558 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
y e week following w ch com only is fryday, by one of y e clock in y e 
afternoon at y e church. 
May. 19. On y e 7 th of May, or y e fryday next aftar, y e church 
accompts, y e collectors, overseeres of y e poor, are to give up theire 
accompts in y e church. w ch accompt comonly Lastath 2 dayes. & 
this is also to be published in y e church by y e clarks y e sunday 
befor. 
June. 20. The 11 th day of June, y e bookes for y e releif of y e 
poore, are to be written viz. one for every ward, and to be forth- 
with ratad by two of ye Bench, and 2 of y e 24 tie such as y e Mayor 
shall nominate and appoint. & y n to be delivered to y e Mayor, and 
he with y e Justice are to subscribe theire names to y e s d bookes. 
21. On y e 28 th of June y e accompts for Releiff of y e poor are to 
be made up, when are present, y e mayor & y e rest of y e magistrates. 
Here follows " a schedule of the heads of the Alterations, and Aditions to 
be made in the Chartar of Plym 0 1684," and the order of the king for its 
preparation accordingly. 
The chief provisions were : Private council of the town to consist of 
thirteen aldermen, whereof the mayor was to be one ; the common council, 
of the mayor and aldermen and twelve assistants ; all in the first place to be 
nominated in the charter, and thereafter to be elected by the mayor and 
aldermen, or major part of them, who were likewise to have the power of 
making burgesses and inferior officers as before. Town to have a recorder, 
town clerk, and coroner. Mayor and recorder to have power of making 
deputies ; and the deputy-recorder to be town clerk and justice of the peace. 
Eecorder to be nominated in the new charter ; thereafter, with the coroner, 
to be chosen by the common council. Mayor to be elected by the freemen 
of one of two aldermen put in nomination by the mayor and aldermen ; but 
no alderman to be put upon election who had filled the office within eight 
years, unless absolute necessity required, and he consented. Fines for refusing 
0 ffr ce _ mav or £200, aldermen £100, assistants £50, all not exceeding. Mayor, 
recorder, and deputy-recorder to be justices of the peace of the Quorum. 
Present mayor, with two first nominated aldermen, to be justices until death 
or removal: thereafter precedent mayor to be justice during year ensuing 
his mayoralty; and the two aldermen eldest nominated or elected justices. 
This was the only charter that made any material alteration in the govern- 
ment of the town. Charters subsequent to that of Henry VI. — and the town 
had them from Henry VII., Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, Elizabeth, 
James I., and Charles I. — merely confirmed former privileges, or modified 
and extended the judicial powers of the corporation, in the appointment of 
justices and giving authority to the local courts. Charles II. placed the 
corporation on a new footing; but William III., by the last charter which 
the town has received, practically restored the old regime. 
