Should it happen that urgent business compelled a
guest to be absent from the hostel for a night, the keeper was obliged
to warn him, with the best grace he might, that he must take care to be
back as soon as possible.
Obviously there would have been much unfairness in making hostelers and
herbergeours answer for the misdeeds of persons with whom they had only
transient relations, if there had been no system for preventing the
escape of dishonest and desperate characters who would be especially
susceptible to the attractions of a great city and could not be held in
check by the fatherly admonitions of an anxious host. Nor, again, was it
to be supposed that the native population consisted wholly of highly
moral and virtuous persons, incapable of such low crimes as burglary. To
counteract the designs of these enemies of order, it was enacted temp.
Edward I. that barriers and chains should be placed across the streets
of the City and "more especially towards the water (Fleet River) near
the Friars Preachers." From the same reign also dates an ordinance that
the Aldermen and men of the respective wards should keep watch and ward
on horseback at night, each Alderman keeping three horses for that
object. Moreover, each of the City gates was placed in charge of a
Sergeant-at-arms, who had his quarters over the gateway. It was the duty
of this official to keep guard by night, and he was assisted in this
task by a watchman (wayte), whose wages he had to pay out of his own
salary.
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