“The following parts of your oath are, 1. That you shall _present all_ and _every_ the offences of _tipling_ and _drunkenness_ that come to your knowledge; 2. That you shall once in the year _present_ all _Popish recusants_. Nay, and by the statute on which your oath is grounded, you are obliged once a year to _present in session_, all those within your parishes, who (not being dissenters) come not once in a month, at least, to church.” And 3. That you shall _well_ and _duly_ execute _all precepts_ and _warrants_ to you directed. I believe no _constable_ will pretend to be ignorant of this. How is it then, that when we send out warrants, to levy on offenders for _swearing_, _drunkenness_, and the like, those _warrants_ are so ill obeyed? Are you not _sworn_ to execute _these_ as well as any other, and that _duly_ too, according to the tenor of your _precept_? Your _precept_ tells you, you shall _demand_ such a sum, and if the offender will not ♦pay, you shall _levy it by distress of his goods_: and _if no distress can be taken_, you are _then_ only to set him _in the stocks_; otherwise you have no authority so to do: nor is the setting him in the stocks, when you might have distrained, any execution of your _precept_.” ♦ “pray” replaced with “pay” “The last part of your oath is in _general_ terms. That you shall _well_ and _duly_ according to your knowledge, power, and ability, do and execute _all other things_ belonging to the office of a _constable_. I shall instance in some things which certainly _belong to your office_, because you, and none else, can do them. 1. A constable may, _without a warrant_, apprehend any persons, and carry them before a justice, who are driving carts, horses or cattle on the Lord’s day: 2. Such as he shall find at _sports and pastimes_ on that day. 3. Such as he shall find _tipling_ in public-houses; 4. Shopkeepers _selling_ or _exposing_ goods on the Lord’s day; and lastly, Such as he shall find drunk or blaspheming, or prophanely swearing or cursing.” “Thus I have shewn you, in part, _what belongs to your office_: it is well, if according to the tenor of your oath, you _duly, according to your knowledge and ability, do and execute all these things_. But remember, that if you do not, if you neglect any of them, you are _forsworn_.” Now let all men judge, how many _constables_ in _England_ are clear of wilful _perjury_! 9. “I will now (he goes on) address myself to _church-wardens_. Your oath is, ‘That you shall well and truly execute the office of a _church-warden_, for the ensuing year; and to the best of your skill and knowledge, _present_ such persons and things, as are _presentable_, by the ecclesiastical laws of this realm.’ I shall set down only a few of these.” “The statute of king _James_ I. obliges you to present once a year, all monthly _absenters_ from church.”