Throughout the next thousand years there was little attempt to light the streets.  Iron baskets of burning wood, primitive oil-lamps, and candles were used to some extent, but during all these centuries there was no attempt on the part of the government or of individuals to light the streets in an organized manner.  In 1417 the Mayor of London ordained “lanthorns with lights to bee hanged out on the winter evenings betwixt Hallowtide and Candlemasse.”  This was during the festive season, so perhaps street-lighting was not the sole aim.  Early in the sixteenth century, the streets of Paris being infested with robbers, the inhabitants were ordered to keep lights burning in the windows of all houses that fronted on the streets.

For about three centuries the citizens of London, and doubtless of Paris and of other cities, were reminded from time to time in official mandates “on pains and penalties to hang out their lanthorns at the appointed time.”  The watchman in long coat with halberd and lantern in hand supplemented these mandates as he made his rounds by,

    A light here, maids, hang out your lights,
    And see your horns be clear and bright,
    That so your candle clear may shine,
    Continuing from six till nine;
    That honest men that walk along
    May see to pass safe without wrong.

In 1668, when some regulations were made for improving the streets of London, the inhabitants were ordered “for the safety and peace of the city to hang out candles duly to the accustomed hour.”  Apparently this method of obtaining lighting for the streets was not met by the enthusiastic support of the people, for during the next few decades the Lord Mayor was busy issuing threats and commands.  In 1679 he proclaimed the “neglect of the inhabitants of this city in hanging and keeping out their lights at the accustomed hours, according to the good and ancient usage of this City and Acts of the Common Council on that behalf.”  The result of this neglect was “when nights darkened the streets then wandered forth the sons of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.”

In 1694 Hemig patented a reflector which partially surrounded the open flame of a whale-oil lamp and possessed a hole in the top which aided ventilation.  He obtained the exclusive rights of lighting London for a period of years and undertook to place a light before every tenth door, between the hours of six and twelve o’clock, from Michaelmas to Lady Day.  His effort was a worthy one, but he was opposed by a certain faction, which was successful in obtaining a withdrawal of his license in 1716.  Again the burden of lighting the streets was thrust upon the residents and fines were imposed for negligence in this respect.  But this procedure after a few more years of desultory lighting was again found to be unsatisfactory.