THE CHARTER OF THE BOROUGH OF LANCASTER. 143 



the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Ibrty-four, and 

 on that day yearly forever thereafter, unless it happen to fall on Sunday, 

 and then on the next day following, publickly to meet in some convenient 

 place within the said borough, to be appointed by the chief Constable, 

 and then and there to nominate, elect and choose by the ballot, two able 

 men of the inhabitants of the said borough to be Burgesses, one to be 

 high Constable, one to be town clerk, and six to be assistants within the 

 same, for assisting the Burgesses in the managing the affairs of the said 

 borough, and of keeping of peace and good order therein : which election 

 shall be taken from time to time by the high Constable of the year pre- 

 ceding ; and the names of the persons so elected shall be certified under 

 his seal to the Governor for the time being within ten days next after such 

 election ; and the Burgess who shall have the majority of votes shall be 

 called the chief Burgess of the said borough. But iu case it .shall 

 so happen that the said freeholders and inhabitants, house-keepers 

 aforesaid, shall neglect or refuse to elect or chuse Burgesses and other 

 the officers in manner aforesaid, that then it shall and may be lawful 

 for the Governor for the time being to nominate, appoint and commis- 

 sionatQ Burgesses, Constable, town clerk and assistants for that year; 

 to hold and continue in their respective offices until the next time of 

 annual election appointed as aforesaid, and so as often as occasion shall 

 require. 



And we further will and ordain, that the said Burgesses for the time 

 being shall be, and are hereby impowered and authorized to be conser- 

 vators of the peace within the said borough; and shall have power by 

 themselves and upon their own view, or in other lawful manner, to re- 

 move all nuisances and incroachments on the said streets and highways 

 within the borough aforesaid as they shall see occasion : with power also 

 to arrest, imprison and punish rioters and other breakers of the peace 

 or good behaviour, award process, bind to the peace or behaviour, com- 

 mit to prison, and to make Kalendars of the prisoners by them commit- 

 ted; and the same to return, together with such recognizances and 

 examinations as shall be by them taken, to the next court of Quarter- 

 sessions of the County of Lancaster, there to be proceeded on as occasion 

 may or shall require ; and to do all and singular other matters and 

 things within the said borough as fully and effectually, to all intents and 

 purposes, as Justices of the peace in their respective counties can or may 

 lawfully do. 



But before any of the said Burgesses, Constable, Town clerk (jr other 

 officers, shall take upon them the execution of their respective offices, 

 they shall take and subscribe the oaths or affirmations of allegiance, and 

 such other oaths and affirmations as are by the laws of our government 

 in such cases provided, together with the oaths or affirmations for the 



