FREE THOUGHTS, &c. 
put, without remedy, to frefh expences. Never, therefore, pay 
the money till the end of the month, and you will be on the fure 
fide, and within the meaning of the law. 
You need not fear being put to the expence of maintaining 
the wives or children of the ferjeants. In one of your counties, 
two well-meaning magiftrates made the trial, but when their 
order came to the clerk of the peace, who is a very honeft fel- 
low, he took it, and the matter was totally fuppreffed. One 
fhould have thought it impoffible that they could miftake a non- 
commiffion officer for a common man, or not have read, that 
ferjeants were appointed from among the common men, and 
were, on any mifconduét, liable to be reduced to the rank of 
common men. 
Tue above is the only perfonal allufion in this little piece: 
but I hope I may make free with myfelf, and thus with fhame 
and contrition perform my amende honorable. 
Ir any of you are opprefled in any manner whatfoever, do 
not defpair of relief. Remember you live in a free country, 
where juftice is open to the poor as well as the rich. It is 
not many years ago fince a great lord, a fecretary of ftate, made 
the fame miftake as moft country juftices have done, and 
iffued a general warrant again{t a private gentleman; who had 
{pirit to take the law of his lordfhip, and recovered four thou- 
fand pounds damage. And | remember a cobler near London, 
who went to law with a former king for a foot-path, and caft 
his majefty. 
Bur let the law be your laft refource. I have not the moft 
diftant thought of fetting you and the gentry at variance. They 
3 are 
85 
2G. Ill. c. 20. 
f. 114. 
Digeft 84. 
St. L. viii. 634. 
2G.II1.c.20.f. 386 
Digett 38, 
Stat. L. viii. 619. 
2 G.I. c. 20. 1.39. 
Digeft 39. 
