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Watchmen appointed at vestry in each parish,
who may apprehend in night time on affray or breach of peace,
and detain prisoners,
and on morning after convey before mayor or justice.
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XXXI. And whereas many idle and disorderly persons infest the streets, lanes, and quays of the said city of Waterford, and the suburbs thereof in the night time, to the great annoyance of the inhabitants, whereby, a parish watch is become necessary to be established in the said city and the suburbs thereof; and for the good government thereof, and for the peace and safety of the inhabitants; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful from and after the twenty fourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and eighty four, to and for the minister, church wardens, and parishioners of the several and respective: parishes in the said city of Waterford and the suburbs thereof, at their respective vestries to be hold from time to time on every first day of July, (if Sunday the day after) and by adjournment from day to day (Sunday excepted) in each year as from, time to time shall seem meet and expedient, notice of the holding of such vestries being, first given by the minister, of each parish: six days previous to the holding the same, and which said vestries the ministers of said several parishes are hereby authorized and required to call, to appoint a sufficient number of able watchmen to keep watch in each of the said respective parishes in the said city and the suburbs thereof, and to appoint the times of watch in said parishes respectively, and to appoint proper salaries and wages for such watchmen, and to appoint proper watch houses in each of the said parishes respectively, and to appoint necessary fire and candle light, and other necessary articles for such watch houses, and watch cloaks, lanthorns and staves or pikes, for such watchmen, and to appoint annual overseers of, such watches to see that the same are duly kept, and to appoint others in the room of such of them as shall misbehave themselves; and that it shall and may be lawful to and for the said watchmen or any of them to apprehend all such idle and disorderly person and persons as they or any of them shall find in the night time making any affray or committing any breach of his Majesty’s peace in the said city of Waterford, or the suburbs thereof, or any part thereof, at late and unseasonable hours of the night; and such person or persons so apprehended, to detain prisoners in the respective watch-houses of the said parishes, and such watchman or watchmen shall, on the morning after the apprehending of such idle and disorderly or strolling person or persons, carry or convey such idle, disorderly, or strolling person or persons before the mayor of said city, or some other of his Majesty’s justices of the peace of the said city, to be examined and dealt with accord to law.
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