The Court therefore decided to remedy these defects by a new ordinance amending the one of 1571. This ordinance was on the 2nd August 1723 and afterwards under the Statutes of 1503 of the Lord High Chancellor and the Chief Justices of the Kings Bench and the Common … on the 25th January 1723. (Until 1753 the calendar year ended on the 25th March and not the 31st December). The following is a copy of the ordinance which was to be the last ordinance approved under the Statute of 1503 which the Company was ever to make. As is the way with 18th century drafting, the first two … of the text is taken up with reciting from the existing powers and secondly the circumstances which make an amendment desirable, and only the last one … … the actual new Ordinance.

“A Rule ordinance and Order made by the Master Wardens and Society and Company of the Art and Mistery of Tylers and Bricklayers at a Court held the second day of August 1723.

WHEREAS among divers ancient Rules ordinances and orders heretofore made by the Master and Wardens of the fellowship of the Company of Freeman to the Art and mistery of Tylers and Brickms. Of London for the conservation rule good order and governance of their Mistery and fellowshipp and confirmed by St Nicholas Baron Knight then Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England Wm Marquis of Winchester High Treasurer to our late Sovereigne Lady Queen Elizabeth Sr Robert Catline Knight Lord Cheife Justice of her said Majesties Court of Queens Bench St James Dyer … Lord Cheife Justice of her said Majesties Court of Common Pleas Pursuant to the Statute in that case made and provided. It is ordained that it shall and may be lawfull to the Masters and Wardens of the said Fellowship or to two of them or to two other honest men of the said list by the same Master and Wardens to be appointed twice every year or oftener if they think it good to enter into all Levery place and places where any Earth and Clay shall be digged within fifteene Miles compas of the said Citty of London to make any Tyle or Bricks of or where any sand chalk or other stone shall be digged or broken to be occupied with or about the laying of Brick or Tyle or for making of Lime. And to search View and understand by their knowledge and discucions whether the said earth or clay be good and lawfull stuff and well seasoned and tempered to make brick or Tyle of or no. And whether the stone Chalk and sand be meet and convenient to be occupied in the same art for the making of Lyme or to be tempered with Lyme . And whether every brick meant and intended to be offered or putt to sale be of the length of Nine Inches and in breadth Four Inches and one quarter of an Inch and two Inches and one quarter in thickness as they ought to be . And whether every Plaine Tyle do contain in length Ten Inches and a half and in breadth Six Inches and a quarter of an Inch and in thickness half Inch and one half a quarter as it ought to be and whether every paveing Tyle be of good sufficient lawfull and merchantable stuffe. And whether every roofe Tyle do containe in length Thirteen Inches and in thickness one Inche with convenient depth accordingly as it ought to do. And whether every corner Tyle and Cover Tyle doth containe in length Tenn Inches and a half with convenient thickness and depth accordingly as they ought to do. And if the said Master and Wardens or any two of them do find any such default with any of the stuff aforesaid meant to be putt to sale as is aforesaid Or that any manner of person or persons shall bring or cause to be brought any kind of Tyle Brick or Lyme made of insufficient stuff or not of the said sizes or any sand being not lawfull meet convenient or not sufficient to be sold and occupied in the said art within the Citty of London the suburbs thereof or within Fiftiene miles compass of the same Citty Then it shall be lawfull to the said Master then for the time being and to their successor or to two of them to break in peices the said Brick and Tyle so unsufficiently or ill made as is aforesaid or wanting the thickness breadth or length aforesaid And further to Fine and annexe every of the owners and Masters of the said Brick Tyle Lyme of Sand in the Court of the said Master and Wardens within one month after to be kept according to the discrecons of the said Master and Wardens.