The following text is taken from a book called The Ancient and Modern History of Newport, Monmouthshire: with a Guide and Directory published in 1847. In addition, much of the same text was also published in the Monmouthshire Merlin on 20th April, 1844.
The text is a bit heavy and in parts difficult to understand but gives an insight into how people lived and did business. I’ve tried to add summaries where possible but some rules are a little difficult to decipher.
Made and agreed upon by the assent and consent of Lewis Morgan, Esquire, major, John Morgan, of Tredegar, Esquire, John Morgan, of Ruperra, Esquire, Nehemiah Williams, gentleman, Francis Pettingal, John Plumley, Roger Williams, Henry Herbert, Charles Ward, Thomas Morgan, John Jones , Richard Pettingal, and James Williams, aldermen of the said borough, the 26th day of September, in the year seventeen hundred and eleven.
Imprimis
We do ordain and agree, that if any person or persons, not being free, shall hereafter occupy the liberties of this town, that all and every such person or persons so offending, shall forfeit, for every offence, 2s.; the one moiety thereof to the Major or commonwealth of this town.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that if any person or persons whatsoever do make assault, affray, or bloodshed, within the liberty of this town, and upon any person or persons, that every suit, person or persons, so offending , shall forfeit, for every such assault and affray, 7s., and every bloodshed 10s.; the one moiety thereof to the Major, and the other moiety towards the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule against assault
Item
We do ordain and agree, that it shall be lawful for every and all person and persons whatsoever, to have free ingress and regress to this town upon every Saturday, and other festival days, to sell their victuals.
Summary — People are free to enter the town to sell their items
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no person or persons whatsoever, at any markett day, shall put victuals to sell on any markett house, bulk or bulks, or under the penthouses, during the time of the markett; but that the same bulks and penthouses shall remain free to sell butter and cheese upon the said markett days; and that every person so offending, forfeit, for the first offence, 2s.; the one moiety to the Major, and the other as aforesaid.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that every person or persons within the precincts of this town, shall pen and tyne their hedges between their neighbours and themselves, within two days after warning given them, upon pain to forfeit, for every default, 3s. 4d.; the one moiety to the party grieved, and the other moiety to the Major and common attorneys.
Summary — Rule about looking after hedges between neighbours
Item
We do ordain and agree, that the Major of the town for the time being, and the Town Clerk, shall buy two locks, and maintain the same from time to time, to set upon the chest for the safe keeping of the records.
Summary — Each mayor and the town clerk needs to buy a lock for a records chest
Item
We ordain and agree, that no person, burgess or foreigner, shall come above the bar in the Town Hall upon any court day, except he comes in his own gown or cloak decently, and except he be called, or one of the Aldermen, to take his case, upon pain to forfeit, for every offence, 7s.; the one moiety to the Major, and the other moiety to the common attorneys for the time being.
Summary — Rule for when someone can attend court and how to dress.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that if any person or persons shall buy any wheat, rye, barley, oats, or beans, or other grain, butter, cheese, capons, or any sort of wild fowl, fish, eggs, or other kind of victuals, other than such and so much as shall be spent, sold, or occupied in their own houses, or bought for the use of their own master or mistress with whom they dwell, and that to be spent by them in their own houses, without fraud or cover; that then, any person who shall do any act contrary to this ordinance, shall forfeit, for every time they do commit any such act, 2s.; the one moiety to the town, and the other to the informer.
Item
We do ordain that if any person or persons within the precincts of this town, do receive into his or their houses, man-servant or woman-servant, dwelling in the said town, after eight o'clock at night, or before day, unless he or they come in their masters' business or mistresses', or on some other lawful or reasonable cause, that then every person or persons so receiving any man-servant or woman-servant, forfeit for every such receipt, the sum of 8d.; the one moiety to the Major, and the other moiety to the informer.
