1.

•TH

VESTRI E S.

THE church-wardens rate muft be made with the confent of the major part of the parishioners, houfe-keepers, or occupiers of land. In order to which public notice of a veftry ought to be given the Sunday before, either in the church, after divine fervice is end ed, or at the church-door, as the parishioners come out, both of the calling of the faid meeting, and also of the time and place of its affembling. And it is ufual, that for half an hour before it begins, one of the church-bells be tolled, to give the parishioners notice when they are met. Par. L. 54.

2. The major part of them that appear, fhall bind the parifh. But in large populous parifhes, a custom has obtained of yearly chufing a certain number of the moft refpectable men to reprefent all the reft, who are called a felett veftry. Such a veftry exifts at Mary-lebone, St. George's, Hanover-fquare, St. Mary Hill, &c. and no parishioner who does not pay to the church-rates has a vote, except the parfon or vicar.

3. If any perfon finds himself aggrieved at the irregularity of the church-wardens affeffment for the repairs of the church, his appeal must be to the ecclefiaftical judge. Degge 172.

4. And if any refufe to pay the rates, they are to be fued for in the ecclefiaftical courts. Degge 171. A Quakers may be prosecuted before the juftices of the peace.

Burn.

5. The poor's-rate is made by the church-wardens and overfeers, and allowed by the juftices. 43 Eliz.

C. 2.

6. Any inhabitant may inspect the poor's-rate book, at all seasonable times, paying 1 s. and the church-wardens fhall give copies on demand, being paid 8d. for every 24 names, on pain of 201. to the party grieved. 17 Geo. 2. c. 3.

7. Parties aggrieved by an affeffment may, by giving notice to the church-wardens, appeal to the next feffions of the peace. 17 Geo. 2. c. 38.

8. The goods of any perfon affeffed, and refusing to pay, may be diftrained by a juftice's warrant; but the mode is to fummon the party firft, before a magistrate, to fhew cause why he will not pay.

Ibid.

9. The veftry clerk and beadles are chofen by the veftry, and all complaints against them muft there be made.

10. There is always a veftry held in or about Eafter week, for chufing parifh-officers; and at other times it may be known when vestries meet, by enquir ing of the veftry-clerk, who is their register and fecretary, or of the beadle, who is their messenger,

PAWN-BROKERS

ARE ufeful men in their way, but they are properly

under certain reftrictions.

1. Whoever shall pawn goods or property they are entrufted with, without the confent of the owner, fhall, on conviction of one witness, or on confession, forfeit 20s. or be committed to hard labour for fourteen days; and if the money is not paid within three days of the expiration of the fourteen days, on appli cation of the profecutor, the juftice fhall order the offender to be publickly whipped; the faid 20s. to be applied towards making fatisfaction to the party injured.

2. And any pawn-broker knowingly taking in, as a pledge, any linen or apparel entrusted to any one, to wafh, mend, or make up, fhall, on the oath of one witnefs, forfeit double the fum given or lent on the same to the poor; and the owner, proving his property, on the oath of one witnefs, fhall have them again; and a fearch-warrant may be procured, to fearch any pawnbrokers house for this purpose. 30 Geo. 2. c. 24.

ASSURANCES

FOR LIVES.

1. Tht of widows; office at No. 1, Surry-street, HE terms of the Laudable Society for the bene

Strand, open every day except holidays.

This Society confifted, at Lady-day, 1785, of 459 members, each of whom pays five guineas per annum, by half-yearly payments; this fum amounts to

L. 2409 15

They have a capital stock of 45,4501. in the four per cents. the intereft of which

is

There were at Lady-day 165 widows, to whom were paid penfions to the amount of

One year's expences,

L. 3723 15.0

253

1818 O

4227 15

-3977 1

Which leaves a clear yearly income of 250 13 11

But as at laft Michaelmas there were feven widows more added to the lift, amounting to 2401. a year, it reduces the clear income of the Society to 10l. 13 s. 11 d.

The widow of each member, during her widowhood, is entitled to an annuity payable half-yearly, at Lady-day and Michaelmas, as follows:

If her husband

Years. Day.

L.

40

The general price of admiffion is 51. 5s. paid down, and 51. 5s. a year, paid quarterly, during the life of the hufband.

No victualler can be admitted, nor any one who has not had the small pox; and every member now admitted must pay two guineas on admiffion, for every year, above two, that his age exceeds that of his wife'; if above five years, three guineas for each year; and no person shall be admitted a member who fhall be more than ten years older than his wife.

Το

To become a member, the perfon, or some friend for him, muft enter his name at the office above, with his age, place of abode, title or profeffion; the age of his wife, with her christian and firname before marriage, and pay 7s. 6d. and when the perfon is ap proved, he will have the proper affidavit, &c. fent to him to be figned. If he is not approved, the 7 s. 6 dị will be returned.

Each member, in default of paying his half-yearly payment, at Lady-day and Michaelmas, or within 14 days after each day, fhall forfeit to the joint stock, for the first half-year's neglect 5 s. 8d. for 28 days after every Lady-day or Michaelmas 10s. 6 d. after two fuc ceffive half-year's negligence 21 s. and in case he is in arrears two fucceffive half years, and does not pay his arrears, together with his forfeits, within 28 days after the fecond of the two fucceffive half-years, he fhall be then excluded from the Society, and his widow have no advantage therefrom.

Widows of members guilty of fuicide fhall receive no benefit from the Society.

As an encouragement to widows to marry again, if her second husband fhall, within one month after the fecond marriage, pay to the joint flock half-a-year's annuity, which the widow was entitled to, then the woman, if the furvives her husband, fhall be entitled to the fame annuity as she enjoyed before her fecond marriage.

In fifteen trustees of this Society, chofen by the general body, the capital ftock, divided into three parts, is vefted. Each part in the name of five truf- ·

stees.

2. The Royal Exchange Affurance Office, whole office is over the Change (where attendance is daily given from eleven to two, and from five to feven, Saturday in the afternoon excepted) affures lives on the following terms:

On fingle lives, this corporation will pay 100l. for the following premiums, paid yearly, for one year, feven years, or the whole life of the perfon_affured, according to his age at the time of affuring. From the age of ten to fourteen, the premium is the fame.

F3

ASSU