What kinds of jobs did medieval people do in a city government? A book from 14th-century London offers rare insight into the officials who ran the city—from high-ranking mayors to humble street cleaners.
Known as the Jubilee Book, this document was written in the summer of 1376 as part of an attempt to reform London’s government. Though these reforms proved too controversial and were later rejected in 1387, the book remains a valuable source on how medieval London was governed. It provides detailed descriptions of civic roles, oaths of office, and the structure of municipal power. While it was ultimately repudiated and even publicly burned, the Jubilee Book sheds light on a how a medieval city was governed.
1. The Mayor
Richard Whittington, stained glass in the Guildhall, City of London – he served as mayor in the years 1397, 1406 and 1419 – photo by Stephencdickson / Wikimedia Commons
London’s mayoral election took place every year on October 13th. Two candidates were chosen by the city’s Common Council, composed of leading guild members, and one was selected by the aldermen. The records of London show that some mayors served multiple times, even being re-elected consecutively. For example, Nicholas Brembre served as mayor in the years 1377, 1383, 1384, and 1385.
The mayor represented the city in dealings with the royal government and was responsible for maintaining the city’s rights while recognizing the king’s authority. The mayor also convened a general meeting each year with sheriffs, aldermen, and other officials. This meeting, held after the Feast of Epiphany, served as an opportunity to discuss and coordinate city affairs. In practice, the mayor and aldermen held court sessions frequently throughout the year to deliberate important matters and settle disputes.
He had his own staff, including a Chamberlain, Common Sergeant at Law, and Common Clerk, plus an esquire and two sergeants who served as his personal bodyguards. These officers supported the mayor in legal, administrative, and ceremonial duties.
2. The Sheriffs
London elected two sheriffs annually on September 21st, using the same method as for the mayor. Sheriffs carried out arrests, maintained Newgate Gaol, and oversaw minor courts. They acted on orders from the mayor and aldermen and ensured that offenders were brought to justice. The Jubilee Book notes that each sheriff could be assisted by as many as four sergeants, with the number increased “to carry out tasks for the people’s needs.”
One surviving court record from 1320 shows that sheriffs handled hundreds of cases in just a few months. This suggests they may have dealt with around 4,000 cases a year. These included cases of debt, assault, trespass, and other common legal disputes.
3. The Aldermen
A map showing the wards of the City of London as they appeared in 1870. They were almost exactly the same in 14th century London.
In 1376, London had 24 wards, each led by an alderman. Their primary role was to hold Wardmotes—local meetings where issues like tavern hours, fence lines, and suspected criminals were discussed. Wardmotes were vital spaces for community governance and social regulation.
Aldermen also supervised the appointment of ward-level officials such as constables, scavengers, ale-conners, beadles, and rakers. These local appointments were typically made in consultation with community members and reflected the decentralised nature of city administration.
As senior civic leaders, aldermen also sat on the mayor’s court, contributed to lawmaking, and reviewed major city policies. According to Barbara Hanawalt, the mayor and aldermen were “busy listening to citizens’ complaints from morning to night,” highlighting how litigious and engaged medieval Londoners could be.
4. The Constables
Constables were charged with maintaining peace and arresting troublemakers. Their oath required them to detain anyone causing riots or fights and deliver them to the sheriffs. If resisted, they were to raise the hue and cry and pursue the offender through the streets. This duty reflected a collective model of law enforcement where the entire neighbourhood was expected to assist in the arrest.
They also assisted with searches for outsiders or suspicious individuals within the city. Constables were the eyes and ears of local government, often among the first to hear about unrest, theft, or violence.
In addition to their patrol and enforcement duties, constables helped deliver summonses and ensured compliance with local orders. They played a frontline role in preserving what medieval Londoners called “the king’s peace.”
5. The Beadles
Beadles acted like investigators. Each ward had at least one, tasked with rooting out wrongdoers including thieves, slanderers, brothel-keepers, and illegal vendors. These officers were particularly concerned with public morality and economic regulation.
