and their heirs and successors respectively by and according to his and their tenures estate title and interest which he or they had in the Mannors Lands or Tenements for or in respect of which he or they claimed or inclosed the said quantity or quantities of the said Wastes as abovesaid Provided always and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said Commissioners and every of them before he or they take upon him or them the execution of any the Powers or Authorities hereby given them other then the administring the Oath following to one another which they shall have Authority by this present Act to administer to one another shall take the Oath following viz. The oath to be taken by Commissioners I A. B. am not interessed in possession reversion or remainder of in or to the said Fens or any part thereof And shall and will without favour or affection hatred or malice truly and impartially according to the best of my skill and knowledg execute and perform all and every the Powers and Authorities in me established by this Act of Parliament Which Oath any one of the said Commissioners are hereby authorised to administer The places of the Commissioners â—â—tting And that the places where the said Commissioners shall sit to hear order and determine the matters referred to them by this Act shall be at the Towns of Stamford Market-Deeping or Spalding in the said County of Lincoln And the said Commissioners or any seven or more of them are hereby directed by Warrant under their hands and seals to declare the places and times of their méeting The same Warrant to be published in open Market in the said Towns of Stamford Market-Deeping and Spalding betwéen the hours of twelve and two upon some Market-day one and twenty dayes at least before the said time or times of méeting to the end all persons concerned may have sufficient time and notice to attend And shall have power and Authority by Warrant under the hands and seals of any thrée or more of them Their power and manner of proceeding to summon parties and witnesses to appear before them And in case any controversy or difference shall happen to arise betwéen or amongst the said Commissioners before any Iudgment or Determination given by them in the premisses touching or concerning the exposition of the words of this Act or the powers or authorities thereby to them given Then the Lord Chief Iustice of the Kings Bench the Lord Chief Iustice of the Common-Pleas and the Lord Chief Baron of his Majesties Court of Exchequer for the time being are hereby constituted and established a Iudicature and they or any two of them are hereby authorized to hear adjudg and determine such controversies and differences And their Iudgment or determination thereof certified under their hands seals shall be observed and shall be likewise certified together with the Iudgments and determinations of the said Commissioners into the Petty-bag there to be kept on Record as aforesaid CAP. XII The River Avon to be made Navigable from Christ-Church to the City of New-Sarum WHereas the making Navigable and passable with Barges Boats Lighters and other Vessels the River Avon in the Counties of Wilts and Southampton from the Town of Christ-Church in the said County of Southampton to the City of New-Sarum in the said County of VVilts And if néed require the making of a new Haven may with Gods blessing be of great advantage and benefit not only to the said Counties but also to the Publick by import and export of Commodities and increase of Commerce and Trade and of able Seamen and Watermen and most profitable and necessary for the said City of New-Sarum for the conveyance thereby of Fewel and other necessaries to the said City whereof there is now great scarcity and far greater is like to grow if some help therefore be not provided besides the extraordinary preservation of the High-ways in and near the said City and County Commissioners how to be appointed for making the river Avon navigable Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That the Lord Chancellor or Lord Kéeper of the Great Seal of England for the time being at any time after the end of this present Session of Parliament shall and may nominate appoint and authorize by Commission under the Great Seal of England such person or persons Bodies Politick and Corporate as to him shall séem fit and are willing to undertake the making Navigable the said River of Avon from the said Town of Christ-Church to the said City of New-Sarum And to make a new Haven if néed require for Ships and Vessels near the said Town of Christ-Church Which said Vndertakers so nominated and appointed as aforesaid are hereby authorized and shall have full power and authority by this present Act to make Navigable or passable by Barges Boats Lighters or other Vessels the said River of Avon from the said Town of Christ-Church to the City of New-Sarum aforesaid And for that purpose to cleanse scour and open the same and to cut or dig the Banks of the same and to take away or remove all Wears or other Impediments that may hinder Navigation either in sailing or haling of Boats with Horses Men or otherwise to amend or alter