First，andmostostensibly，toseetothelevyingofpoundageinthelittlehavenofLynmouth，andfartherupthecoast，whichwasnowbecomingaplaceofresortforthefolkwhomwecallsmugglers，thatistosay，wholandtheirgoodswithoutregardtoKing’srevenueasbylawestablished。Andindeedtherehadbeennoofficerappointedtotaketoll，untilonehadbeensenttoMinehead，notsoverylongbefore。TheexciseaswellwhichhadbeenorderedinthetimeoftheLongParliamenthadbeenlittleheededbythepeoplehereabouts。
Second，hisdutywasthoughonlytheDooneshaddiscoveredittowatchthoseoutlawsnarrowly，andreportoftheirmannerswhichwerescanty，doingswhichweretoomanifold，reputationwhichwasexecrable，andpolitics，whethertruetotheKingandthePope，orotherwise。
JeremyStickles’thirdbusinesswasentirelypolitical；
tolearnthetemperofourpeopleandthegentlefamilies，towatchthemovementsofthetrainedbandswhichcouldnotalwaysbetrusted，todiscoveranycollectingofarmsanddrillingofmenamongus，topreventifneedwere，byopenforceanyimportationofgunpowder，ofwhichtherehadbeensomerumour；inaword，toobserveandforestalltheenemy。
Nowinprovidingforthislast-mentionedservice，theGovernmenthadmadeagreatmistake，doubtlessthroughtheiranxietytoescapeanypublicattention。Forallthedisposableforceattheiremissary’scommandamountedtonomorethanascoreofmusketeers，andthesesodividedalongthecoastasscarcelytosufficeforthedutyofsentinels。Heheldacommission，itistrue，fortheemploymentofthetrain-bands，butupontheunderstandingthathewasnottocalluponthemexceptasalastresource，foranypoliticalobject；