Juratts or freemen, whereby the scope in the eleccỡn of the Mayor might be more large, wch was then (amongst many other) a mayne greevaunce to the Inhabitants, the place having att that tyme bene for many yeares together supplyed only by three; for reformacỡn whereof we addressed or Irềs for election to be made into yt office for ye yeare following of Thomas Pelham the only Juratt yt had bene held out of that place, while ye Mayrolty was contynued in three. But in ye last yeares election, whether out of ignourance or perswacỡn wee know not, wee are informed ye freemen swarved from our scope & intencỡn, and contrary to the Lord Warden's exp'sse comanndmt made choyce of one into that office yt was neither antientest Juratt, nor yet capable of any governnt. being before suspended by his loppp. & the Mayor inhibited to call him to ye Bench, who under p'tence of Seigniority, as being sometymes a Juratt (wth place he had many yeares before waved & given ovr) challenged to himself a right by relacỡn to ye tyme of his first admittance wth was long before lost. Forasmuch as it is thought fitt, that in ye successive election of the Mayor, the Juratts should from henceforth be chosen to succeede in that office by Seigniority & place of Eldershipp, as they are in order of Auntientnesse recorded in ye Towne booke kept for that purpose and have held & exercised yl place wthout discontinuance according to ye example of Romney & Sandwth, as ye best meanes to establishe peace, & to cutt of ye cause of envye and partiallity (ye seedes of y1 dissencỡn) wth hath bene soe long & soe unhappily nourished amongst yow: These are therefore to require yow to observe ye said orders for ye better gouvernem1.