such Bridges and High-ways as may hinder the said Passages and Navigation and to open prepare and make all Wears Sasses Locks and Turn-pikes fit for the said Passage And likewise to cleanse scour open or cut and dig the Banks of any other Stream Brook Ditch or Water-course that shall to them séem convenient for the better making the said River Navigable and passable for Boats Barges Lighters and other Vessels And likewise to make and erect any Wharfs Sasses Locks Turnpikes or pens for Water in or near the said River or Passage that shall be fit or necessary for the same and to bring lay and work all Materials requisite for the making erecting and repairing of the said Locks or Turnpikes upon the said River or Passage and to cut such and so many new Channels and Trenches as to them shall séem convenient for altering the course of the said River of Avon in bringing the same to the City of New-Sarum as aforesaid as also for the bringing in any other River or Water-course into the said River and to do all other things necessary and convenient for the said River and Passages new Channels Wharfs Sasses Locks Wears Turnpikes Penns for Water and the said Bridges Ways and Passages and for the altering repairing kéeping using and amending of the same or any of them or any part of them from time to time hereafter as oft as néed shall require and also if néed require to make a commodious Haven and Port near the said Town of Christ-Church for the Entry
the said Burrough and Liberties shall deliver unto the said Bailiff Duplicates of all Accompts of Hearths and Stoves and do all other things in such manner as by the said Acts they ought to have done unto the said Sheriffs Any thing in the said former or this Act to the contrary notwithstanding Provided always and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawful to and for the Lord High Treasurer of England Allowance to Clerks of the the Peace of the several Counties and the Chancellor of His Majesties Court of Exchequer or either of them to give and make such further allowance unto the Clerks of the Peace of the respective Counties of this Kingdom for their labour and pains in and about the Writing Engrossing and Returning into His Majesties Court of Exchequer the Duplicates and Returns of the several Constables in Parchment over and besides what is allowed by the said first recited Act as the said Lord High Treasurer and Chancellor or either of them shall think méet and convenient the same allowance not excéeding One penny in the pound by the year Any thing in the said former or in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding CAP. XIV The Profits of the Post-Office and Power of Granting Wine-Licenses setled on His Royall Highnesse the Duke of York and the Heirs Males of his Body WHereas the Lords and Commons being assembled at Westminster the Five and twentieth day of April Anno Domini One thousand six hundred and sixty in the Twelfth Year of the Reign of our most Gracious Sovereign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. were there continued untill the Nine and twentieth day of December next following and then Dissolved In which time a certain Act was made Entituled 12 Car. 2. cap. 25. An Act for the better Ordering the selling of Wines by Retail and for preventing Abuses in the mingling corrupting and vitiating of Wines and for setling and limiting the prices of the same Whereby it was Enacted That no person or persons whatsoever from and after the Five and twentieth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and one unless he or they should be authorized and enabled in manner and form as by the said Act is appointed shall sell or utter by Retail any kind of Wine or Wines to be spent in his or their Mansion-house or Houses or other place by any means whatsoever upon pain of forfeiting for every such offence the Sum of Five pounds the one moyety thereof to the King and the other moyety to him or them that will sue for the same And it was further thereby Enacted That it should be lawful for His Majesty his Heirs and Successors from time to time to issue out under his or their Great Seal of England One or more Commission or Commissions directed to two or more persons thereby authorizing them to license and give authority to such person or persons as they should think fit to sell and utter by Retail all and every or any kind of Wine or Wines to be drunk and spent as well within the house or houses or other place in the Tenure or Occupation of the party so Licensed as without in any City Town or other place within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed and such Commissioners are to Contract for selling and uttering of Wines by Retail in any City or other place as aforesaid in such manner and form and under such Provisoes as in the said Act is mentioned And it is further provided by the said Act That the Rents Revenues and Sums of money arising by the said Act should be duly and constantly paid and answered into His Majesties Receipt of Exchequer and not be charged or chargeable either before it be paid into the Exchequer or after with any Gift or Pension as by the said Act amongst