For the King

The King
against
Stephen Hunt< no role > }
On an Indictment for refusing to serve
the Office of Constable

London Indictmt. setsforth
(Bill found in Febry Sessions)

That the City of London is an antient City and that according to the custom of sd. City from the time whereof
the memory of man is not to the contrary used and approved in the same at a Court of Wardmote held for the Ward of Broad
Street London in the Parish of St. Peter le Poor in sd Ward according to sd Custom of sd City & sd Court 21st. Decr. 23d. year of Geo:
2d before Thos. Rawlinson< no role > Esqr then & now one of the Aldermen of sd. City & then & yet Aldermen of sd. Ward one Dep Stephen
Hunt< no role > late of the Parish of St. Peter le Poor in the Ward of Broad Street Coachmaker then and long before being an
Inhabitant & Resiant within sd. Parish & Ward & a fit and proper person to execute the office of Constable within sd. Ward was
lawfully & in a due manner and according to the Custom of sd. City & Court of Wardmote thousand there elected to be one of
the Constables for sd. Ward for one Year next ensuing by the men Inhabitant & Resiant paying Scott & bearing Lott
within sd. Ward whereof sd Stephen afterwds. to wit. sd. 21st. of Decr. & at divers other days and times at London afd in sd.
Parish & Ward had notice

That little regarding his Duty but endeavouring & intending asmuch as in him totally to under & retard the due
execution of Justice from sd. 21st. of Decr. until the day of the taking of this Inquisition at the Parish & Ward afd & in and
upon sd. 21. of Decr. until the day of the taking of this Inquisicon at sd. Parish and Ward and in and upon sd. 21st. of Decr.
voluntarily obstinately & contemptuously wholly refused denied & neglected to take upon himself & execute sd. Office of
Constable agst. his sd. Duty in manifest Contempt & delay of Justice to the bad example of all others in the like Case offending &
against the peace of our sd lord the King his Cronon and Dignity & so forth.

That sd. Stephen sd. 21. Decr. & long before & always after until the day of the taking of this Inquisicon was
inhabiting & resiant & paying Scott & bearing Lot within sd. Parish of St. Peter le Poor in the ward of Broad Street and that
within sd. Ward there is & from the time whereof the memeory of Man is not to the contrary there hath been a certain Court
of our lord the Present King & his Predecessors called the Wardmote held & to be held in every Year in and upon the Past of
St. Thomas the Apostle unless sd. Feast happened to be on a Sunday and in such Case upon the day then next following sd. Feast
before the Alderman of sd. Ward for the time being or his Deputy In which sd Court according to the Custom within sd. Ward for
all the time aforesd. used & approved to wit in sd. Parish of Saint Peter le Poor in the ward afd all the Men inhabiting & resiant
paying Scott & bearing Lot for the time being within sd. Ward have been used accustomed ought & were bound by reason of their
Residence to appear in sd. Court & do their suit there & in sd Court according to the custom of sd Court yearly for all the time afd
Men inhabiting & resiant paying Scott & bearing Lot for the time being within sd. Ward were used accustomed & ought to
appoint & Choose divers Persons then inhabiting & resitant and paying Scott & bearing Lott within sd. Ward Constables in
& for sd. Ward for the preserving the peace of the sd. Lord the King & for apprehending of Rogues Vagabonds & other
suspicions Persons within sd. Ward for the publick Good which sd. persons so as afd appointed & chosen were used accustomd.
& ought to hold sd. Office for the year then next ensuing & until another Person shod. be elected into their sd. Office & also were used
accustomed & ought on the Monday next after the feast of Epiphany next after their sd. Election to take their Corporal Oath for the
due execution of their sd. Office at the Guildhall of the sd. City in the Court there held before the Mayor & Aldermen of sd City for the
time being for all the time aforesd. & that sd. Stephen sd. 21st. of December in sd. Court of Ward more then held for the Ward afd
within sd. Ward to within sd. Parish of St. Peter le Poor in sd. Ward before Thos. Rawlinson< no role > Esqr then one of the Aldermen of said
City & then & yet Aldermen of sd. Ward lawfully and duely by the Men inhabitant & resiant paying Scott & bearing Lott within sd.
Ward according to the Custom of sd. Court & sd. Ward for all the time aforesd. used was duely elected into the Office of one of the
Constables in and for sd. Ward for one whole year then next ensuing and until another Person shod. be elected into his Office for
preserving the peace of sd. Lord the King & for apprehending Rogues Vagabonds & other suspicions Persons within the Ward afd for
the publick Good.