Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
peace_n	constable_n	justice_n	warrant_n	3,871	5	9.8211	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80673	The counterfeit constable, or, The wicked watch Being a full and perfect relation how some persons pretending themselves to be a constable and his watch, did enter into several houses, and rob'd the people of great sums of money and goods. As also how the said persons were at last apprehended, and after a long time reamining in goal, sentenced the last sessions to dye, but ... a reprieve was granted, and they brought back from Tiborn, the 6th. of March, 1673/4 ...		1674 (1674)	Wing C6519B; ESTC R174287	1,895	7

THE Counterfeit Constable OR THE WICKED WATCH BEING A Full and Perfect Relation how some Persons pretending themselves to be a Constable and his Watch did enter into several Houses and rob'd the people of great Sums of Money and Goods As also how the said Persons were at last Apprehended and after a long time remaining in Goal sentenced the last Sessions to dye but notwithstanding by the endeavours of friends a Reprieve was granted and they brought back from Viborn the 6th of March 1673 4. Containing an exact account of their Facts and Tryals Printed for M. S. in the Year 1674. THE Counterfeit CONSTABLE Or The Wicked WATCH TOO truly was it said more than fifteen hundred years ago by Horace Prince of the Lyrick Poets Aetas Parentum pejor avis Nos Genuit mox Daturos Progeniem vitiosio●em Our Fathers who more wicked methods trace Than did our Grandsires haste on a pace For to get us a yet more wicked Race Though Sciences may be in the wane most good Arts Dwinling away by a Retrograde motion whilst each modern Author proves only an Eccho to the Ancients and from their rich Store-house of Learning pilfers a few scrops and superficial besprinklings of knowledge to gain himself the reputation of an Ingenioso yet Villany still improves it self to a higher pitch and people grow every day more subtle and witty in the contrivance of Roguery so as to contemn the dull common tricks of their Predecessors in the mistery of Iniquity and invent continually fresh Stratagems to accomplish their designed Cheats and Robberies Of this without turning over Chronicles or searching the musty Records of Antiquity or what is more poor fobbing the Reader with an idle Romantick Story where the Scene is laid in some remore and unknown Country to make it easier to be believed than disproved our present Subject affords us at home an unhappy Instance A jolly Gang of the Town who lived like brids of prey or people in that State of Nature which some idle Phylosophers have of late recommended so far as to justle out of credit the notions of good and evil and those pedantique terms Meum and Tuum having a fancy to drive their Trade in these dead times to the best advantage and make themselves Masters of what they could get concluded there was no safer way to accomplish their designs than to Masque themselves in the mantle of Authority hoping they might so unexpectedly commit the greatest outrages with Indemnity since it passed under the semblance of a warrantable and securing Office To this purpose they dress up a principal and well experienced member of their Fraternity in his Gown Cap Staff and all the formalities of a Constable the rest being put into a suitable Garb and reverendly attending him as his Watchmen In this posture they set out about Ten or Eleven a Clock in the Night and past in their rambling progress several Watches giving and receiving the usual complement Good Night Brother to the Constables This company knocking furiously as with authority at a private house door they commanded the people to rise and open the Door which being done they pretend a Warrant which they had ready contrived with the Name of a Justice of Peace and his Seal Counterfeited to it To Inquire and apprehend if they could certain persons therein named and mentioned as Clipers of Money Whereupon the People well knowing their Innocency from harbouring any people of that stamp admited them very freely to search But they pretending though the persons were not then present they ought to make diligent scrutiny for brass and Clipp'd Money claimed a Priviledge of opening all Closets Chests Drawers and Truncks VVhere at last happening to find fifty seven pound and odd Money they picking out thereof three or four narrow Clipp'd Shillings took the Confidence to acquaint the Folks that they must seize all the said Money for the Kings use till further Order VVhereupon the same was deposited in the pretended Constables hands who pretendedly gave them a very fair account of his Name and dwelling which they seeing him thus attended never suspected to be false Having in their first enterprize of this nature sped thus successfully and dispatch'd away some of their Confederates to Lodge the prize they march on and give the alarm to an Ale-house which soon surrendred and gave entrance at the sight of the Staff and Halberts Here they pretend to search for stolen plate and under that pretence carried away all the plate they could find in the house leaving another name and dwelling for the owner to enquire at for it This particular booty was worth above twenty pound Now going farther they steer their course to an Eminent Shop-keepers House make them rise and pretend they come to search for French prohibited goods under which notion they disburden his Shop and Ware-house of above one hundred pounds worth of Commodities But this Gentleman smoaking the cheat when they went forth at first Doggs them then gets afore them and causes the Watch to stop them In which Confusion some made their escape but the counterfeit Constable and several of his pretended Watch were apprehended and being carried before a Justice of Peace committed to Newgate where having fenced with the Law for three or four Sessions At last Viz. The last Week of February last past the said Offenders were Condemned to dye but notwithstanding by the Endeavours of Friends a reprieve was granted and they brought back from Tyburn on the 6th of this Instant March 1673 4. FINIS