HISTORY. 
error. It was enrolled in 1658, and is yet preserved in the rolls office]. In this year a great 
number of marriages were solemnized before John Hansford, mayor of Derry. 
1662. April 10. Upon the restoration, the city of London petitioned the crown for a reversal 
of the judgment given against their first letters patent; but as the proceedings necessary to be 
adopted in this respect, it was considered, would be tedious, the king proposed to grant a new 
charter, to embrace all the possessions and rights the city originally possessed. Accordingly, 
(the grant of Cromwell being deemed insufficient), on the 10th of April, 1662, letters patent were 
made out, which contained, with very little alteration, all the clauses of the first charter of 
James the 1st, which charter is that under which the Irish Society and corporation of London¬ 
derry now act.— (Hist, of the Irish Soc.) 
1668. A great part of the city was destroyed by fire.—( lb.) 
15th September. The society required from the corporation of Londonderry a certificate un¬ 
der seal, of their by-laws, for confirmation of the society, agreeably to the provisions of the charter, 
and expressed their unwillingness to receive any communications purporting to be the acts of the 
common council of Londonderry, unless they were under the seal of that corporation.—( lb .) 
1684. June 13. The corporation of Londonderry, by letter to the Irish Society, offered to 
hold a correspondence with them, and to render a faithful account of their concerns when desired. 
—(lb.) 
September 4th. King Charles the 2nd being informed that in the several charters granted by 
King James the 1st and himself, incorporating the city, there was no power given to take the 
acknowledgment of statute staples, which had been granted to many cities and towns not so consi¬ 
derable as the city of Londonderry for trade, and in the said charters one fair being only granted, 
to be held 24th August, and several days then next following; also that the sessions of the city 
are to be held by the said charters before three Justices of the Peace of the city, at least, of whom 
the mayor and recorder are always to be two, which had been the occasion of some inconvenience, 
by the recorder’s being often absent at the terms when the said sessions should be held; his Majesty 
(at the suit of the city, and pursuant to letters from Windsor, 14th June, 1684) granted and con¬ 
stituted a guild of the staple, consisting of a mayor and two constables, and such a number of 
merchants of the city as to said mayor and constables, for the time being, should seem meet; the 
mayor and constables to be chosen yearly, and to execute all things thereto belonging, as fully as 
the city of Dublin or any other city or town, had used or accustomed ; to hold two fairs more in 
the city or franchises on the 6th June and 6th October (unless on Sundays), and three days next 
following each; rent 20s. sterling : any three justices of peace, whereof either the mayor or the 
recorder to be always one, to keep and hold the sessions of the city in the same manner, as by the 
former charters the mayor and recorder, with any other justice or justices of the city, might or 
could hold the same: provided always, that the said justices shall not proceed in any capital cause 
at any of their sessions, unless the mayor and recorder shall be both personally present.—(36 Car. 
2, 2 a . pars d. 46.) 
1685. During this year there was a great decay of trade in the city. The corporation com¬ 
plained that the government of the place was too expensive for the magistrates to sustain, and 
they supplicated the society for an abatement of rent, and the society promised them assistance.— 
(Hist. Irish Soc.) 
1687. The bishop of Derry laid claim to the quarter lands, which became the subject of a 
long and expensive litigation, which, as will appear hereafter, terminated in the rejection of his 
claim.— (Ib.) 
A quo warranto was brought against the corporation, by king James s government, and they 
were shortly after deprived of their charter by judgment of the court of Exchequer.— (King.) 
1688-9. The siege of Derry, which commenced on the 7th of December, by the closing of 
the gates against lord Antrim’s regiments, was raised on the 30th of July following.—(See County 
history.) The city was found to be reduced to a very sad and deplorable state, but active measures 
were speedily taken to restore it. By the representations of its heroic defender, Mr. Walker, to 
the Irish Society, the 12 chief companies of London were induced to advance £100 a-piece; wood 
was supplied by the society for the public buildings, and abatements were made in the rents, 
and the terms of leases augmented.— (Hist, of the Irish Soc.) 
1692. The corporation endeavoured to negociate with the bishop (King) for a renewal of the 
lease of the quarter-lands, which was then near expiring; but their terms were refused. The corpo¬ 
ration knowing that the bishop’s claims to these lands were unsubstantial, and deeming it their 
interest to make a discovery of the fact to the Irish Society, accordingly did so, and entered into 
an agreement with the society to establish their right for a consideration of £90 10s. a-year, 
which sum is still paid to the corporation. On the 18th of July, 1695, an ejectment was brought 
by the society against the bishop for the remainder of the 1500 acres comprised in the society s 
letters patent, and on the 23d of November the society resumed the possession of them. On the 
1st of October, 1697, the bishop appealed to the house of lords against the order of the chancel- 
