That the court of Aldermen should assess the fares of watermen, which being subscribed by two at least of the privy council, should be set up in Guildhall and Westminster Hall, _&c._ and the waterman that takes more than according to the fare so assessed, shall, for every such offence, suffer half a year’s imprisonment, and forfeit 40_s._
That any waterman withdrawing himself in time of pressing, shall suffer a fortnight’s imprisonment, and be prohibited rowing any more on the Thames for a year and a day.
Other regulations were made in the succeeding reigns, particularly in that of William III. when for the better ordering and governing the watermen, wherrymen and lightermen, on the river Thames, it was enacted, that every lighterman, or owner, keeper, or worker of any lighter, or other large craft on the Thames between Gravesend and Windsor, shall be taken to be of the society, or company of wherrymen, watermen and lightermen, who by this act are made a society, or company under the direction of the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this city; who are thereby impowered annually to appoint eight persons of the best character among the watermen, and three persons out of twelve annually nominated by the lightermen; which eleven persons are to be stiled, the overseers and rulers of all the wherrymen, watermen, and lightermen, that shall use or exercise any rowing upon the river of Thames between Gravesend and Windsor; in order to keep good order among the watermen and lightermen.
By this act the rulers and assistants of the company are likewise enabled annually on the first of June, to appoint and direct the watermen of the principal towns, stairs, and plying places between Gravesend and Windsor; and to chuse a free waterman who is a housekeeper, for each of the said places, to be of their assistants, so that they do not exceed the number of sixty, nor be less than that of forty; to which shall be added nine lightermen, who together shall compose the number of assistants of the said company.
These overseers are by the above act impowered to appoint any number of watermen not exceeding forty, to ply and work on Sundays between Vauxhall and Limehouse, at such stairs and plying places, being seventeen in number, besides the two at Westminster, for carrying passengers across the river Thames, for one penny each: the money arising thereby, which annually amounts to about 1450_l._ including those at Westminster, is by each of the working watermen to be paid every Monday morning, to the order of the said rulers; who, after having paid those watermen their proper wages, the surplus is to be applied to the use of the poor of the company. The watermen of Westminster being however exempt from the immediate direction of the watermens company in this affair, they annually appoint their own watermen to ply and work on Sundays, for carrying passengers across the Thames, from and to Westminster bridge and Stangate, and the horse-ferry at Lambeth; which money is applied to the use of the poor watermen, or their widows, of St. Margaret’s parish.