over apprentices, or to make them free; and hears and determines
differences between masters and their apprentices.

6. The Court of City Orphans is held by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen
as often as occasion requires; the Common Sergeant being entrusted
by them to take all inventories and accounts of freeman's estates,
and the youngest attorney in the Mayor's Court is clerk of the
orphans, and appointed to take security for their portions; for when
any freeman dies, leaving children under the age of twenty-one
years, the clerks of the respective parishes give in their names to
the common crier, who thereupon summons the widow or executor to
appear before the Court of Aldermen, to bring in an inventory, and
give security for the testator's estate, for which they commonly
allow two months' time, and in case of non-appearance, or refusal of
security, the Lord Mayor may commit the executor to Newgate.

7. The Court of Conscience was established for recovering small
debts under forty shillings at an easy expense, the creditor's oath
of the debt being sufficient without further testimony to ascertain
the debt. This court sits at the hustings in Guildhall every
Wednesday and Saturday, where the Common Council of each ward are
judges in their turns. They proceed first by summons, which costs
but sixpence, and if the defendant appears there is no further
charge; the debt is ordered to be paid at such times and in such
proportion as the court in their consciences think the debtor able
to discharge it; but if the defendant neglect to appear, or obey the
order of the court, an attachment or execution follows with as much
expedition and as small an expense as can be supposed. All persons
within the freedom of the City, whether freemen or not, may
prosecute and be prosecuted in this court, and freemen may be