ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 201 



" Ye mall implead or fue no freemen out of this town, whilft 

 " you may have right and law within the fame town. 



" Ye fhall take no apprentice but if he be free-born, that is to 

 " fay, no bondman's fon, nor the child of an alien, and for no 

 " lefs term than for feven years, without fraud or deceit, and 

 " and within the firfi year ye fhall caufe him to be enrolled, or 

 " elfe pay fuch fine as fhall reafonably be impofcd upon you for 

 " omitting the fame : and after his term's end, within conveni- 

 " ent time (being required) ye fhall make him free of the cor- 

 " poration, if he have well and truly ferved you. Ye fliall alfo 

 " keep the king's peace in your own perfoiii 



" Ye fhall know no gatherings, conventicles, nor confpiracies, 

 u againft the king's peace, but ye fliall warn the mayor thereof, 

 " or lett it to your power. 



" All thefe points and articles ye mail well and truly keep, ac- 

 ie cording to the laws and cuiloms of this corporation, to your 

 " power. So, God you help !" 



It mud he remembered to the honour of the rriagiftrates of 

 Neiucqftle, that their attention and zeal has ever been confpicu- 

 ous, unremitted and ardent, in maintaining harmony and good 

 order among all ranks of people within their jurifdiclion, and 

 fligmatizing bold and impudent mifdemeanours. Ever inclined 

 to lenity, rather than rigour, and confcious how much fome de- 

 linquents are more affected by being expofed to public fhamc 

 and ignominy, than by any other fort of punifhment, they had 

 an ancient cuflom of punifliing drunkards and brawling women 

 by caufing them to pafs in review through the ftrects, each in a 

 machine, fymbols of their notorious mifconduct. A great bar- 



VOL. IL D d rcl 