Summary — Rule for accepting someone into your house after 8 o’clock.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that if any person or persons receive, harbour, or lodge in his or their dwelling-house or houses, any women begotten with child out of the liberties or franchise of the town, being unmarried at the time of their coming to their house or houses, that every person receiving or harbouring such above the space of three days and three nights, shall forfeit for every day or night more than they shall receive, harbour, or lodge any such women, the sum of 6s. 8d.; the one moiety to the Major, and the other to the informer.
Summary — Rule against allowing an unmarried pregnant woman from outside the town to stay in your house for longer than three days and nights.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no stranger or foreigner shall be admitted to be a freeman within this town, unless he do pay 40s to the commonwealth of the town for the time being, by them to be employed for some good use for the commonwealth of the said town; unless he be born before his father was made free, or married to the daughter or widow of a burgess, or meaneth to be a dweller within the town, then he shall be free for 20s., to be paid as aforesaid.
Summary — Rules about how strangers can become a freeman of the town.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no demurrer or abatement be accepted or allowed in the court of this borough, upon any action or plaint commenced or sued under the sum of 40s.; and that if any demurrer be tendered by any plaintiff or defendant, upon any declaration, answer, or replication, &c., where the action amounted to the sum of 40s., or above, that then it shall be lawful, as well for the plaintiff as for the defendant against whom the demurrer is offered or rendered, yet to amend his declaration, answer, or replication, or to join in demurrer at his election.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no person or persons shall make any mixen, or cast any dung in the street, from the church to the bridge, nor in or near to the Castle-ditch, Mill-street, the Bakehouse-lane, Saint Lawrence-lane, Arthur's-lane, and Skinner's-lane, the Castle Green or Cattle Markett; nor shall suffer his or their swine to go abroad in the places aforesaid, upon pain that every person that shall do or suffer to become anything contrary to this article, shall forfeit for every offence, 12d. to the Major for the time being, and 12d. to the informer.
Summary — Rule for not dropping any dung/manure/refuse in town
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no person or persons shall suffer his swine or pigs to go without yokes and pims within the liberties of the town, upon pain to forfeit for such offence, 6d. to the party that receives damage by such pigs or swine.
Summary — Rule for ensuring pigs always have a yoke when in the town.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no person, either burgess or foreigner, shall buy any kind of grain in the markettt, before the ringing of the bell at twelve o'clock; and that no foreigner buy, by the space of one whole hour after the bell be rung as aforesaid, upon pain of 1s. and fourpence for every such offence; one moiety to the Major for the time being, and the other to the informer.
Summary — Rules for when grain can be bought at a market.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that if any person or persons do break any of their neighbour's hedges, within the precincts of this town, every such person so offending, shall forfeit for every such offence, 3s. 4d.; the one moiety thereof to be paid to the owner of every such hedge so broken, and the one-half of the other moiety to the Major for the time being, and the other half to the common attorneys, for the reparation of the highways within the town.
Summary — Rule on breaking a neighbour’s hedges.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no person or persons leave any horses upon markett-days in the street, to the annoyance of the markett, or the danger of any person, after one proclamation made in that behalf, on pain to forfeit to the driver of them to the pound, 2d., and 2d. to the pound-keeper.
Summary — Rule on leaving horses in the street on market days.
Item
We do ordain, that every constable of the town for the time being, shall pay and forfeit for every default that they or any of them shall do or neglect in not punishing beggars haunting within this town, not searching inns and alehouses for tipplers in time of divine service, or not apprehending such as use vain recreations or pastimes, within the town, upon Sundays, the sum of 5s. to the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule for constables not punishing beggars
Item
We do ordain and agree , that all and every person or persons that shall brew or make any ale or beer within this town, to be sold, shall make, for every barrel of ale, one kilderkin of good small wort, for the poor to have drink; and the said small wort be boyl'd before it be put upon the brewing, upon pain to forfeit, for every default, 12d.; one moiety to the party grieved, or him that will inform, and the other moiety to the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule specifying that any brewer should also make small beer available for the poor.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no person or persons shall make any assault or affray within this town, on any markett day, upon pain to forfeit, for such offence, 40s. to the common attorneys of this town, for the use of the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule against committing assault on a market day.