divers other Provisoes and Clauses may more at large appear And also one other Act was at the same time made Entituled An Act for Erecting and Establishing a Post-Office 12 Car. 2. cap. 34. Whereby it is Enacted That from thenceforth there should be one general Letter-Office erected and established in some convenient place within the City of London from whence all Letters and Pacquets may be sent into any part of the Kingdom of England Scotland and Ireland or other of His Majesties Dominions or unto any Kingdom or Country beyond the Seas And that one Master of the said General Letter-Office shall be from time to time appointed by the Kings Majesty His Heirs and Successors by His or their Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England The Office of Post-Master General by the name and stile of His Majesties Post-Master-General which said Post-Master and his Deputy and Deputies by him thereunto sufficiently authorized and his and their Servants and Agents and no other person shall have the receiving ordering or sending Post of all Letters and Pacquets whatsoever to be sent to and from the places aforesaid except as therein and thereby is excepted And it was thereby provided That such Post-Master-General and his Deputy and Deputies may demand have receive and take for the Portage of all such Letters which he shall convey as aforesaid and for the providing and furnishing horses for thorough-Posts according to the Rates therein mentioned And that His Majesty His Heirs and Successors may Grant the said Office of Post-Master-General with the Powers and Authorities thereunto belonging and the several Rates of Portage therein mentioned and all Profits Priviledges Fées Perquisits and Emoluments thereunto belonging either for life or term of years not excéeding One and twenty years to such person and persons and under such Covenants Conditions and yearly Rents to His said Majesty His Heirs and Successors reserved as he or they shall from time to time think fit As by the said Act amongst divers other Clauses and Provisoes therein contained may more at large appear Both which Acts have béen confirmed by this present Parliament Now forasmuch as the Kings most Excellent Majesty is graciously pleased out of His Princely care and great love and affection to His most entirely beloved Brother James Duke of York for and towards the Maintenance and Support of the said Duke his State and Dignity to Grant and Assign all and every the Power and Powers Authority and Authorities of giving License to any person or persons to Sell or Vtter by Retail all and every or any kind of Wine or Wines whatsoever with all Rents Sum or Sums of Money Revenues Profits and Emoluments whatsoever that shall or may arise from or out or by reason of such power of Licensing the Retailing of Wines or Forfeitures for Retailing of Wines without such Licenses unto the said James Duke of York and to the Heirs males of his Body begotten or to be
by which the Meets Meers Limits or Bounds of the said Forrests or any of them are or are pretended to be further extended then as aforesaid And also all and every Presentment of any person or persons at any Iustice seat Swainemote or Court of Attachments for or by reason or by colour of any Act or Acts whatsoever done or committed in any place without or beyond the said Méets Méers Limits or Bounds respectively so commonly known reputed used or taken as aforesaid and all and every Fine and Fines and amerciament and amerciaments upon by reason or colour of any such Presentment or Presentments shall from henceforth be adjudged déemed and taken to be utterly void and of no force or effect any Law Statute Record or pretence whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid No place where no Iustice seat Swainemote cour◠or attachment c. hath been within 〈◊〉 yeares shall be accompted Forrest That no place or places within this Realm of England or Dominion of Wales where no such Iustice seat Swainemote or Court of Attachment have been held or kept or where no Verderers have been chosen or regard made within the space of sixty years next before the first year of his Majesties Reign that now is shall be at any time hereafter judged déemed or taken to be Forrest or within the Bounds or Meets of the Forrests But the same shall be from thenceforth for ever hereafter De-afforrested and freed and exempted from the Forrests Laws Any Iustice-seat Swainemote or Court of Attachment held or kept within or for any such place or places at any time or times since the beginning of His Majesties said Reign or any presentment enquiry Act or thing heretofore made or hereafter to be made or done to the contrary notwithstanding Provided also and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid For ascertaining of Meets c. Commissions shall be issued That for the better putting into certainty all and every the Meets Meers Bounds and Limits of all and every the Forrests as aforesaid The Lord-Chancellour or Lord-Keeper of the Great Seal of England for the time being shall by vertue of this Act upon request of any of the Peers of this Kingdome or of the Knights and Burgesses of the Parliament