Beadles had to report such people to their alderman, who was then responsible for having them expelled from the area within 15 days. Their work helped maintain neighbourhood order and protected reputations, which were essential to civic life.
They also investigated cases of illegal food sales—merchants trying to evade regulation or sell substandard goods. The beadle ensured transparency and fairness in the local market economy. Beadles were instrumental in gathering evidence and building cases that would later be heard in city courts.
6. The Common Sergeant at Arms
Drawing of the city of London from the early 14th century – British Library MS Royal 13 A III fol. 14
Essentially the town crier, this official announced proclamations across the city. Paid 60 shillings annually, he could earn additional money for proclamations made on behalf of other officials.
The sheriffs, for example, were to pay him 12 pence per proclamation and provide him with a proper horse “for the honour of the city.” His role wasn’t just functional but also symbolic—he carried civic authority and was expected to look the part when making public declarations.
This official also ensured that new laws and regulations were communicated to the public. In a city without printing presses or mass media, his voice helped unify the legal and administrative structure of urban life.
7. The Scavengers
Scavengers had two essential responsibilities. First, they ensured the streets were in good repair and cleared of “rubbish, dung and all manner of filth.” With narrow alleys and dense crowds, the removal of waste was crucial for health and traffic flow.
Their second task was to prevent fire hazards. Given the frequency of devastating fires in medieval London, scavengers inspected “that all chimneys, furnaces, ovens and hearths are of stone and built sufficiently strong against the perils of fire.”
8. The Ale-Conners and Rakers
Ale-conners tested the quality of ale, beer, and bread sold in the city. They served as food inspectors, tasked with protecting consumers from dishonest merchants or spoiled goods. Bad ale could be punished by fines or having it poured into the street.
Rakers were street sweepers, cleaning public areas regularly. They worked alongside scavengers to ensure passable roads and reduce disease. These officials were chosen during Wardmotes and were often responsible for just one street or neighbourhood.
Though these might seem like minor roles, they were essential in a city like London where thousands depended on safe food, clean water, and usable thoroughfares.
9. The Clerks and Scribes
Clerks were needed throughout the city to record court proceedings, draft charters, and manage correspondence. Their work preserved the decisions of city courts and ensured that transactions, taxes, and disputes were documented.
The Jubilee Book includes oaths for some clerks, instructing them to keep the city’s secrets. Confidentiality was essential in an era when sensitive political or legal information could be used for personal gain.
Scribes often worked behind the scenes, but their accuracy and discretion were vital to the functioning of a professional city bureaucracy. They also played an important role in standardising legal language and preserving the record of civic memory.
10. Other Civic Roles
Other minor positions included those managing London Bridge, overseeing the Conduits that supplied fresh water, or carrying the mayor’s sword. Some of these jobs were ceremonial, while others were highly practical, requiring engineering, maintenance, and logistics.
There were also messengers, porters, and ward clerks who kept the city’s institutions connected and functioning smoothly. Many of these roles were unpaid or lightly compensated, but still highly respected in the community.
Together, these lesser-known positions formed the backbone of daily life in the city, ensuring that infrastructure remained intact, and the wheels of governance kept turning.
A Complex Machine of Medieval Governance
Importantly, the Jubilee Book emphasized that civic officials should not abuse their power. For instance, the alderman’s oath reads: “you shall take no gift, great or small, if you believe in your conscience, that it has been sent to you to maintain some cause, or to damage or delay someone’s right, rather for love and friendship.”
While the Jubilee Book itself—an ambitious attempt to create a kind of civic constitution—was discarded after just 11 years, it reveals a great deal about how medieval London was run. The city had a wide array of officials tasked with maintaining order, resolving disputes, and safeguarding daily life. The many surviving records from the period show that the people of medieval London interacted with their government frequently and extensively.
