Wiltshire Quarter Sessions. 



101 



fifth the accused claimed benefit of clergy. 1 " Po: se — cul: — ca: nul— 

 pet: lib*, trad: ord. — leg: et urit r ." is the matter-of-faet entry by which 

 the clerk of the peace places on record that the accused put himself 

 upon his country, that the jury found him guilty, that no cause was 

 alleged in arrest of judgment, that the convict claimed the privilege 

 of being delivered to the ordinary, that the recognized test for such 

 a claim was applied to him, that he read as a clerk, and was 

 dismissed with branding. 



Then follow a variety of miscellaneous offences. A person charged 

 with stealing wool is described as still at large, and his arrest is 

 ordered by the next sessions, pending which operation an alleged 

 accessory is to remain in gaol. Indictments are found for erecting 

 a cottage at Maddington ; for taking lodgers at that place, and at 

 Codford; for assault and affray, (two cases), and for assault and 

 rescue; for riot, for forcible entry, for extortion, (three separate 

 charges) ; for keeping a tavern without a licence, (six cases from 

 Downton, and one from Whiteparish) ; for non-compliance with the 

 " Act for reliefe of y e poore," then recently passed ; for the decay of 

 Millbridge Downton, and for the obstruction of a highway at Wilton; 

 and the calendar is brought to a conclusion by seventy-two charges 

 against clothiers for defects whether of measure or of weight, in 

 their " broad-listed " or " narrow-listed whites." 



The Indictments are followed by the Presentments, and the 

 clothiers who formed the rear of the last detachment, are now in the 

 van. The presentments open with twenty-seven findings against 

 the clothiers, for each of whom a pressing invitation to the next 

 Quarter Sessions was issued in the shape of a writ of venire facias. 

 The weavers, received their share of attention and such irregular- 

 ities as keeping a loom, pursuing the craft of weaving not having 

 been thereto apprenticed, keeping a journeyman or an apprentice, 

 came duly under notice. The misdoings of the clothiers were no 

 doubt brought before the court by the statutory supervisors. The 

 weavers were presented by the grand jury upon information laid 

 before them : the grand jury made presentments also against other 



1 See Appendix, part iii. 