[The next "item" simply authorises the major [mayor] to make estreat of certain fines; and the following, ordained that all measures for grain, &c., should bear an impress of the mayor's seal, and be without hoop; and the third " item " ordered that all burgesses who did not appear before the mayor, at the various courts, whenever required so to do, should be fined.]
Item
We do ordain, that every butcher within this town that shall offer to be sold any veal, mutton, or lamb, that is blown by them, or by any others by their assent, shall forfeit for every such offence the sum of 3s. 4d., and the meat that is so blown, to the poor of the town; and that no foreigner-butcher shall use the cutting or carving any part or kind of the victuals within this town, upon pain of 3s. 4d. for every such offence or default; the one moiety to the Major, and the other as aforesaid to the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule against selling gone off meat.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no women shall keep chambers within this town. or the precincts thereof, except women who are married, and such others who have estates in land, or money, or employments, sufficient to maintain them, upon pain to forfeit, for every default, 10s. for every week after they be warned by any of the Major's officers to depart, to the common attorneys of this town, to the use of the commonwealth hereof.
Summary — Rule prohibiting women from 'keeping chambers' apart from those who are married or have the means to keep said chambers.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no tanners who do not live within the liberties of this town, shall buy any kind of hides upon Saturdays, or any other time, within the said town, upon pain to forfeit for every such buying, the sum of 10s.; and that no foreign tanner shall sell any clout, leather, or any other, at any time, except fairs, within the town, on pain to forfeit 3s. 4d., to be paid to the common attorneys of this town, to the benefit of the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule prohibiting tanners from outside of town from buying hides within the boundary and aso from selling apart from at fairs.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no foreign person or persons shall come free in this town, unless he may have the good-will of the burgesses; and if it may happen that there be but three lawful heirs apparent, that speak against any such person or persons, that then, he or they may not be admitted to the freedom.
Summary — Rules for foreign persons wanting to come into the town.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no kind of offence or offences which shall be committed within this town, or the precincts thereof, shall be heard before any petty jury, made before the Major for the time being, but only by the grand jury, made on the Quarter Sessions or the Leet.
Summary — Rule specifying offences will only be heard at Quarter Sessions or Leet courts.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no foreign pedlar shall rear, pitch, or sett up any tilt within this town upon markett-days, otherwise but upon their panniers, or in the streets upon the ground, upon pain to forfeit for every such offence, 6s. 8d. , to the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule preventing 'foreign pedlars' from setting up stalls on market days.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that no person or persons within this borough shall buy or sell any kind of fish, salmon, sewin, bordshed, sole, or flook, or any other kind of fish, before it comes to the bulk or bulks of the markett-house within this town, and there to remain for the space of one whole hour, to the intent that the officers called seizors appointed for that purpose, may see the same, upon pain that every such buyer or seller shall forfeit, for every offence, 2s.; one moiety to the commonwealth of the town as aforesaid, and the other moiety to the informer.
Summary — Rule for selling fish in the town.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that every person who shall travel with any pack, load, or bundle, or drive any cattle or carriages, or ride through this town to merry making, which is usual, or travel with any vessel in the river within this borough, on Sundays, shall forfeit the sum of 6s. 8d. for such offence, (!) to the use aforesaid.
Summary — Rule about travelling on a Sunday.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that not but inhabiting burgesses, and such as are uprizing and downlying from the Feast of Christmas, or he or his family who lives within this town for that time, shall be admitted to have any part or parcell in the common or marshes belonging to this town.
The next "item" ordained, that he who refused to pay the sum rated upon him in lieu of "church-tax," should be proceeded against by "distress and sale." And the following ordinance was, that no person should claim and possess the freedom of the borough, who had not served an apprenticeship of seven years, to a burgess.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that every person within this borough, who shall not repair his causeys before and at the end of his house and lands, shall forfeit, for every house and lands, 5s.; and that such causeys shall extend in breadth to the centre of the street against which the said house or land shall stand.
