wages than allowed; Imprisonment or Penalty.; Satisfaction to Party injured out of Penalty.

And to the intent noe Brickemaker Tile maker Lime burner Carpenter Brickelayer Mason [X1 Plaister] Joyner Plumber or other Artificer Workeman or Labourer may make the common calamity a pretence to extort unreasonable or excessive Wages Bee it likewise enacted That in case of combination or exaction of unreasonable Wages by the said Artificers Workemen or Labourers or any of them the said Justices of the Court of Kings Bench or any two or more .of them upon the like complaint of the said Lord Maior and Court of Aldermen, shall and may from time to time limitt rate and appoint the wages of the said Artificers Workemen and Labourers by the day weeke or otherwise, and what wages every of the said Workemen shall have by the great, by the Foote Yard Rodd or Pearch, or for any greater Quantity, which said Rates together with the Prices of the said Materialls and Carriages soe assessed being sett downe in a Table and Proclamation thereof made by the Lord Maior for the time being accordingly the same shall eftectually binde all persons therein concerned. And if any of the said Artificers refuse to sell the said Materialls for the prices soe assessed or any of the said Carpenters Brickelayers Masons Plaisterers Joyners Plumbers or other Workemen or Labourers shall either refuse to worke for the wages soe assessed or shall depart from his said worke after he hath undertaken to doe the same without Licence of such person or persons as imployed him, and before it be finished unlesse it be for non payment of his hire or other just cause to be allowed before one Justice of the Peace of such place where the offence shall be coo[m]mitted or if any person or persons whatsoever shall by any secret wayes or meanes give covenant article or agree to give directly or indirectly by himselfe or any other for him any other or greater wages prices or other coo[m]modity then shall be soe assessed the said Offender and Offenders being thereof legally convict by the Oaths of one or more witnesses, which Oath the said Justice is hereby impowered to administer shall be by the said Justice of the peace [X2 forthwith] coo[m]mitted to the Coo[m]mon Goale there to remaine by the space of one moneth without Baile or Maineprize unlesse he shall pay or cause to be paid for every such Offence [X2 to the said Justice of the peace] such Fine as by the discretion of the said Justice shall be sett upon any such Offender not exceeding Ten pounds, Out of which Fine the said Justice shall and may award and pay unto the partie injured such satisfaction as he shall judge reasonable and the residue thereof shall pay unto the Chamberlaine of London for the time being to be imployed [X2 for and] towards the reedifying of the publique Buildings of the Citty aforesaid.

Editorial Information

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

X2 interlined on the Roll.