He was usually elected
by the suitors to the leet court of the manor for a year. He might
be a farmer, an artisan, a carpenter, a shoemaker, or many times a
tradesman, a butcher, or baker. He often visited the alehouse to
learn of any trouble in the making. He would intervene in quarrels
and riots and tell the participants to desist in the King's name.
If they didn't, he could call on all bystanders to help him "force
a quiet". He had to lead the rioters and causers of injuries to
others, hold them there until he could bring him before the
nearest justice. He would inform the justice of plots to trespass
or forcibly enter land to take possession. He saw to it that no
new cottages were built in the villages without due authority. He
supervised markets and inns. He reported lapses of care for
apprentices by their masters to the justice. At harvest time, he
called upon all able bodied persons to assist and punished those
who didn't respond by putting them in the stocks or fining them
forty shillings. He arrested and whipped vagrants and sturdy
rogues and sent them back to their place of birth through
constables on the way. If a horse was stolen, he raised the hue
and cry to all neighboring constables. He made inquiry into the
paternity of the coming child of an unmarried pregnant girl to
make him take responsibility for the child and pay her 8d. a week
lest it fall into the responsibility of the village.
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