“When a _justice of peace_ is sworn into the commission, he makes oath――‘That he shall do equal right to the poor and to the rich, after his cunning, wit and power, and after the laws and customs of the realm and statutes thereof made, in all articles in the king’s commission to him directed.’――What those articles are, you will find in the first assignavimus of the commission: ‘We have assigned you and every one of you, jointly and severally――_to keep and cause to be kept, all ordinances and statutes_, made for――the quiet, rule and government of our people, in all and every the articles thereof, according to the force, form and effect of the same, and to _chastise and punish all persons, offending_ against any of them, according to the form of those statutes and ordinances.’ So that he is solemnly sworn to the execution of all such statutes, as the legislative power of the nation has thought fit to throw upon his care. Such are all those (among others) made against _drunkenness_, _tipling_, prophane _swearing_, _blasphemy_; _lewd_ and _disorderly_ practices, and _prophanation of the_ Lord’s _day_. And it is hard to imagine how a justice of peace can think himself more concerned, to _suppress riots_ or _private quarrels_, then he is to levy twelve pence on a _prophane swearer_, five shillings on a _drunkard_, ten shillings on the public house _that suffers tipling_, or any other penalty which the law exacts ♦on vice and immorality. The same oath binds him both to one and the other, laying an equal obligation on his conscience. How a magistrate, who neglects to punish excess, prophaneness and impiety, can excuse himself from the guilt of _perjury_, I do not pretend to know. If he reasons fairly, he will find himself as much _forsworn_, as an evidence who being upon his oath, to declare _the whole truth_; nevertheless conceals _the most considerable part_ of it. And his perjury is so much the more infamous, as the ill example and effects of it will be mischievous.” ♦ “of” replaced with “on” per Errata 7. The same author (in the preface to his second essay) goes on: