l 82 
O V E 
To overlook ; to pafs by unheeded; to omit: 
1, who refolve to overfee 
No lucky opportunity, 
Will go to council to advife 
Which way to encounter, or furprife. Hudibras. 
OVERSEE'N, part. Miftaken ; deceived.—A common- 
received errour is never utterly overthrown, till fiich 
times as we go from figns unto caufes, and (hew fome ma- 
nifeft root or fountain thereof common unto all, whereby 
it may clearly appear how it hath come to pafs that fo 
many have been overfeen. Hooker. —Such overfeers, as the 
overfeers of this building, would be fo overfeen, as to make 
that which is narrower contain that which is larger. 
Holy day. 
OVERSEE'R,/. One who overlooks; a fuperintendant. 
— Jehiel and Azariah were overfeers unto Cononiah. 
2, Chron. xxxi. 13.—There are in the world certain volun¬ 
tary overfeers of all books, whole cenfure would fall iharp 
on us. Hooker. 
To entertain a guelt, with what a care 
Would he his houfehold ornaments prepare; 
Harafs his fervants, and as o'erfeer Hand, 
To keep them working with a threatening wand. 
Clean all my plate, he cries. Dryden. 
An officer who has the care of the parochial provilion for 
the poor.—Then the churchwardens and overfeers of the 
poor might find it poffible to difcharge their duties; 
whereas now, in the greater out-pariffies, many of the 
poorer parilhioners, through neglefl, do perifh, for want 
of fome heedful eye to overlook them. Graunt's Hills of 
Mortality. 
Overseers of the Poor are public officers, who mull 
be fubftantial houfeholders, and they mult be generally 
refident in the pariffi. They were created by the flat. 43 
Eliz. cap. 2. and nominated yearly in Ealler-week, or 
within one month after Ealter, under the hand and feal 
of two or more jultices of the peace in the fame county, 
and dwelling in or near the pariffi, whereof one is to be of 
the quorum, who mull meet together for this purpofe ; 
to provide for the poor of every pariffi; and are fome- 
times two, or three, or four, according to the largenefs 
of the pariffi : but not more than four, nor lefs than two, 
can be appointed. By 17 Geo. II. c. 38. in every town- 
ffiip or-place where are no churchwardens, the overfeers 
alone may aft in all refp£< 5 ts as churchwardens and over¬ 
feers may do in other places by virtue of this or any for¬ 
mer aft; and, if any overfeer (hall die, or remove, or be¬ 
come infolvent, before the expiration of his office, two 
jultices (on oath thereof made) may appoint another in 
liis Head ; and, if in any place there ffiail be no fuch no¬ 
mination of overfeers as is before appointed, every jultice 
of the divilion ffiail forfeit 5I. to the poor of fuch place, 
to be levied by the churchwardens and overfeers, or one 
of them, by diltrefs, by warrant from the feffions. This 
forfeiture luppofes that the jultices are obliged to divide ; 
for, in that cafe, the appointment was to be by the jultices 
in or near the divilion, and not otherwife ; but now the 
jultices at large are all equally concerned ; and therefore 
it feems, that this penalty cannot be levied on any parti¬ 
cular j ultice. But, if in anyplace no overfeer ffiail be ap¬ 
pointed, a mandamus will go to the jultices at large, to 
compel them to appoint. Parilhioners, as well as over¬ 
feers appointed, may appeal to the feffions againlt the 
appointment. Overfeers refuting to take the office may 
be indicted for it; nor will the court quaffi an indift- 
ment againft an overfeer. The overfeers thus appointed, 
and taking upon them the office, ffiail, within fourteen 
days, receive the books of airdTinent and accounts from 
their predecelfors, and what money and materials ffiail be 
in their hands, and reimburfe them their arrears. 17G.II. 
cap. 28. 