The London Jubilee Book, 1376–1387: An edition of Trinity College Cambridge MS O.3.11, folios 133–157, by Caroline M. Barron and Laura Wright, is published as part of the London Record Society series. Please visit the publisher, Boydell and Brewer, for more information. You can also buy this book on Amazon.com.
What kinds of jobs did medieval people do in a city government? A book from 14th-century London offers rare insight into the officials who ran the city—from high-ranking mayors to humble street cleaners.
Known as the Jubilee Book, this document was written in the summer of 1376 as part of an attempt to reform London’s government. Though these reforms proved too controversial and were later rejected in 1387, the book remains a valuable source on how medieval London was governed. It provides detailed descriptions of civic roles, oaths of office, and the structure of municipal power. While it was ultimately repudiated and even publicly burned, the Jubilee Book sheds light on a how a medieval city was governed.
1. The Mayor
London’s mayoral election took place every year on October 13th. Two candidates were chosen by the city’s Common Council, composed of leading guild members, and one was selected by the aldermen. The records of London show that some mayors served multiple times, even being re-elected consecutively. For example, Nicholas Brembre served as mayor in the years 1377, 1383, 1384, and 1385.
The mayor represented the city in dealings with the royal government and was responsible for maintaining the city’s rights while recognizing the king’s authority. The mayor also convened a general meeting each year with sheriffs, aldermen, and other officials. This meeting, held after the Feast of Epiphany, served as an opportunity to discuss and coordinate city affairs. In practice, the mayor and aldermen held court sessions frequently throughout the year to deliberate important matters and settle disputes.
He had his own staff, including a Chamberlain, Common Sergeant at Law, and Common Clerk, plus an esquire and two sergeants who served as his personal bodyguards. These officers supported the mayor in legal, administrative, and ceremonial duties.
2. The Sheriffs
London elected two sheriffs annually on September 21st, using the same method as for the mayor. Sheriffs carried out arrests, maintained Newgate Gaol, and oversaw minor courts. They acted on orders from the mayor and aldermen and ensured that offenders were brought to justice. The Jubilee Book notes that each sheriff could be assisted by as many as four sergeants, with the number increased “to carry out tasks for the people’s needs.”
One surviving court record from 1320 shows that sheriffs handled hundreds of cases in just a few months. This suggests they may have dealt with around 4,000 cases a year. These included cases of debt, assault, trespass, and other common legal disputes.
3. The Aldermen
In 1376, London had 24 wards, each led by an alderman. Their primary role was to hold Wardmotes—local meetings where issues like tavern hours, fence lines, and suspected criminals were discussed. Wardmotes were vital spaces for community governance and social regulation.
Aldermen also supervised the appointment of ward-level officials such as constables, scavengers, ale-conners, beadles, and rakers. These local appointments were typically made in consultation with community members and reflected the decentralised nature of city administration.
As senior civic leaders, aldermen also sat on the mayor’s court, contributed to lawmaking, and reviewed major city policies. According to Barbara Hanawalt, the mayor and aldermen were “busy listening to citizens’ complaints from morning to night,” highlighting how litigious and engaged medieval Londoners could be.
4. The Constables
Constables were charged with maintaining peace and arresting troublemakers. Their oath required them to detain anyone causing riots or fights and deliver them to the sheriffs. If resisted, they were to raise the hue and cry and pursue the offender through the streets. This duty reflected a collective model of law enforcement where the entire neighbourhood was expected to assist in the arrest.
They also assisted with searches for outsiders or suspicious individuals within the city. Constables were the eyes and ears of local government, often among the first to hear about unrest, theft, or violence.
In addition to their patrol and enforcement duties, constables helped deliver summonses and ensured compliance with local orders. They played a frontline role in preserving what medieval Londoners called “the king’s peace.”
5. The Beadles
Beadles acted like investigators. Each ward had at least one, tasked with rooting out wrongdoers including thieves, slanderers, brothel-keepers, and illegal vendors. These officers were particularly concerned with public morality and economic regulation.