or any of them grant severall Commissions under the Great Seal of England to Commissioners to be nominated respectively by the said Péers Knights and Burgesses or any of them to enquire of and find out by Inquests of good and lawful men upon Oath and by the Oaths of Witnesses to be produced at the said Inquests and by all other lawful means all and every the Méers Méets Bounds and Limits of the Forrests respectively which were commonly known to be their Méers Meets Bounds and Limits respectively in the said twentieth year of the Reign of our late Soveraign Lord King James And to return the Inquests so taken into the Court of Chancery and that all and every the Sheriffs and Bailiffs of and in every County wherein any such Inquests shall be so to be taken And all and every the Verderers Forresters Rangers and other Officers of the Forrests respectively where any such Officers be shall be assistant and attendant to the execution of the said Commissions according as by vertue of the said Commissions respectively they shall be commanded And where no such Officers are or where such Officers be if they or any of them shall refuse or neglect such assistance and attendance as aforesaid Then the said Commissioners shall and may procéed without them in the execution of the said Commissions Forrests shall not extend beyond the meets c. so returned And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Forrests whereof the Méets Méers Limits and Bounds be so returned and certified by vertue of any the said Commissions as aforesaid from thenceforth shall not extend nor be extended nor be déemed adjudged or taken to extend any further in any wise then the Méets Méers Limits and Bounds that shall be so returned and certified And that all the places and Territories that shall be without the Méets Méers Limits and Bounds so returned and certified shall be and are hereby declared to be from thenceforth free to all intents and purposes as if the same had never béen Forrest or so reputed Any Act or Acts matter or thing whatsoever to the contrary thereof notwithstanding Grounds deafforrested shall be excluded Provided and be it further Enacted by Authority aforesaid That all and every the grounds Territories or places which have béen or are De-afforrested or mentioned to be De-afforrested in or by any Letters Patents Charters or otherwise since the said twentieth year of the Reign of our said late Soveraign Lord King James shall be excluded and left out of the Méets Méers Limits and Bounds of the Forrests which are to be enquired of returned and certified by vertue of the said Commissions or any of them respectively And shall be and hereby are declared and Enacted to be utterly De-afforrested frée and exempt to all intents and purposes as if the same had never béen at all Forrest or so reputed Any thing in this present Act contained or any other Act matter or thing whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Tenants Owners c. of lands excluded shall enjoy their ancient commission c. Provided nevertheless and be it Enacted That the Tenants Owners and Occupiers and every of them of Lands and Tenements which shall be excluded and left out of the Méets Méers Limits or Bounds of the Forrests to be returned and certified by vertue of any the said Commissions shall or may use and enjoy such Common and other profits and easements within the Forrest as anciently or accustomably they have used and enjoyed Any thing in this present Act contained or any Act or Ordinance made in the thrée and thirtieth year of King Edward the first or any Custome or Law of the Forrest or any other matter or thing to the contrary thereof notwithstanding CAP. XVII Scotland A confirmation of the Treaty of Pacification between England and Scotland with the Commissions and Articles thereupon EXP. CAP. XVIII For securing by publick Faith the remainder of the friendly assistance and relief promised to those of Scotland Scotland EXP. CAP. XIX The Office of Clerk the Market allowed and regulated for the reformation of Weights and Measures Grievances by Clerks of the Market and anequality in weights and measures FOrasmuch as the undue execution of the Office of Clerk of the Market hath béen very grievous unto divers of his Majesties most loving Subjects who have béen much troubled by unnecessary Summons and charged with exactions of divers sums of Money by colour of the said Office and in regard the said evils have partly arisen by means of an inequality of Weights and Measures throughout this Kingdom◠and by granting
