<div1 type="SM_GOpage" id="LMSMGO55600GO556000357"> <xptr type="pageFacsimile" doc="LMSMGO556000357"></xptr>
<p n="1112">their <rs type="occupation" id="LMSMGO55600_occ1558">Beadles</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55600_occ1558" type="occupation" value="Beadles"></interp>
and Watchmen and often choosing <rs type="occupation" id="LMSMGO55600_occ1559">Victuallers</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55600_occ1559" type="occupation" value="Victuallers"></interp>
<lb></lb>
and other improper persons for those employments There has<lb></lb>
arisen upon many private Searches lately made just cause<lb></lb>
to Suspect that Some of their Beadles and Watchmen do<lb></lb>
conceal and protect Severall Night houses and other disorderly<lb></lb>
houses for their owne private lucre, many of them having<lb></lb>
been found very backward and unwilling to give evidence<lb></lb>
against tho' upon their Oaths, and Strongly prest by the Justices,<lb></lb>
and tho' it appeared they could not be ignorant of the<lb></lb>
matters they were examined to, From whence the Said<lb></lb>
Justices did (in the Judgment of the Committee) very rightly<lb></lb>
inferr that it is not in the power of the Magistrates to<lb></lb>
remedy those inconveniencys whilst for the reasons above<lb></lb>
the Beadles and Watchmen are wholly under the influence<lb></lb>
of the Constables, which must make them rather choose to<lb></lb>
act by the direccon and for the interest of their Masters than<lb></lb>
for the publick Safety.</p>
<p n="1113">And the Committee conceiving that the keeping a Strong<lb></lb>
and regular watch in the Night time is of the greatest<lb></lb>
importance for the preservacon of the persons and propertys<lb></lb>
of the People and will be a most likely means to prevent<lb></lb>
Murthers, burglarys, robberys, felonys, and other<lb></lb>
outrageous misdemeanors which are comitted in the Night<lb></lb>
time, now more frequently than hath been known<lb></lb>
heretofore, and also further considering that the Statute of<lb></lb>
Winchester appoints the watch to be kept only from<lb></lb>
ascension day to Mickmas day, and that there is noe Law<lb></lb>
now in force which appoints a Watch to be kept in the<lb></lb>
Winter part of the year when a Watch is most necessary<lb></lb>
And also that the method for keeping the Watch, as the<lb></lb>
Laws now are, is, for every Inhabitant within any<lb></lb>
parish or place to watch in his turn which would<lb></lb>
certainly be a very good means to obtain the before</p>
</div1>

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