rid to ſuch Houſes, and caus’d the People to be ask’d at their Windows, whether they were duly attended, or not? Alſo, whether they wanted anything that was neceſſary, and if the Officers had conſtantly carry’d their Meſſages, and fetch’d them ſuch things as they wanted, or not? And if they anſwered in the Affirmative, all was well; but if they complain’d, that they were ill ſupply’d, and that the Officer did not do his Duty, or did not treat them civilly, they (the Officers) were generally remov’d, and others plac’d in their ſtead.
It is true, ſuch Complaint might be unjuſt, and if the Officer had ſuch Arguments to uſe as would convince the Magiſtrate,that he was right,and that the People had injur’d him, he was continued, and they reproved. But this part could not well bear a particular Inquiry, for the Parties could very ill be brought face to face, and a Complaint could not be well heard and anſwer’d in the Street, from the Windows, as was the Caſe then; the Magiſtrates therefore generally choſe to favour the People, and remove the Man, as what ſeem’d to be the leaſt Wrong, and of the leaſt ill Conſequence; ſeeing, if the Watchman was injur’d yet they could readily make him amends by giving him another Poſt of the like Nature; but if the Family was injur’d, there was no Satisfaction could be made to them, the Damage perhaps being irreparable, as it concern’d their Lives.
A great variety of theſe Caſes frequently happen’d between the Watchmen and the poor People ſhut up, beſides thoſe I formerly mention’d about eſcaping; ſometimes the Watchmen were abſent, ſometimes drunk, ſometimes aſleep when the People wanted them, and ſuch never fail’d to be puniſh’d ſeverely, as indeed they deſerv’d.
But after all that was or could be done in theſe Caſes, the ſhutting up of Houſes, ſo as to confine thoſe that were well, with thoſe that were ſick, had very great Inconveniences in it, and ſome that were very