direction or true intent of any Act or Ordinance or reputed Act or Ordinance of one or both houses of Parliament or of any Convention sitting at Westminster under the Name Stile or Title of a Parliament or assuming that Name Stile or Title shall be and shall be adjudged estéemed and taken to be and to have béen of the same and no other force and effect as if such Marriages had béen had and solemnized according to the Rites and Ceremonies established or used in the Church or Kingdom of England any Law Custom or Vsage to the contrary thereof notwithstanding Issues upon lawfulness of marriages already joyned shall be cryed by Iury And be it further Enacted that where in any Suit commenced or to be commenced in any of the Courts of the common Law any issue hath béen joyned and not already tryed or determined or shall be joyned upon the point of Bastardy or unlawfulness of marriage for or concerning the marriages had and solemnized as aforesaid the same issues shall be tryed by Iury of Twelve Men according to the course of Trial of other issues tryable by Iury at the Common Law and not otherwise Bastardy any Law Statute or Vsage to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding Stat. 13 Car. 2. cap. 11. CAP. XXXIV The Planting Setting or Sowing of Tobacco in England and Ireland prohibited YOur Majesties Loyal and Obedient Subjects The Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled considering of how great concern and importance it is That the Colonies and Plantations of this Kingdom in America be defended Protected Maintained and kept up and that all due and possible encouragement be given unto them and that not not only in regard great and considerable Dominions and Countries have béen thereby gained Importance of the plantations of America and added to the Imperial Crown of this Realm But for that the strength and welfare of this Kingdom do very much depend upon them in regard of the employment of a very considerable part of its Shipping and Seamen and of the vent of very great quantities of its Native Commodities and Manufactures as also of its supply with several Commodities which it was wont formerly to have only from Forraigners and at far dearer Rates And forasmuch as Tobacco is one of the main products of several of those Plantations and upon which their Welfare and Subsistence and the Navigation of this Kingdom and vent of its Commodities thither do much depend and in regard it is found by experience That the Tobaccoes Planted in these parts are not so good and wholsome for the Takers thereof And that by the Planting thereof your Majesty is deprived of a considerable part of your Revenue arising by Customs upon Imported Tobacco Do most humbly pray That it may be Enacted by your Majesty And it is hereby Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty and the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by Authority of the same No person after the 1. Ianuary 1660. shall set or plant any Tobacco That no Person or Persons whatsoever shall or do from and after the first day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred and sixty Set Plant improve to grow make or cure any Tobacco either in Séed Plant or otherwise in or upon any Ground Earth Field or Place within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales Islands of Guernsey or Jersey The penalty or Town of Berwick upon Tweed or in the Kingdom of Ireland under the penalty of the Forfeiture of all such Tobacco or the value thereof or of the sum of forty shillings for every Rod or Pole of Ground so Planted set or Sowen as aforesaid and so proportionably for a greater or lesser quantity of Ground one Moyety thereof to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors And the other Moyety to him or them that shall Sue for the same to be recovered by Bill Plaint or Information in any Court of Record wherein no Essoigne Protection or wager in Law shall be allowed All Sheriffs and other officers may destroy any Tobacco planted contrary to this Act. And it is hereby further Enacted That all Sheriffs Iustices of the Peace Mayors Bailiffs Constables and every of them upon Information or Complaint made unto them or any of them by any the Officers of the Customes or by any other Person or Persons whatsoever That there is any Tobacco set sowen planted or growing within their Iurisdictions or Precincts contrary to this Act shall within ten daies after such Information or Complaint cause to be burnt plucked up consumed or utterly destroyed all such Tobacco so set sowen planted or growing The penalty of any person resisting this act And it is hereby further Enacted That in case any Person or Persons shall resist or make forcible Opposition against any person or persons in the due and through Execution of this Act that every such person or persons for every such Offence shall forfeit the sum of five pounds to be divided and recovered in manner aforesaid And in case any person or persons shall not pay the sums of money by them to be paid by vertue of this Act That in every such case Distress shall be made and Sale thereof returning the Over-plus to the Owners And in case no Distress be to be found That then every such party shall be committed to the Common Goal in the County where such Offence shall be committed there to remain for the space of two moneths without bail or main-prize Proviso for private Gardens Provided alwayes and it is hereby Enacted That this Act nor any thing therein contained shall extend to the hindring of the planting of Tobacco in any Physick Garden of either Vniversity or in any other private Garden for Physick or Chirurgery only so as the quantity so planted excéed not one half of one Pole in any one Place or Garden Stat. 13 Car. 2. cap. 14. CAP. XXXV A