Summary — Rule for people to maintain the area outside their house.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that any person who shall at any time hereafter be rateably assessed or taxed, living within this town, for his house or lands, towards the repairing the clock in the Markett-house, or to buy a new one, to sett up in the Markett-house when the old one shall become not capable of repair; or to the repairing of the free school, or for cloathing the beadle, may be distrained on, and any reasonable distraint made for the same, by the constable for the time being, and the said distress sold, rendering the overplus to the owner.
Summary — Rule explaining that people shall be taxed for the upkeep of the town clock, the repairing of the free school and clothing for the beadle.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that if any person shall raise ill reports, or express any scandalous words, within this borough, of any person, which words may not be actionable, and yet may have ill tendency upon the reputation of the person spoken of, or may occasion differences betwixt neighbours, every person so offending shall be bound to his good behaviour, or forfeit to the commonwealth of this town the sum of 6s. 8d. for every offence.
Summary — Rule about not slandering other people.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that every butcher who shall bring any beef, mutton, veal, lamb, goat, or kid, to be sold in the market of this town, shall bring the hide and skin of every suit, beef, mutton, veal, lamb, goat, or kid and also the head, lights, heart, and liver, and expose the same to sale in open markett, during all the time of markett , unless they are sooner sold, upon pain to forfeit to the commonwealth of the said town, 6s. 8d.; and if any person or persons inhabiting in the said town, shall buy any such hide or skin coming to the markett, &c ., before it be laid down in the markett, shall forfeit the like sum of 6s. 8d. to the use of the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule specifying that if a butcher brings meat for sale they also need to bring every part of the animal including hide for sale.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that if any person shall, within this town, expose to sale any bull's flesh that hath not been baited, he shall forfeit 6s. 8d.; and that a candle shall burn by the said meat during all the time of sale; and the common attorneys shall provide a bull ring, a collar, and rope, which all persons shall use for baiting of bulls within this town ; the said fine to be levied to the use of the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule specifying that any 'bull's flesh' being sold should first have been baited and a lit candle needs to be placed next to the meat to indicate it's been baited.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that if any person shall, at any time hereafter, expose to sale within this town, any unwholesome meat, shall forfeit 6s. 8d., and the victuals to be burnt or thrown to the river of Uske; and the said forfeiture shall be paid to the common attorneys of this town, to be by them disposed of for the use of the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rule banning the sale of bad meat. Any bad meat to be burnt or thrown into the Usk.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that the clerk of the market for the time being, shall, every Monday for ever hereafter, bring to the Major for the time being the three prices of wheat in the market of this town the last Saturday before; and that the Major shall weekly, according to the middle price of wheat, set out an assize for the town and country bakers, who shall sell any bread within this town, which the said bakers shall observe weekly, on pain to forfeit 6s. 8d. to the commonwealth of this town; and all the bread that shall not answer the said assize, shall be forfeited. And the clerk of the market is to weigh the butter which shall be put to sale on the market bulks, or anywhere in markets of this town; and that every buck shall weigh four pounds, every half-buck two pounds, and every pound sixteen ounces; and every buck, half- buck, or pound of butter which shall not weigh as aforesaid, shall be seized by the said clerk of the markett, and given to the poor, deducting to himself what the Major shall think fit to allow him for his trouble; and that the clerk of the markett, for every default he shall make, shall forfeit 6s. 8d.
Summary — Rules for the seeing of price of wheat and the weights of butter.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that every burgess within this borough, shall keep defensive arms in his house, for preserving the peace; and shall attend the Major for the time being with such arms, when he goes about to proclaim the fairs of this town, if thereunto required, on pain to forfeit 10s., to be levied and paid to the common attorneys of this town, to the use of the commonwealth.
Summary — Rule stating that citizens should keep defensive arms in their house for preserving the peace.
