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<p n="1026"> <note type="authorial" place="margin">February 1778</note>
That on or about the Tuesday before Christmas Day last the said<lb></lb>
<rs type="persName" id="LMSMGO55607_n1026-1">John Gretton</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1026-1" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1026-1" type="surname" value="Gretton"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1026-1" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
issued a Like Summons against one <rs type="persName" id="LMSMGO55607_n1026-2">William Banister</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1026-2" type="given" value="William"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1026-2" type="surname" value="Banister"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1026-2" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
<lb></lb>
for exhibiting a Puppet Shew and upon his appearance thereon the said<lb></lb>
Justice gave the said Banister Directions to go out and settle the matt<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
with his People That he accordingly went with them to the Cock a<lb></lb>
neighbouring Alehouse and was there told by the Justices People the<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
he must pay five Guineas which he not being able to do they reduce<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
their demand to three Guineas which he agreed to pay but that Sum<lb></lb>
being more than he had about him he the said Banister went out an<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
pawned his Watch for a Guinea which he paid them and was dism<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
and on the Tuesday following he paid another Guinea after which he <obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
heard any more of the said Summons or of the Complaint therein menti<obscured></obscured>
</p>
<p n="1027">And his Majesty's said Justices further represent to your Lord<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
that the two several Charges last abovementioned are respectively verif<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
by the Voluntary affidavits of the said <rs type="persName" id="LMSMGO55607_n1027-1">George Jobson</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-1" type="given" value="George"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-1" type="surname" value="Jobson"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-1" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
and William Ba<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
and the said Justices crave Leave to observe thereon that in both a<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
the Duty of the said <rs type="persName" id="LMSMGO55607_n1027-3">John Gretton</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-3" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-3" type="surname" value="Gretton"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-3" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
as a Magistrate was to have<lb></lb>
convicted the said Jobson and Banister under the Vagrant Act or <obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
least to have admonished them not to offend against the same for the<lb></lb>
time to come and that as the Law does not invest Justices of the Peace<lb></lb>
with any such power the Offer of his License to tolerate a Nusance <obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
case no less than the extortion in both was in the Said <rs type="persName" id="LMSMGO55607_n1027-4">John Gretton</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-4" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-4" type="surname" value="Gretton"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1027-4" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
a<lb></lb>
Scandalous abuse of his Authority and a Disgrace to the Office of a<lb></lb>
Magistrate</p>
<p n="1028">And his Majesty's said Justices do further represent to your<lb></lb>
Lordship that it appeared to them by the Report of the said Committee<lb></lb>
that the said <rs type="persName" id="LMSMGO55607_n1028-1">John Gretton</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1028-1" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1028-1" type="surname" value="Gretton"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_n1028-1" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
had in sundry Instances issued Summo<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
under his Hand and Seal and caused them to be sent to the Persons<lb></lb>
complained of by <rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO55607_geo955">the common</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_geo955" type="placeName" value="the common"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO55607_geo955" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
conveyance of the penny Post and that <obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
order to terrify them to whom they were directed with his authority many<lb></lb>
of the Summonses by him so sent out contained a Threat that in ca<obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
of their non attendance the Magistrate would issue a Warrant for Contempt<lb></lb>
a Process the issuing whereof in such a case would have been illegal and in <obscured></obscured>
<lb></lb>
high degree injurious and oppressive</p>
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