Choice presidents upon all Acts of Parliament relating to the office and duty of a justice of peace. With necessary notes and instructions thereupon taken out of the said Acts of Parliament, and other particular cases in law adjudg'd therein. As also a more useful method of making up Court-Rolls than hath been hitherto known or published in print. By Rich. Kilburne, Esq; late one of His Majestie's Justices of the Peace for the county of Kent, and principal of Staple-Inn.

The High Constable's Oath.

YOU shall swear, That you shall well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Office of a Constable: You shall see and cause His Majestie's Peace to be well and truly kept and preserved according to your power: You shall arrest all such Persons as in your sight and presence shall ride or goe armed of∣fencely, or shall commit or make any Riot, Affray, or other breach of His Majestie's Peace. You shall doe your best endeavour (upon com∣plaint made) to apprehend all Felons, Bar∣rettors, and Rioters, or Persons riotously as∣sembled: and if any such Offenders shall make

resistance (with force) you shall levy Huy and Cry, and shall pursue them untill they be ta∣ken. You shall do your best endeavour, that the Watch, in and about your Hundred be du∣ly kept, for the apprehending of Rogues, Va∣gabonds, Night-walkers, Eves-droppers, Scouts, and other suspected Persons, and of such as go armed, and the like; And that Huy and Cry be duly raised and pursued according to the Sta∣tute of Winchester against Murtherers, Thieves, and other Felons; And that the Statutes made for the punishment of Rogues and Vagabonds, and such other idle Persons as come within your Bounds and Limits be duly put in execu∣tion: You shall have a watchfull eye to such Persons as shall maintain or keep any common House or Place, where any unlawfull Game is or shall be used; as also to such as shall fre∣quent, or use such Places, or shall use or exer∣cise any unlawfull Games there or elsewhere contrary to the Statutes. At your Assizes, Ses∣sions of the Peace or Leet, you shall present all and every the Offences done contrary to the Statute made 1 Iacobi, 4 Iacobi and 21 Ia∣cobi Regis, to restrain the inordinate haunting and tipling in Inns, Alehouses, and other Vic∣tualling houses, and for repressing of Drunken∣ness; You shall there likewise true presentment make of all Bloudsheddings, Affrays, Outcrys, Rescues, and other Offences committed or done against the King's Majestie's Peace within your Limits; You shall once every year during your Office present at the Quarter-sessions all Popish Recusants within your Liberty, and their Chil∣dren above 9, and their Servants (scil. their monthly absence from Church) 3 Iac. 4. You shall well and duly execute all Precepts and Warrants to you directed from the Justice of

Peace of this County, or higher Officers; You shall be aiding to your Neighbours against un∣lawfull Purveyances: In the time of Hay or Corn Harvest, upon request, you shall cause all Persons to meet to serve by the day for the* 1.1 mowing, reaping, or getting in of Corn or Hay; You shall in Easter-week cause your Pa∣rishoners to chuse Surveyors for the mending of the High-ways in your Parish or Liberty; and you shall well and duly according to your knowledge, power and ability, doe and exe∣cute all other things belonging to the Office of a Constable, so long as you continue in the said Office. So help you God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In this Oath is briefly comprehen∣ded the whole Duty of a Consta∣ble, and principal matters of his Office.