they may be Entirely destroyed if a Stop is not put to this Evil-
practice, may be worth Consideration and is highly to be dreaded.

And We Cannot here avoid taking Notice of the bad Influence
the permitting of Chandlers and other Inferior Trades to deal in
this Liquor or other Strong Waters, has in this Town on the Servant
of the Nobility and Gentry, it being too Common a practice among
Chandlers and others where Servants are Continually going on
one Occasion or other to tempt and press them to drink and even
give them Drams of this Liquor which we may reasonably
Suppose must be paid by the Master either in the price
Weight or Measure of the Goods they are Sent for and which
as is does them Immediate Damage and by Degrees accustoms
them to this Liquorandso itt Encourages them to wrong their Masters
in greater Matters, And we Conceive this may be one of the
Causes of the great Complaint against Servants.

Your Committee does admit, that by the Returns of the
Constables two thousand one hundred & five of those who deal
in these Liquors are not Licensed. Should it be Objected why these
are Suffered by the Magistrates to go unpunished. Let it be
Answered, That whilst they has a Fund, as is generally
Imagin'd, to Support themselves, and the Expence of Defending
every Conviction lies on the Magistrate, which is, one has
been on these Occasions very great, Besides his Trouble &
Loss of time, it is not to be Expected that the Magistrate
should risque his own Fortune on these Occasions Especially
when it is Considered, that where the party stands out the
three Convictions, the Same when dream & Copy'd amounts
to one hundred Sheets of paper.

Your Committee have already taken Notice, That near
half of the present Constables are Victualers and Dealers
in Spirituous Liquors, And the Difficulties they have on
that Account [..] been under in the making this Inquiry. And
they cannot help taking this Opportunity to observe, That as
every other Trade makes Interest to be Excused serving this
Office, they are the only persons who Covet it, which your
Committee apprehend must arise from some profit and
Advantage to themselves; And they are therefore of Opinion
the Laws against Drunkenness Lowdness & profaness are
not so likely to be put in Execution whilst Ale house keeper
and Retailers of Strong Liquors are most Commonly the
persons appointed to Execute the said Laws & bring the
Offenders to Justice.

Let it be Added that even the poor Confin'd in Parish
Work houses, Not withstanding the great Care taken, find
frequent Opportunities of Coming at these Liquors, there
being such great Numbers of Retailers, And a Debauch
being to be purchased with the Smallest peice of our Coin

This Evil must, we think, Considering the greatness of
it, And the Certain dismall Consequences attending it to our
Selves and Posterity, sometime or other find a Remedy. The
Longer it is delay'd, the greater Number of Retailers, will
whenever a Remedy happens be affected in their Trades
& Lively hoods, and be obliged to seek new Methods for
Support in Themselves and their Families.

In