ORDERS, Set down by the Lord Provost, Bailiffs, and Council of Edinburgh, to be observed by the Constables thereof, in discharge of their Offices within this Burgh, and Liberties of the sam [...]
IMprimis, the Constables being elected by the Provost, Bailiffs, and Council, shall be oblieged to accept the Charge and Office of Constabulary, under the pains of imprisonment of their persons, and payment of an Un-law of ten pounds Scots, and to rem [...]in [...] in Waird ay and while the same be payed: and under the pain of Horning. And for discharge of an honest duty in their Offices, being solemnly sworn, in presence of the Provost, Bailiffs, and Council of this Burgh, shall give the Oath following;
OATH.
THat they and ilk ane of them shall faithfully and truly discharge their Offices of Constabulary within the bounds committed to th [...] charge, for the space of twelve Moneths next after their admission: And shall not for favour, respect, or fear of any person, forbe [...] to do that which becometh them in their Office; And above all things, they shall regard the keeping and preserving of the peace: And shall at every necessar occasion come to the Provost and Bailiffs of this Burgh, or any one of them, and give a due and true information of any break or other insolency against the Peace within the bounds of their commandment: And shall no wayes hide, cover, nor conceal the same, nor any probation or light that they can give for clearing and proving thereof: So help me God: And by God himself.
ITem, a Constable shall have liberty to take and apprehend any suspected persons, idle Vagabonds, or night Walkers, and imprison them till they find surety for their behaviour, at the discretion of any of the Judges for Civils, or Criminals, or the Lord Provost and Bailiffs of this Burgh.
II. Item, a Constable shall have power to challenge any person within this Burgh, or Liberty thereof, that shall be found wearing Pistolets, or Daggers, and shall present them before the Provost, Bailiffs, or any one of them, to be punished by them for their fault, conform to the Act of Parliament.
III. Item, upon appearance of any fray, or stir within this Burgh, either by day or night, betwixt any parties, or any other sudden accident that may fall forth, the Constable shall take unto him the assistance of his neighbors for separating of the parties, and for order taking with any inconvenience that shall happen to ensue, and shall take the party or parties, and commit them in waird, or present them to the Provost or Bailiffs. Attour, if any harm shall happen to be done to the Constable, or any of his assistants, The Constable shall take them and put them in waird, and present them to the Provost and Bailiffs, or any of them to be accordingly punished for their fault.
IV. Item, if any person or persons make any plea or tumult within this Burgh, and flee to any house, the Constable shall have power to break up the doors thereof; and albeit the party or parties flee without the bounds of the Constables Charge, yet may the Constable follow and apprehend him or them in a fresh pursuit, and commit them to waird to be punished for their fault.
V. Item, ilk Constable shall search, and seek within the bounds committed to his charge, that no Jesuits, Seminary Priests, nor trafficking Papists, haunt, use, or lodge, or be reset therein, and if they can find or try any, to take and apprehend them and present them to the Provost and Bailiffs, to be tryed.
VI. Item, the Constable shall take and apprehend all Vagabonds, and sturdy Beggers or Egyptians, and put them in waird to be punished for their fault, according to the Act of Parliament.
VII. Item, the Constable shall take and apprehend all idle persons, who have no calling to live by, and who will not take themselves to some Labour, Trade, or Occupation, and shall present them before the Provost and Bailiffs, who after examination and tryal shall punish them according to their crime and demerit.
VIII. Item, the Constables being informed of any person guilty or culpable of slaughter, murther, theft, or any other capital cri [...] whatsomever, shall then require his neighbours to assist him, for [...] the safe apprehending and convoying of such persons before the [...] Provost and Bailiffs, to be punished for their fault.
IX. Item, the Constable shall search and seek the bounds committed to his charge, and suffer no Vagabonds, Beggers, nor infamous persons, to remain, dwell, or be reset in his bounds, and if any be within his saids bounds, to shew the same to the Magistrats, that they may be punished and removed forth of this Burgh.
X. Item, ilk Constable shall concur one with another, at all occasions needful.
XI. Item, the whole Constables shall, upon every last Saturday of every Moneth, compear and present themselves before the Provost and Bailiffs in the Council-house, to give an accompt of their diligence in their Offices, as they will answer upon their obedience.
XII. Item, ilk Constable shall cause the bounds committed to his charge, be keeped clean of all kind of Filth, Middings, and Swine, and to that effect for keeping of the Streets and Passages clean, ilk Constable shall have power in his own bounds, after tryal of any person or persons casting out Filth at their Doors, Windows, or Shots, either in the fore-gate, or back-sides, or laying any Filth or Middings on the High-streets, Closses, or Passages, within this Burgh, to cause the person guilty to pay an unlaw of five pounds toties quoties, and to commit them in waird there to remain until the same be payed.
XIII. Item, ilk Constable within his bounds, shall take and apprehend all banners, swearers and blasphemers of Gods Name, either in the Streets, Markets, or at the Wells, and to punish them either by warding, or putting of them in the Joggs or Stocks according to the quality of their fault.
XIV. Item, if any person shall refuse or delay to concu [...] the Constable in executing of his office, they shall be impri [...] and severely punished by command of the Provost and Bailif [...] cording to the quality of their offence.
XV. Item, the Constable shall be oblieged to receive at [...] junctions, or Statutes that the Provost, or Bailiffs and Counci [...] [...] injoyn to them at any time hereafter.