Post-Office erected and established WHereas for the maintenance of mutual Correspondencies and prevention of many Inconveniencies happening by private Posts The well ordering of postage and letters of great concernment to Trade several publick Post-Offices have béen heretofore erected for carrying and recarrying of Letters by Posts to and from all parts and places within England Scotland and Ireland and several parts beyond the Seas the well Ordering thereof is a matter of general concernment and of great advantage as well for preservation of Trade and Commerce as otherwise To the end therefore that the same may be managed so that spéedy and safe dispatches may be had which is most likely to be effected by erecting one general Post-Office for that purpose Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty A Letter-office erected in London the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That there be from henceforth one general Letter-Office erected and
established in some convenient place within the City of London A master of the Office to be appointed by the King Post-master General from whence all Letters and pacquets whatsoever may be with spéed and expedition sent unto any part of the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland or any other of his Majesties Dominions or unto any Kingdom or Country beyond the Seas at which said Office all Returns and Answers may be likewise received And that one Master of the said General Letter-Office shall be from time to time appointed by the Kings Majesty His Heirs and Successors to be made and constituted by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England by the name and Stile of his Majesties Post-Master General which said Master of the said Office and his Deputy and Deputies by him thereunto sufficiently authorised and his and their Servants and Agents and no other person or persons whatsoever shall from time to time have the receiving taking up ordering dispatching sending Post or with spéed and delivering of all Letters and Pacquets whatsoever which shall from time to time be sent to and from all and every the parts and places of England Scotland and Ireland and other his Majesties Dominions and to and from all and every the Kingdoms and Countries beyond the Seas where he shall settle or cause to be setled posts or running Messengers for that purpose Except such Letters as shall be sent by Coaches common known Carriers of Goods by Carts Waggons or Packhorses and shall be carried along with their Carts Waggons and Packhorses respectively And except Letters of Merchants and Masters which shall be sent by any Masters of any Ships Barques or other Vessel of Merchandize or by any other person imployed by them for the carriage of such Letters aforesaid according to the respective directions And also except Letters to be sent by any private friend or friends in their wayes of journey or travel or by any messenger or messengers sent on purpose for or concerning the private affairs of any person or persons And also except Messengers who carry and recarry Commissions or the Return thereof Affidavits Writs Process or Procéedings or the Returns thereof issuing out of any Court And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid The Post-master General and no other to provide horses for riding post That such Post-Master General for the time being as shall from time to time be made and constituted by His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and the respective Deputies or Substitutes of such Post-Master General and no other person or persons whatsoever shall prepare and provide Horses and furniture to let to Hire unto all Through-posts and persons riding in post by Commission or without to and from all and every the parts and places of England Scotland and Ireland where any post-roads are or shall be setled and established And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawful to and for such Post-Master General to be constituted and appointed as aforesaid and his Deputy or Deputies by him thereunto sufficiently authorized to demand have receive and take for the portage and conveyance of all such Letters which he shall so convey carry or send Post as aforesaid and for the providing and furnishing Horses for Through-Posts or persons riding in Post as aforesaid according to the several Rates and Sums of Lawful English money hereafter mentioned Rates for carrying letters not to excéed the same that is to say For the Port of every Letter not excéeding one shéet to or from any place not excéeding fourscore English miles distant from the place where such Letter shall be received Two pence And for the like port of every Letter not excéeding two shéets Four pence And for the like port of every pacquet of Letters proportionably unto the said Rates And for the like port of every pacquet of Writs Déeds and other things after the Rate of Eight pence for every ounce weight and for the port of every Letter not excéeding one shéet above the distance of fourscore English miles from the place where the same shall be received Thrée pence And for the like port of a Letter not excéeding two shéets