il that an exact survey of all
the City's estate should be made in each ward by the alderman and his
deputy, and that such surveys should be sent to the town clerk so that
they might be entered in a book. The court approved of the recommendation,
and ordered that it should be carried out "with all expedition
imaginable."(1907) The City's markets,(1908) the City's beams(1909) and
everything else that could be let on lease were let at improved rentals,
and everything that could be sold was sold. On the 4th November (1703) the
lord mayor (Sir John Parsons) informed the Common Council that towards the
payment of the City's debts his lordship and the two sheriffs had agreed
to lay before the court certain papers showing (1) what the several places
under the Corporation would sell for, (2) what the lord mayor himself and
the sheriffs were willing to take for their share of each place, and (3)
what part of the purchase-money might be devoted to the liquidation of the
City's debts.(1910)

The schedule is an interesting one as showing the value attached to
various offices under the City. Thus a water-bailiff's place would sell
for L2,200, a sword-bearer's for L2,500, and that of a clerk of the
Chamber for as much as L2,600 (the highest of all), whilst a City
solicitor could purchase his place for L1,500, and a City remembrancer
could do the same for L1,200. The scheme proposed by the mayor and
sheriffs on this occasion affected no less than one hundred and
sixty-three places of employment, and was simplicity itself, being nothing
more than that they themselves and their successors should forego
one-third of the value of any place that became vacant during their year
of office, and that this third should be devoted to payment of the City's
liabilities. The total value of these purchaseable places amounted to
L107,860, one-third of which, viz., L35,953 6_s._ 8_d._, would, if this
proposal were carried out (and _if every place fell vacant within the
year_), be available for the discharge of the City's debts. In a second
schedule were set out certain other places filled chiefly by artificers,
who, by their extravagant charges, had contributed (it was said) in no
small degree to the City's indebtedness. These were to be excluded from
the scheme, much to their disappointment. When any one of them died,
surrendered his place or was dismissed from it for just cause, his place
was not to be filled up, and the payment of 10_s._ a week, mor