the fourth of George the Second. These however are not Errors of the Press, the Editor having carefully consulted the Parliament Rolls, wherewith the printed Statute corresponds. He therefore thought it did not become him to correct these Mistakes in the Text, but he hath rectified them in the Margin. For other more, trivial Inaccuracies the Reader is referred to the List of Errata hereto subjoined.
With regard to the Table, it is near a third more copious than any now extant. Among the Heads which have received the most considerable Additions are Certiorari,Costs, Customs, Damages, Excise, Exchequer, Felony, General Issue, Scotland, Seamen and Ships. Under Title Felony, there is added a List of Felonies both within and without Clergy, alphabetically classed; so that the Reader may at one View see what Offences belong to either Class [1]. Several new Heads are likewise added; and some Alterations have been made in the Disposition of the Articles, with a view to assist the Reader in the Course of his Researches. For this Purpose the Editor has been particularly attentive to specify all the relative Titles under each Head; and to facilitate the referring from the various Articles of one Head to those in another, each Article is numbered. As there are several Articles which may, without Impropriety, be classed under several general Heads, and as these will occur differently to different Readers, they who do not find the Matter they are in search of under the Head to which; they resort, will be referred to the Title under which it is classed, and directed to the very Article by Means of this numerical Arrangement. For Example, suppose the Reader should have occasion to search for the Act obliging Masters of Ships in the Plantations to carry Seamen for his Majesty's Service; he will not find the desired Information under the Titles Ships or Plantations. But under each of these Titles he will meet with a Reference directing him to Title Seamen, Art. 54. where he will see an Abstract of the very Clause which is the Object of his Enquiry.
This numerical Arrangement will also be found extremely useful, where the Relation between the Titles is not so obvious. It is moreover to be observed that in some Cases the Article referred to does not, at first Sight, appear to have any Relation whatever with the Title from whence the Reference is made. But if the Reader will consult the Clause of the Statute quoted, he will discover the Connexion. Thus, under the Title Alehouses, there is a Reference to the Title Coffee, Art. 14. in which Article there is no Expression which implies any Relation with the Title Alehouses but by perusing the Clause of the Statute, the Connexion will evidently appear. In this Case therefore the Figures are likewise of singular Use, for without such numerical Direction, the Reader might peruse every Article without discovering that in which the Relation is to be found.
In some Instances however, References are made to the correlative Titles, without any numerical Direction to particular Articles. This happens where the Relation is so very intimate, that all or the greater Part of the Articles under the Head referred to, have an obvious and reciprocal Connexion with the Head from whence the Reference is made. References are also, in some Instances, made to correlative Heads, meerly with a View of assisting the young Student to form an Analysis of the Subject before him. Thus, under the Title Purchasers, the Reader is directed to Bankrupt, Charitable Uses, Fraud, Judgments, Recognizances, Recovery, &c.
- ↑ A dreadful Catalogue! and daily multiplying!
