The next thing I am to acquaint you with, is,

Trefpaffes and Offences against the Peace which are Finable.

If any menace, assault, beat, or wound another. If any make unlawful entry upon another Man's Lands, or unlawfully take away other Mens Goods. If any make unlawful Affemblies, Routs and Riots. You are to prefent all Seditious Conventicles, accor

ding

to 16 Charles 2. where there shall be five perfons, over and above them of the Family, who hall meet together under colour or pretence of any Exercife of Religion, in any other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy of the Church of England.

"

Now, Gentlemen, although this Law does feem. to comprehend all Diffenters, yet certainly not all alike, for it would be unreafonabie that they who only differ in fome things from the Church of England fhould be as rigorously intended by this. Law, as those whofe Worship and Principles are quite contrary to it: and, I think, the very Title, of the Statute is an Argument for me, which is thus; Seditious Conventieles fuppreffed. If it had been only Conventicles fuppreffed, then I (hould have been of another opinion. And therefore, Gentlemen, my opinion is, that this Law is rather intended against the Papists, Quakers, and others of that fort, than against them who come nearer in their manner of Worship to the Church of England And without queftion, at this time, it is not prudent to be very ftrict against them who differ from the Church of England only in fome

Cere

Ceremonies, in regard the Common Enemy to our Religion and Liberty is now very active; I mean Popery; and therefore it is very great Policy to unite our felves, that we may be the more able to refift Popery. I am fure, that this is not a time to harafe or pull one-another in pieces for fome small Points in Religion; I am fure it is that which the Pope and Church of Rome will efteem as a very great and meritorious piece of Service.

He that shall fay or fing Maßs forfeits 200 Marks, and Imprifonment a year, and after that till the Mo ney be paid.

To bear Maß, forfeits. 100 Marks, and Imprifon

ment a year.

He forfeits 201. per month, who does not come to Church; and if he forbear a year, to be bound in 2001. to the good a bearing, till be conform. 23 Eliz. 1.

I.

A Conformed Recufant not taking the Sacrament, the first year forfeits 201. the fecond 401. and for every year after 60 1.

Every Recufant that shall not come to Church, forfeits 201 for every month.

Who shall be abfent from Church, for every Sunday forfeits 1 1. and for want of Distress, to be committed to Prifon.

To relieve or maintain a Recufant not going to Church, forfeits for every month 101.

To retain in ones Service a Recufant, who shall not repair to fome Church, forfeits 10 l. per month. 31 Jac. 4.

Now, Gentlemen, you muftunderland, that by by the word Recufant is meant Popish Recufant, and no other whatsoever.

They

They who hall fend their Children beyond Seas without Licenfe according to Law, forfeits 100 1. 3 Jac. 5.

If any chide, brawl, or draw a Weapon to ftrike, or doftrike in Church or Church-yard.

If any keep a Fair or Market in a Church or Church-yard.

If any voluntarily disturb the Preacher in his Sermon.

The next Matters that I am to acquaint you with, are,

Offences against Juftice in general.

If any be a common Stirrer and Procurer of Lawfuits, or a common Brabler or Quarreller among his Neighbours, this is Barratry.

If any maintain the Law-fuit of another, to bave part of the thing in demand, this is Maintenance or Champerty.

If any get Goods of another into his Hands, by falle Tokens and Messages, this Deceit is pu

nishable.

If any counterfeit a Deed or Writing, and publish it as true, this is Forgery.

If any corrupt a Jury-man, by Bribery or Menace, to divert him from giving a juft Verdict, this is Imbracery.

If any wilfully and corruptly fwear falsely in Evidence to a Jury, it is Perjury; and to procure another fo to do, is Subordination of Perjury.

And

And here, I think, I may mention Bailiffs and other Officers taking or demanding unlawful and unreasonable Fees.

None ought to practife as an Attorney, but such only as have been bred up Attorneys at Law, and not every little Catchpole, that has read over a Book or two, for these are they that do all the Mischief, because Ignorance and Knavery for the most part go together; and, I doubt, there are some who practile in this Court who are not duly qualified for it.

The next things you are to enquire into, are,

The Neglects of Conftables.

If he do not baftily pursue Hue-and Cry after Murtherers and Robbers.

If he do not truly execute and return all Warrants Jent to him from Justices of the Peace.

If he do not apprehend Beggars, Rogues, and Vàgabonds, that are wandring or begging within his Office.

If he do not punish, by Stocking, fuch as refufe to labour in Hay and Harvest time.

If be do not prefent at the Seffions, or to the next Juftices, the Disorders in Aleboules, Defects in High ways, Recufants absence from Church, and fuck as keep Dogs, Guns, Nets, and the like, for the unlawful taking of Wild-fowl and Hares: And of this there is great cause of Complaint both againít

the

the Conftable and others, that presume to keep these things against an express Statute, made the 22d and 23d Car. 2. whereby it is provided, That none that have not 100 l. per annum Land of Inheritance, or 1501. for Life, shall not keep a Gun, &c. But People do fo generally offend against this Law, and Conftables are fo very neg ligent in not reftraining others, that one would think there was no fuch Law.

If he do not caufe Watch by Night, and Ward by Day, to be kept within bis Office from Afcenfion day to Michaelmas-day.

Here alfo is great cause of Complaint against Conftables, for in many places this is wholly neglected; or where it is done, it is performed fo indifferently, that it's little better than if it had been left undone. The Neglect in this, is the Occafion of most of the Villanies that are committed in the Night; it is the want of this that gives Encouragement to Rogues to do that which elfe they would scarcely dare to think on. It's Security that promotes Wickedneffes of that fort, and a Fear of being apprehended makes them defift from putting in execution what they had defigned.

Then