Their office and duty, according to flat. 43 Eliz. are 
principally thefe : firft, to raife competent fums for the 
O V E 
neceffary relief of the poor, impotent, old, and blind, and 
fuch as are nor able to work; and, fecondly, to provide 
for fuch as are able! but cannot otherwife get employ¬ 
ment : for thefe joint purpofes, they are empowered to 
make and levy rates upon the feveral inhabitants of the 
pariffi, by the fame aft of parliament, which has been 
farther enforced and explained by feveral fubfequent lla- 
tutes. And, by 17 Geo. II. cap. 38. if any perfon ffiail 
be aggrieved by any thing done or committed by the 
churchwardens and overfeers, or by any of his majefty’s 
jullices of the peace, he may, giving reafonable notice to 
the churchwardens or overfeers, appeal to the next qirar- 
ter-feffions, when the fame ffiail be heard and finally deter¬ 
mined ; but, if reafonable notice be not given, then they 
fhall adjourn the appeal to the next quarter-feffions; and 
the court may award reafonable colls to either party. By 
43 Eliz. c. 2. the church-wardens and overfeers (hall, within 
four days after the end of their year, and other overfeers 
nominated, make and yield up to two jullices a true and 
perfect account of all fums by them received, or rated and 
aflelfed and not received, and alfo of fuch (lock as ffiail be 
in their hands, or in the hands of any of the poor to work, 
and of all other things concerning their office; and fuch 
fums of money as ffiail be in their hands fhall pay and de¬ 
liver over to their luccelfors ; and the fubfequent church¬ 
wardens or overfeers, by warrant from two fuch jullices, 
may levy by dillrefs and fale of the offender’s goods the 
laid fums or Hock which lhall be behind on any account 
to be made; and, in defied! of fuch dillrefs, two fuch juf- 
tices may commit him to the common gaol, there to re¬ 
main, without bail or mainprife, until payment of the faid 
fum and (lock : and, alfo any fuch two jullices may com¬ 
mit to the faid prifcn every one of the faid churchwardens 
and overfeers, which (hall refufe to account, there to re¬ 
main, without bail or mainprife, until he have made a 
true account, and fatisfied and paid fo much as upon the 
faid account ffiail be remaining in his hands. 
And, by the 17 Geo. II. c. 38, it is enabled as follows: 
The churchwardensand overfeers lhall yearly, within four¬ 
teen daysafterother overfeers ffiail be appointed,deliver in 
to the fucceeding overfeers ajullaccount in writing, fairly 
entered in a book to be kept for that purpofe, and ligned 
by them, of all fums by them received, or rated and not 
received ; and alfo of all materials that ffiail be in their 
hands, or in the hands of any of the poor to be wrought, 
and of all money paid by fuch churchwardens and over 
leers fo accounting, and of all other things concerning 
their office; and ffiail alfo pay and deliver over all fums 
of money and other things, which (hall be in their hands, 
to the fucceeding overfeers; which account (hall be veri¬ 
fied by oath before one jultice, who ffiail lign and atteft 
the taking of the fame at the foot of the account, without 
fee ; and the faid books lhall be preferved by the church- 
w'ardens and overfeers in fome public or other place within 
the pariffi or townffiip ; and they ffiail permit any perfon 
affelTed, or liable to be alfelfed, to infpedl the fame at all 
feafonable times, paying 6d. for fuch infpedtion ; and ffiail, 
upon demand, give copies at the rate ot 6d. for every 
three hundred words, and fo in proportion. And, if 
they diall refufe or negledt to make and yield up fuch ac¬ 
count, verified as aforefaid, within fuch time, or lhall re¬ 
fufe or negledl to pay over the money and other things in 
their hands; any two jullices may commit them to the 
common gaol, till they lhall have given fuch account, or 
lhall have paid and yielded up fuch money and other 
things in their hands as aforefaid. 
And, if any overfeer (hall remove, he lhall, before his re¬ 
moval, deliver over to fome churchwarden or other over¬ 
feer his accounts, verified as aforefaid, with all aflelfments, 
books, papers, money, and other things, concerning his 
office; and, if any overfeer ffiail die, his executors or ad- 
miniltrators lhall, within forty days after his deceafe, de¬ 
liver over all things concerning his office to fome church¬ 
warden or other overfeer, and ffiail pay out of the affets. 
4 & 