[The next "items" ordained, that if an Alderman refused to take the office of Mayor, when duly appointed, he should be fined not above £100, nor less than £20; persons refusing to be Aldermen, £10; and burgesses refusing to take office, to be fined, not above £10, nor under 40s.]
Item
We do ordain and agree, that every person who now doth, or shall inhabit within this town, being not otherwise exempted, nor having any reasonable cause of absenting, shall resort every Sunday to divine service to the Parish Church of St. Woollos; and the days appointed to be observed in memory of deaths and martyrdoms of the Apostles, and the days appointed in the Church of England, in the memory of the Nativity, Passion, and Ascension of Christ, and coming of the Holy Ghost, Gunpowder Treason day, the Martyrdom of King Charles the First, the Restoration of King Charles the Second, and the eighth of March, being the day of her Majesty's happy accession to the throne, upon pain to forfeit, for each default, 1s.; and that every of the persons aforesaid, who shall do any manner of work, open shop, or not keep holy the days of the Nativity, Passion, and Ascension of Christ , the coming of the Holy Ghost, Gunpowder Treason day, the Martyrdom of King Charles the First, the Restoration of King Charles the Second, and the eighth of March, shall forfeit 5s, for every offence ; and that the Mayor and Aldermen for the time being, and the Bailiffs and Constables, with their maces and halberds to attend him, shall, in their gowns or cloaks, walk to Saint Woollos Church to hear divine service and sermon ; and in decent manner, return back to such place as the said Mayor shall appoint: and as to such persons who are inhabitants of this town, or may be so at any time hereafter, and now are or may be vana religioni capti, or so unhappy as to dissent from the Church of England, but are exempted from the penalties of the laws for not coming to church, by the late statute of indulgence, every such person must resort to some place allowed by law for practice of religious duty, and not stay at home, or go to any place not allowed, or being allowed, to hear any teacher, but such as is allowed for that purpose, upon pain to forfeit 10s. for every default, to the commonwealth of this town as aforesaid.
Summary — Rules on attending church.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that every Alderman and Burgess of this town for the time being, shall attend upon the Mayor for the time being, be summoned at all the courts of this borough; the Aldermen in gowns or cloaks, and the Burgesses in decent apparel and clean linen, and without aprons before them; and having appeared, shall give due attendance, and not depart without the Mayor's leave, upon pain that every Alderman shall forfeit, for his default, 5s.; and every other Burgess, 2s.; to be levied and laid out to the use of the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rules for Aldermen and citizens on attending courts and how they should dress.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that if any person or persons, but such as are allowed as aforesaid, shall within their cattle, sheep, or horses, to graze the common mead, he and they shall pay 6s. 8d.; and if the horses or other cattle trespassing, in driving to the pound, shall be rescued from the beadle, the person who makes such rescue shall forfeit 10s. for the use of the commonwealth of this town.
Summary — Rules for animals grazing on common land.
Item
We do ordain and agree, that the Mayor for the time being shall grant his warrant to the Bailiffs, who, by virtue thereof, shall make reasonable distress upon every person for such offence as he shall commit in breach of any of the ordinances aforesaid, who shall account for the same upon oath before the Mayor, and pay the money they shall receive to the common attorneys for the time being; who shall, every Monday before Michaelmas, upon their oaths, for all monies received by them in their office , account, and how the same was laid out, and return such securities or specialties as they have taken, and the money in their hands, by the virtue of their office, to their successors, within fifteen days after; and that the common attorneys shall be chosen by the majority of voices happening in court the first court after Michaelmas-day, and being chosen, sworn to the said office before the Mayor, in the said court.
