WHereas several persons, as Car­men, Porters, Water-men, and others, who are imployed upon the Keys, as also upon the Ri­ver of Thames, in Ships, Boats, and Lighters, and in Thames-street, and other Streets and Lanes adja­cent within the City of London, for shipping and unshipping, packing, carrying, craning, and removing goods and Merchandize, and [Page 458] other affairs in matters relating thereun­to, are very ordinarily Drunk, and do also prophane and blaspheme the holy name of God by Cursing and Swearing, to the great dishonor of God, the scandal of the Professors and profession of the Gospel among us, and of the present Government; For the preventing whereof, Bee it Ordein­ed by His Highness the Lord Protector, by and with the consent of His Council, That the Commissioners for the Customes for the time being, bee, and are hereby au­thorized and required to take care that the Laws of this Nation against Drunken­ness, Swearing and Cursing bee put in execution, against all such persons as shall bee guilty of the crimes aforesaid; And for that purpose shall, and hereby have the power and authoritie of Iustices of the Peace within the said places. And every Officer and Officers, Deputie and Depu­ties of the Commissioners of the Customes, having a Commission whereby they are De­puted and authorized to bee Officers and Deputies under the hand and Seals of the said Commissioners, shall have, and hereby have power, and are authorized to appre­hend and attache, and in safe custody to bring before the said Commissioners, or any one of them sitting at the Custom-hous London, every person or persons whom they shall see to bee Drunk, or shall hear to Swear, Curs, and blaspheme the holy name of God, as is aforesaid, and shall have power, and hereby have power, to execute any power or powers, authoritie or authorities in this case, which [Page 459] by Law, any Constable may or ought to ex­ercise or use, although the said Officer or Officers have no particular Warrant of the Commissioners, aforesaid, for apprehending any the offenders for the offences aforesaid, as in the like cases are usually issued unto sworn Constables, by Iustices of the Peace upon the like occasions; and all person and persons whom any of the said Officer and Officers shall require to bee aiding and as­sisting unto them, in the apprehending and bringing before the said Commissioners any such offenders, are hereby required to bee aiding and assisting unto them therein accor­dingly: And in case of refusal, such punish­ment and proceedings shall bee had and awarded against them, as by Law may bee and ought to be upon every person that shall refuse to bee aiding and assisting unto any sworn Constable or Constables, when requi­red thereunto.