The Newcastle Freeman's Pocket Companion, containing a copious view of the charters granted to the town and county of the town of Newcastle upon Tyne. Including a particular account of the customs and privileges peculiar to the free burgesses of the said town. By a Burgess (Joseph Clark)

Front matter

Just Published, by J. Clark. DEDICATED TO THE BIGHT WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR, &C Stye arms OF THE TOWN, AND EACH OF THE COMPANIES NEATLY EXECUTED ON A FINE LARGE DEMY SHEET OF DRAWING PAPER Price Is 6d. Proofs 2s 6d. and on White Satin 10s 6d. PRINTED AT THE NEWCASTLE PKESS, ANB SOLD BY J. CLARK, BOOKSELLER, NEWGATE STREET, BY BUTTON AND SON, PATERNOSTER BOW, LONDON, AND. THE OTHER __00rSSLLER«. NEWCASTLE REMEMBRANCER, AND FREEMAN'S POCKET COMPANION, Containing a copious of all ti)t Charter? Granted to the Town and County of the Town of NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE Customs anfc PECULIAR TO THE FREE BURGESSES, TO WHICH IS ADDED A DETAIL OF THE RECENT PROCEEDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE TOWN, AN EXPLANATION OF THE ARMS OF THE TOWN AND EACH OF THE COMPANIES, AND AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT RELATING TO JARROW SLAKE.

A NEW EDITION, Embellished with the Arms of the Town and each incorporated Company, BY PRINTED AT THE NEWCASTLE PRESS, !Y AND FOR J. CLARK, BOOKSELLER, NEWGATE STREET, AND MAY BE HAD OF ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS. 1S17. TO ARCHIBALD REED, Esq. AND ALDERMAN. Sir, It is with great pleasure, I have an opportunity of dedicating this Work to one, who has so emi nently distinguished himself for humanity, benevolence, and a strict attention to the rights and privileges of the Freemen of Newcastle. To you Sir, I have reason to be lieve, the community is very greatly obliged, for much of that liberality, recently and honourably shewn by the Corporation, in the improvements effected in the Town ; and in the ex tention of their benevolence to the free Burgesses. I am not Sir, altogether a stranger to the usual mode of writing Ad dresses of this kind, but I have no DEDICATION. talent at speaking more than I know or think, any more than it can be grateful to a truly great mind to hear such things said.

And I know, likewise, that I should immediately incur, what I wish most studiously to avoid, your own censure, should I allow myself particularly to speak the many respectful things I cannot but think of you. I shall therefore, only add, as the sole object of this humble attempt, that the record, which this volume contains of your public spirit and services, and the success that has attended your endeavours, to promote the public good, may have the effect of stimulating and encouraging others, to follow the patriotic example, you have so nobly set them, which is the sincere wish of, Sir, Your most Devoted, Most Obedient, Humble Servant, J. CLARK. Newgate Street, } Augusts, 1817.*) Introductory Observations. -»ooo- JIT has long been a subject of regret, that the far greater part of the Burgesses of Newcastle are very imperfectly ac quainted with the nature and extent of those rights and privileges which have from time to time been conferred, by royal munificence, and secured to them by various Charters, Grants, &c. It must indeed be confessed, that the general state of most of the Corporations of this kingdom is necessarily such, that very few of the Members can be supposed to understand the Charter from which they derive their authority.

Section 1

Every year, upon the Monday next after the feast of St. Michael, the Archangel, the good men and Burgesses of the twelve societies or mysteries in the aforesaid town, lawfully can and may assemble and meet together, in the accustomed place in the aforesaid town, (that is to say) Drapers, Mercers, Skinners, Taylors, Merchants of Corn (called booth-men), Ba kers, Tanners, Cordwainers, Sadlers, Butchers, Smiths, and Ful lers, and that at the same place and time, the men of every of the so said mysteries being Burgesses of the said town, shall name and present before the Mayor, and Aldermen of the aforesaid town, for the time being two honest men of every of their mysteries then abiding and dwelling in the aforesaid town ; which honest men of these mysteries so named and presented, being twenty-four in number, (that is to say) two men of every mystery, shall then and there, before the said Mayor and Alder men of the aforesaid town, for the time being, swear upon the Evangelists of God, that they, or the greatest part of them, be fore they depart asunder from thence, then and there, upon consultation and communication between them first had, shall elect and nominate, according to their good discretions, the Mayor of the said town, for the time being ; and three other of the better, discreeter, and honester Burgesses of the aforesaid town, for the time being, and within the said town abiding and dwelling, of the number of those which before then have been Mayors of the said town, and who then shall be Aldermen of the said town, exercising the office of an Alderman then in the a foresaid town ; and for default of such, then four, three, two, or, one other, who is, or are Alderman or Aldermen of the afore said town, then there abiding and dwelling within the aforesaid town, in supply of the said four ; which said four, so elected and nominated, shall likewise swear upon the holy Evangelists of God, that they four, or the greater part of them, before they shall depart asunder from thence, then and there, upon like consultation and communication between them had, shall elect and nominate eight other better, honester, discreeter Burgesses of the said town, according to their sincere discretions, whereof seven to be Aldermen of the aforesaid town, for the time being, it they be there present ; and the eight of them shall be of the number of those that then are, or before then have been Sheriffs of the town and county aforesaid, then abiding and dwelling within the said town : and if there be not so many Aldermen of the aforesaid town, for the time being, then and there present, then the said number shall be supplied by those that before then have been Sheriffs of that town and county, and abiding and dwelling there ; and for want of such, then other better, honester, and discreeter Burgesses of the said town, then and there abiding and dwelling, to be joined unto and numbered with the aforesaid four Burgesses ; which said four Burgesses, and aforesaid eight

to them to be adjoined, shall make altogether in number twelve ; and that afterwards the good men and Bur gesses of the aforesaid several twelve societies or mysteries of the said town, so as before, the said severally congregated, or the greater part of them so congregated and assembled in every of their mysteries, upon the same day, in their several accus tomed places, severally and respectively, shall name and choose forth of every of the said societies or mysteries, one other such man, as to them the aforesaid honest men of the aforesaid so cieties or mysteries, or the greater part of them, so as aforesaid SI congregated and assembled in their several meetings, shall seem most meet ; which said men, so as aforesaid severally nominated, shall be twelve in number, which twelve, or so many of them who shall be so nominated, elected, and presented, shall be presented to the said twelve first Electors, consisting of the Mayor Aldermen, Sheriff, or of such who have been Sheriffs and Burgesses as aforesaid ; which first twelve Electors, or the greater part of them present, shall name or elect six honest men of the aforesaid twelve elected, and so as aforesaid last presented by the aforesaid men of the twelve said societies or mysteries, who, with the first twelve, in all, are and shall be eighteen Electors in number.