Item
Whereas it appeareth to this court that the toll of ancient time, for corn sold in the Markett House of this town, hath for years last past been lessened and diminished, by the farmers bringing in samples to the said Markett, and the bakers and others of this town, by such samples, contract for several quantities of corn to be delivered and measured in their houses; by which practices, several statutes made against forestalling, regrating, and engrossing, will be of little use, and the poor of this town oppressed, and the toll arising from the sale of all corn within this town, which toll, by ancient customs of this town, is for maintenance of the poor, will be lost; we do order and agree that the Bailiffs, Constables, and Clerk of the Markett, do weekly, and every week for the future, take notice of all such farmers, utterors, and vendors of corn, that shall bring any such to town, in order to be sold, and the same be carried to any private or public house within the liberties of this town, and there sell or measure the same; and that the said officer do weekly return the names of such persons that shall sell and utter any corn to sale in private as aforesaid, to the Town Clerk of this town for the time being, who is hereby ordered to prosecute such farmers, utterers, vendors, and buyers of corn in private as aforesaid , at the public charge of the corporation.
Item
Forasmuch as it appears that several Majors have made sundry persons, graziers, drovers, and scuders, free of this corporation, under pretence of which freedom, such persons made free as aforesaid, have insisted of being free of payment of all manner of tolls, by which exemption the toll of this town is lessened, and the charge of maintenance of the poor increased, and the inhabitants of this town who pay scot and lot, will in time be disabled to relieve and support their poor, who, by the dearness of corn and grain, increase daily: We do order and agree, that every foreign burgess and freeman, not inhabiting within this town, claiming the exemption of freedom of toll, shall be taxed, charged, and the same levied pro rata, as the benefit they shall or may receive by such exemption, as if actually dwelling within this corporation, having regard to their faculty, and the benefit they receive thereby: And to the end that the foregoing ordinances, and every of them, may be made public, we do order and agree, that notice shall be given to all the burgesses of this town to attend at the next court of this town, at the Guildhall, which will be on Monday, the first of October next, where all the ordinances aforesaid shall be openly and publicly read to them: And we do further order that copies of all such ordinances as do relate to any foreigners, shall be set up and affixed to the Markett House, the Bridge Gate, and the Middle Gates of this town, as witnessed by our signature: hereunto appended:-
LEWIS MORGAN, Major, HENRY HERBERT, JOHN MORGAN, CHARLES WARD, JOHN MORGAN, THOMAS MORGAN, NEHEMIAH WILLIAMS, JOHN JONES, FRANCIS PETTINGAL, RICHARD PETTINGAL, JOHN PLUMLEY, JAMES WILLIAMS.
We have thus amply set forth the customs and peculiarities of the corporation and inhabitants of Newport, at the early part of the last century. It was found, however, that the restrictive nature of one of the items ordained, relative to the admission of "foreigners," was found to operate prejudicially in succeeding years; and a repeal of the obnoxious item was therefore resolved upon, thus:-
Charles Ward, Major
Newport Burgus'ss: We whose names are subscribed, being the Major and greater number of aldermen of the burrough aforesaid, combined together in common councill , the second day of December, in the fourth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King George, considering the decay of dwelling-houses, and the paucity of inhabitants within this town, and that the cause thereof is by too great an observance of the thirthy-eighth ordinance, made on the ninth day of October, in the thirtieth year of the late Queen Elizabeth, anno domini 1589, and revised by another ordinance , made the 26th day of September, in the tenth year of the reign of the late Queen Anne, anno dom: 1711; and as it is our duty to be tenatious to uphold the good laws and customs of the corporation , it is likewise our duty — when any laws and customs of the said corporation become, through the different juncture and emergency, times and accidents, prejudicial — to alter and change the same, according to such expediency, as may be necessary to the improvement of trades, and the augmentation of inhabitants , and therefore we do repeal the said recited ordinance, as obstructing the good influences of the corporation; and the same is hereby accordingly repealed and made voyd. Nevertheless, when any foreigner is to be made a burgess of this town, his admission money must be forty shillings, and paid down to the common attorneys, or some other fit person , to be accountable for the use of the commonwealth of the said burrough, honorary burgesses excepted.
CHARLES WARD, MAJOR. FFRAN. PETTINGALL. JOHN MORGAN. JOHN JONES. R. PETTINGALL.
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