36 



Extracts from the Records of the 



the Bayliff in the pVvacon of the peace viz: What dost thou here thy 

 fidlyng stick, meaning by the mace he had in his hande. 



" For theis their outragious behavio r being comitted to warde till they founde 

 suretie to keepe the peace, they in the prison contynued their misbehavior strooke 

 the Bayliff and further thretned to kill them wheresover they mett them. 



"Being comaunded from M r Maior to be quiett Maslyn very scornfully and 

 disdaynefully said, M r Maior— M r Maior is an asse, divers other contumelious 

 words. 



" Farre hath ben div's times taken in the_Towne in this kinde of druncken 

 humour and lett passe upon hope of reformacon." 



It was naturally upon the minor officers of the law — the constables, 

 bailiffs, and tithingmen— that these outpourings fell with fullest 

 effect. Richard Pople, for instance, the Constable of Pewsey, was 

 thus addressed (Michaelmas, 1607,) by one whom he himself describes 

 as " not very freshe 33 : — 



" Thou arte a Knave, a scurvey constable and a rascole and Cowley will come 

 to the alehouse in spight of thy teeth [denies p'fati Bid inuendo] or any mans 

 else." 



So with Daniel Browne, Tythingman of Ashton Keins, who (9th 

 September, 1605) :— 



" Saieth that yisterdaie being Sondaie this depont hearinge that Edward Rice 

 of Ashton aforesaid and one Thomas Revington of Serney weare fightinge to- 

 geather and had fallen outt in drinking togeather in y e house of one Hughe 

 Tomkins of Ashton aforsaid in service time this Deponent theruppon repaired 

 thether to see y e peace kept and reproving the said Hughe for sufferinge the 

 pties aforesaide to drink and light in his howse in service tyme One Will m 

 Tomkyns (sonne of y e said Hughe) did theruppon call this exant Rascall Knave 

 and Paltrie Fellow and did beate him in y e said howse and afterwards did thrust 

 him outt of y e doores saienge hee hadd nothinge to doe therew th ." 



Compared with such revilings as these, it was quite a mild jest 

 to tell another constable " that he was a puppie — and bid him turne 

 the buckle of his girdle behinde him/' 



William Chapman, the Tithingman of Stanley, was vehemently 

 withstood in the performance of his duty. He deposes (22nd May, 

 1608) :— 



" Yt he wet upon tuesday y e 10 th of May to y e Abby of Stanly .... and 

 findinge Roger Killinge then at supper . . ^ . told him yt they were come 

 to serche his howse . . . . by y e warrat of a justice of peace namely M r 

 Hungerford of Cadna .... whereat Killinge made awsweare y* he would 

 not obey M r Hungerforde's warrat and wthall he rose up from y e boorde and 



