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Well, as it's Christmas and everybody seems to be way off the subject ( Trains, remember?) I'm going to go one better and repeat an extract from a book dated 1730 that I found on a shelf when visiting my mother yesterday. The book is entitled '"A collection of precedents relating to the office of a Justice of Peace". To the constables of the parish of Sandy in the said County of Bedford. Whereas information hath this day been made on Oath before me, one of his Majesty's Justices of the peace for this county, by Charles Dawson of Biggleswade in the said County of Bedford, that Edward Fisher of your said Parish of Sandy, Gentlemen, hath lately worn and continues to wear one Cloth Suit of Clothes, with Buttons made of Cloth, contrary to a statute in that case made : These are therefore, in his Majesty's Name to require and authorise you to levy by Distress and Sale of the Goods of the said Edward Fisher, the Sum of eight Pounds ( about $15,000 in today's money), the Penalty he hath forfeited for the said offence, pursuant to the said Statute, being after the Rate of forty Shillings per Dozen for the Buttons of the Clothes so worn; one moiety whereof you are to pay to the said Carles Dawson the Informer, on whose Oath the said Edward Fisher was convicted of the said Offence; and the other moiety apply to the use of the poor of the said Parish of Sandy aforesaid. Given under my Hand and Seal, &c. What I want to know is - why was it a crime to wear cloth buttons, and why the hell was he wearing four dozen of them ?
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