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London Lives 1690 to 1800
Crime, Poverty and Social Policy in the Metropolis
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their
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Beadles
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and Watchmen and often choosing
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Victuallers
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and other improper persons for those employments There has
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arisen upon many private Searches lately made just cause
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to Suspect that Some of their Beadles and Watchmen do
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conceal and protect Severall Night houses and other disorderly
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houses for their owne private lucre, many of them having
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been found very backward and unwilling to give evidence
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against tho' upon their Oaths, and Strongly prest by the Justices,
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and tho' it appeared they could not be ignorant of the
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matters they were examined to, From whence the Said
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Justices did (in the Judgment of the Committee) very rightly
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inferr that it is not in the power of the Magistrates to
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remedy those inconveniencys whilst for the reasons above
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the Beadles and Watchmen are wholly under the influence
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of the Constables, which must make them rather choose to
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act by the direccon and for the interest of their Masters than
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for the publick Safety.
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And the Committee conceiving that the keeping a Strong
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and regular watch in the Night time is of the greatest
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importance for the preservacon of the persons and propertys
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of the People and will be a most likely means to prevent
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Murthers, burglarys, robberys, felonys, and other
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outrageous misdemeanors which are comitted in the Night
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time, now more frequently than hath been known
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heretofore, and also further considering that the Statute of
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Winchester appoints the watch to be kept only from
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ascension day to Mickmas day, and that there is noe Law
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now in force which appoints a Watch to be kept in the
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Winter part of the year when a Watch is most necessary
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And also that the method for keeping the Watch, as the
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Laws now are, is, for every Inhabitant within any
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parish or place to watch in his turn which would
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certainly be a very good means to obtain the before
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