Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	great_a	read_v	time_n	3,650	5	3.4648	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51706	Concerning penal laws a discourse, or charge at sessions in the burrough of Bridgewater, 12 July, 1680 / by Sir John Mallet, Kt. ...	Mallet, John, Sir, 1622 or 3-1686.	1680 (1680)	Wing M338; ESTC R4353	14,666	22

and Breach of the Peace it is call'd a Riot Upon presentment or Indictment thereof if the parties be found guilty they are to be punisht by Fine In any Travel unusually Armed to the terror of others Or are common Night-walkers especially if they be dangerous persons And any that hinder the apprehension of Malefactors or make Rescous or break Prison such Offenders are also to be enquir'd after and punisht according to the Law in such cases I forbear to make mention of those that shew strange and Monstrous sights because I will make no reflections on something lately in another part of this County whereof I will say nothing here There are other Offences against the Peace which are hurtful to particular persons of which if there be cause of complaint you will hear from the Parties grieved yet such matters are to be enquired of by you because the Indictments are on the Kings behalf the Offences being against his Laws and Peace Such are Assaults Battery Maims False Imprisonments Forcible Entries Unlawful Cutting and carrying away young Trees forcible Trespasses and hurting the Cattel and Goods of another Cheatings Deceits Menaces Threats and Slanders All these are Offences within your Enquiry and Punishable here and no doubt but many persons will be apt enough to make complaint concerning which if they bring their Bills and complain to you Justice must be done But many of these Angry differences happen among Neighbours which by Mediation of Friends may be happily ended between them without such trouble There are matters also concerning Artificers Labourers and Servants to be taken notice of and to be Ordered and redressed here If any such do conspire together to advance their Wages beyond Law and Reason If Workmen depart before their work be done If Servants behave themselves disorderly If any that are fit to go to Service and have no other visible Estate or means of Livelihood All these are to be order'd according to the Law in such Cases But if they be truly Poor and impotent they must be provided for and relieved Here I must recommend to the care of the Overseers of your poor the binding poor Children Apprentice as one of the best provisions to prevent the encrease of the poor and also thereby to prevent the ill and lewd Courses and Offences which by Idleness such young people would quickly learn and commit The Overseers of the Poor ought also to be careful in all other things belonging to their Office which if they neglect one Month they are under a Penalty for every such neglect Concerning Trades which in this Town are considerable By the several Statutes about Trade there are a great many Directions which you are pretty well acquainted with upon former Occasions which I suppose you have had to take notice of them that I may be the shorter in mentioning any of them now There being particular Laws about each or very many of these and other Trades Braziers Pewterers Tanners Curriers Shoo-makers Coopers c. That they shall make their Wares good and saleable and also concerning the Surveying Marking Sealing and Ordering thereof according to the several Laws in those cases If you find any thing needful to be Redress'd we will look into the particular Statutes and read them Else they are so long and many that it would take up a great deal of time The Laws only which concern Clothiers if we should mention all the particulars of them would require many hours But you may read those you may have occasion for and the statute-Statute-book shall be ready for you This in short may suffice to tell you That as the Law hates and punishes Force done to your Persons and Goods it also doth hate and punish Frauds Deceit and Cheating in any trade or dealing And it takes Especial care of those Trades which concern Victuals That all sorts thereof which may be sold shall be good and wholsom Whether Flesh Fish Bread Drink or any thing else and at reasonable Prizes Those which shall hinder your Plenty are also punishable Whether they be Forestallers who buy in the way before coming to Market what should be bought there Regrators who buy Victuals in the Market to sell again in the same or in some Market neer thereunto to advance the price Ingrossers who get into their hands or custody by buying thereof great quantities of Corn or other dead Victuals to withhold the same from the Market when it is cheap and to sell again when the same shall be dear The Offenders shall forfeit the value of the goods and also have further punishment as the Law and Statutes in that case have provided 6 Ed. 6. Offences also that relate to proceedings in the Law are punishable by the Law Barretters who are common stirrers of Suits Actions and Quarrels in Law Those who endeavour to corrupt Juries Magistrates taking Bribes Officers taking undue Fees I hope there is no cause of any thing of this kind here for I believe you have a worthy and honest Maior Aldermen and Town-Clark and that all your Officers are honest If it be otherwise it is your part to enquire and bring them to Punishment And if I have taken any Bribe make me an Example of Punishment The Office of Clark of the Market I think belongs to Mr. Maior of your Town who is so worthy and just that I suppose there is no cause to complain of any thing relating to that Office I shall close what I have said with recommending and putting you particularly in mind of the Customs and Duties due unto his Majesty which all persons from whom they are due ought to pay without Resistance Fraud or concealment You all know the several Branches of the Kings Revenue by the several Acts of Parliament concerning them and there are Penalties for Refusals and Frauds You ought to pay the Duties justly to the Collectors and those who are employ'd to gather them If the Officers make complaints of your Defaults therein we must and will give them Assistance as the Laws require us to do And if upon hearing of the Case we shall find that the Officers Employ'd in the Collecting do you any wrong in any thing by those Laws referr'd to us we will take care that Right shall be done between you and them so far as the Acts of Parliament impower us concerning the same Gentlemen I might enlarge this tedious Discourse with a more formal Admonition concerning your Oath But I know you so well understand and are so honest that you will keep it and being dwellers in this Town you are better acquainted than I am with the Affairs of it and whatsoever I have omitted to give in Charge for your Enquiry within the Compass of your Town and Jurisdiction of this Court you will supply with your Care therefore I leave what belongs to you to doe therein to your Consideration FINIS