Beadles had to report such people to their alderman, who was then responsible for having them expelled from the area within 15 days. Their work helped maintain neighbourhood order and protected reputations, which were essential to civic life.
They also investigated cases of illegal food sales—merchants trying to evade regulation or sell substandard goods. The beadle ensured transparency and fairness in the local market economy. Beadles were instrumental in gathering evidence and building cases that would later be heard in city courts.
6. The Common Sergeant at Arms
Essentially the town crier, this official announced proclamations across the city. Paid 60 shillings annually, he could earn additional money for proclamations made on behalf of other officials.
The sheriffs, for example, were to pay him 12 pence per proclamation and provide him with a proper horse “for the honour of the city.” His role wasn’t just functional but also symbolic—he carried civic authority and was expected to look the part when making public declarations.
This official also ensured that new laws and regulations were communicated to the public. In a city without printing presses or mass media, his voice helped unify the legal and administrative structure of urban life.
7. The Scavengers
Scavengers had two essential responsibilities. First, they ensured the streets were in good repair and cleared of “rubbish, dung and all manner of filth.” With narrow alleys and dense crowds, the removal of waste was crucial for health and traffic flow.
Their second task was to prevent fire hazards. Given the frequency of devastating fires in medieval London, scavengers inspected “that all chimneys, furnaces, ovens and hearths are of stone and built sufficiently strong against the perils of fire.”
8. The Ale-Conners and Rakers
Ale-conners tested the quality of ale, beer, and bread sold in the city. They served as food inspectors, tasked with protecting consumers from dishonest merchants or spoiled goods. Bad ale could be punished by fines or having it poured into the street.
Rakers were street sweepers, cleaning public areas regularly. They worked alongside scavengers to ensure passable roads and reduce disease. These officials were chosen during Wardmotes and were often responsible for just one street or neighbourhood.
Though these might seem like minor roles, they were essential in a city like London where thousands depended on safe food, clean water, and usable thoroughfares.
9. The Clerks and Scribes
Clerks were needed throughout the city to record court proceedings, draft charters, and manage correspondence. Their work preserved the decisions of city courts and ensured that transactions, taxes, and disputes were documented.
The Jubilee Book includes oaths for some clerks, instructing them to keep the city’s secrets. Confidentiality was essential in an era when sensitive political or legal information could be used for personal gain.
Scribes often worked behind the scenes, but their accuracy and discretion were vital to the functioning of a professional city bureaucracy. They also played an important role in standardising legal language and preserving the record of civic memory.
10. Other Civic Roles
Other minor positions included those managing London Bridge, overseeing the Conduits that supplied fresh water, or carrying the mayor’s sword. Some of these jobs were ceremonial, while others were highly practical, requiring engineering, maintenance, and logistics.
There were also messengers, porters, and ward clerks who kept the city’s institutions connected and functioning smoothly. Many of these roles were unpaid or lightly compensated, but still highly respected in the community.
Together, these lesser-known positions formed the backbone of daily life in the city, ensuring that infrastructure remained intact, and the wheels of governance kept turning.
A Complex Machine of Medieval Governance
Importantly, the Jubilee Book emphasized that civic officials should not abuse their power. For instance, the alderman’s oath reads: “you shall take no gift, great or small, if you believe in your conscience, that it has been sent to you to maintain some cause, or to damage or delay someone’s right, rather for love and friendship.”
While the Jubilee Book itself—an ambitious attempt to create a kind of civic constitution—was discarded after just 11 years, it reveals a great deal about how medieval London was run. The city had a wide array of officials tasked with maintaining order, resolving disputes, and safeguarding daily life. The many surviving records from the period show that the people of medieval London interacted with their government frequently and extensively.
The London Jubilee Book, 1376–1387: An edition of Trinity College Cambridge MS O.3.11, folios 133–157, by Caroline M. Barron and Laura Wright, is published as part of the London Record Society series. Please visit the publisher, Boydell and Brewer, for more information. You can also buy this book on Amazon.com.
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