February 1778

of his which have been proved before them on Oath which Summons as
It is grounded on a Complaint for unlawfully refusing to give the complained
a Character and the said Refusal is therein said to be against the Statute
Etc the said Justices cannot but look upon as a daring abuse of that
kind of process and an evidence of gross and Scandalous ignorance in the
Magistrate who Issued it

Middlesex as Well within Liberties as without to wit Mrs Elizabeth
Jones< no role > ats Mennell These are in his Majesty's Name to require you
personally to be and appear before me John Gretton< no role > Esquire one of his
Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said County Etc at my House in
Margaret Street aforesaid this day at six o' Clock in the afternoon then
and there to shew cause and answer the complaint of Ann Drury< no role > for
unlawfully refusing to give her a Caracter against the Statute Etc Hereof
fail not at your Peril Given under my Hand and Seal this first day of
Dee one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven

And his Majesty's said Justices do further represent to your Lordship
the following Instances of Venality in the said John Gretton< no role > vizt That on
or about the 20th day of December last the said John Gretton< no role > issued a Summons
against one George Jobson< no role > who then exhibited a Puppet Show in Turnstile
Holborn and upon his appearance the said John Gretton< no role > entered into an
Jale and impertinent Conversation with him the said Jobson at the end
whereof the said John Gretton< no role > told the said Jobson that he must go with his
the said Justices People to a neighbouring Public House and that he
accordingly did so when he was told by them that he must pay five Guiness
as he was under the Law of £50 penalty which he not being able to do
they all returned to the said Justices Office and there the said Jobson being
so directed by the Justices People paid into Hands of the Clerk in the
presence of and as he has sworn he verily believes for the use of the said
Justice the Sum of two Guineas and being then told that he should have a
License from the said Justice permitting him to exhibit his Puppet Shew in
any part of the County of Middlesex he called a few Days after for the said
License but upon his refusal to pay half a Crown more for it the said License was denie [..]
him.