ock of their own Chamber. To this end a committee was appointed
on the 12th February, 1668. For nine months that committee was employed
examining the state of the City's finances, and then had not finished
their task. Nevertheless, on the 23rd November they made a report to the
Common Council of the result of their labours so far as they had
gone.(1379) The state of the Chamber, they said, was so low that it would
require the utmost care and industry to restore it and save it from utter
decay and ruin, "for what by misemployment of the treasure in the late
troubles and other ill managements," as well as by extraordinary expenses
occasioned by the Plague and Fire, the City's debt had still increased
notwithstanding its income having been largely augmented by fines of
aldermen and chamber and bridge-house leases, which within the last
fifteen years had exceeded L200,000. It was clear that when these
extraordinary accessories to the City's income ceased--and they had already
begun to decline--the City's debt would increase and would indeed become
desperate unless some remedy were found. The committee, therefore, made
certain suggestions with the view of cutting down expenses. The City
Chronologer,(1380) in the first place, could be dispensed with altogether.
The salary of the City Waits, which had lately been increased, should be
reduced to its former amount. Some saving might be made in allowance of
stationery in the various offices, in expenses attending Courts of
Conservancy, in allowance of boots to City labourers and artificers. The
personal expenses of the City's Remembrancer for diet, coach hire, boat
hire, etc., should be no longer allowed; and the Chamber should not be
called upon to make any disbursement for military purposes beyond the sum
of L4,666 13_s._ 4_d._, for which the City was yearly liable by Act of
Parliament. Lastly, neither the court of Aldermen nor the court of Common
Council ought to have power to draw upon the Chamber for a sum exceeding
L500, except it were in connection with the re-building of the Guildhall
and other specified objects. These and other recommendations of the
committee, being carefully considered by the court, were for the most part
accepted with certain amendments.

(M695)

On the other hand there was due to the city's Chamber no less a sum than
L77,409 6_s._ 6_d._ for principal and interest on former loans to the
king. This sum Alderman Backwell undertook himself to pay to the