as long, you shall maintain and uphold, all and every other ordinances and orders, made and confirmed at this present guild merchant, which are not contradictory to the laws of this kingdom, you shall, as far as in you lieth, observe and keep. Obeisant and obedient you shall be to the mayor of this town, concerning the franchises and customs thereof, and the same you shall maintain and keep to your best endeavour, and this town keep harmless, inasmuch as in you lieth. And whilst you do and shall inhabit within this town, you shall be contributary to all manner of charges within this town, or summonses, watches, contributions, tasks, tollages, scot and lot, and all other charges, bearing your part as a freeman ought to do. You shall colour no foreigner's goods, or in your own name, whereby the king, or this town, might or may lose their customs or advantages. You shall know no foreigner to buy or sell any merchandize with any other foreigner within this town, or the franchises thereof, except at the time of the fair, but you shall warn the mayor or bailiffs, or other officers. You shall also, within this town, keep the king's peace in your own person, according to law. You shall know no gatherings, conventicles, or conspiracies, within this town, against the king's peace, but you shall warn the mayor or other officers thereof, 2 THE STANDARD of PRESTON. & MAYORS MACE The mace, is the gift of his and let it out to the best of your power. All these points and articles you shall well and truly keep, according to the laws of the realm, and of this town, to your power. So help you God, and by the contents of this book.” The Solemnization of the Guild. On the Monday after the decollation of St. John the Baptist, at eight o'clock in the morning, all the different fraternities of the various trades in the borough, with their respective wardens, in their gowns, and having long white staves, each company walking two abreast, with their flags unfurled, and bands of music preceding them, march regularly to the Moot-hall, and place themselves according to previous orders given, and wait for the guild mayor and his company. The young gentlemen of the town and others, who as yet are not free to the franchises of the town, have a captain of their own, walking two abreast preceded by the town's flag, having the arms of the town emblazoned thereon, together with music and drums; after which the great banner, containing the royal arms of England painted thereon, followed by the mayor's pensioners or guard, with other partizans, and the halberdmen, the sergeant with his halberd, the two sergeants with their maces, and the large mace, carried by some person , of respectability appertaining to their body, the two bailiffs, with their white wands, and the aldermen, in their robes, and after them the guild mayor, with his staff of authority, attended on each side, and after him in pairs, by the nobility and gentry belonging the town and neighbourhood. The Procession. The mayor proceeds from his residence, attended by ladies and gentlemen, to the Moot or Guild-hall, and from thence walks in due procession, attended by twelve aldermen and the common-councilmen, together with the rest of the corporation officers, all attired in their robes of office, to the ancient cross or obelisk, in the Marketplace, where proclamation is made, saying "That our ancient guild merchant is now opened according to the charter given us, of which we shall duly observe every ordinance therein contained, according to the obvious meaning thereof," concluding with "God save our gracious Sovereign." The guild merchant being duly opened and solemnized, the bells of the Parish church begin to ring a merry peal, assisted by the sounds of trumpets and other martial music. All the soldiers and guards, together with the various companies, are placed |