Six pence and proportionably to the same rates for the like port of all pacquets of Letters and for the like port of every other pacquet of writs Déeds or other things after the rate of Twelve pence of English money for every Ounce weight and for the port of every letter not excéeding One shéet from London unto the Town of Berwick or from thence to the City of London Thrée pence of English money And for the like port of every letter not excéeding two shéets Six pence and proportionably unto the same rates for every pacquet of letters and for every other pacquet of greater bulk One shilling and Six pence for every Ounce weight And for the port of such letters and pacquets as shall be conveyed or carried from the Town of Berwick unto any place or places within forty English miles distance from Berwick or any other place where such letter shall be received Two pence and for every letter not excéeding Two shéets Four pence and proportionably to the same rates for every pacquet of letters and for every other pacquet or parcel Eight pence for every Ounce weight and for every letter not excéeding One shéet to be conveyed or carryed a further distance then Forty English miles Four pence And for the like port of every pacquet of letters Eight pence and proportionably unto the same Rates for the like port of every pacquet of letters and for the like port of every other pacquet One shilling for every Ounce weight and for the port of every letter not excéeding one shéet from England unto the City of Dublin in Ireland or from the City of Dublin in Ireland unto England Six pence of English money and for the like port of every letter not excéeding two shéets one shilling and proportionably to the same rates for every pacquet of letters and for the port of every other pacquet of any kind of greater Bulk Two shillings for every ounce weight and for the Port of such Letters or Pacquets as shall be conveyed or carryed from the City of Dublin unto any other place or places within the Kingdom of Ireland or from any other place unto the said City or to or from any other place within the said Kingdom according to the Rates and sums of English mony hereafter following viz. For every Letter not excéeding one shéet to or from any place within forty English Miles distance from Dublin or any other place where such Letter shall be received Two pence And for every letter not excéeding two shéets Four pence and proportionably to the same Rates for every pacquet of letters and for every pacquet of greater Bulk Eight pence for every Ounce Weight and for every letter not excéeding one shéet to be carryed or conveyed a
further distance then forty English miles Four pence and for the like port of every letter not excéeding two shéets Eight pence and proportionably unto the same Rates for the like port of every pacquet of letters and for the like Port of every Pacquet of greater Bulk One shilling for every Ounce weight and for all and every the Letters Pacquets and parcels of Goods that shall be carried or conveyed to or from any of his Majesties said Dominions to or from any other parts or places beyond the Seas according to the several and respective Rates that now are and have béen taken for Letters Pacquets and parcels so conveyed being rated either by the Letter or by the Ounce weight That is to say Morlaix Saint Maloes Caen Newhaven and Places of like distance Port paid to Roan is for   d Single  vi Double  xii Treble  xviii Ounce  xviii Hamburgh Colen Frankfort Port paid to Antwerp is   d Single  viii Double  xvi Treble  xxiv Ounce  xxiv Venice Geneva Legorne Rome Naples Messina and all other parts of Italy by way of Venice franct pro Mantua  s d Single o ix Double i vi Treble ii iii Ounce ii viii Marcelia Smirna Constantinople Aleppo and all parts of Turky port paid to Marcelia  s d Single i o Double ii o 3 qrs of an ounce ii ix Ounce iii ix And for Letters brought from the said places to England  s d Single o viii Double i iv Treble ii o Ounce ii o And for the port Letters brought into England from Calais Diepe Bulloigne Abbeville Amiens Saint Omers Montrell  s d Single o iv Double o viii Treble i o Ounce i o Roven  s d Single o vi Double i o Treble i vi Ounce i vi Genova Legorn Rome and other parts of Italy by way of Lyons franct pro Lyons  s d Single i o Double ii o 3 qrs of an ounce ii ix Ounce iii ix And of Letters sent outwards To Bourdeaux Rochel Nantes Orleans Byon Tours and places of like distance port paid to Paris  s d Single o ix Double i vi Treble ii iii Ounce ii o And for Letters brought from the same places into England  s d Single i o Double ii o 3 qrs of an ounce iii o Ounce iv o Also Letters sent outwards To Norembourgh Bremen Dantswick Lubeck Lipswick and other places of like distance Post paid to Hamburgh  s d Single i o Double ii o 3 qrs of an ounce iii o Ounce iv o Paris  s d Single o ix Double i vi Treble ii iii Ounce ii o Dunkirk Ostend Lille Ipre Courtrey Gheandt Bruxells Bridges Antwerp and all other parts of Flanders  s d Single o viii Double i v Treble ii o Ounce ii o Slus Flushing Middleburgh Amsterdam Roterdam Delph Hague and from all other parts of Holland and Zealand  s d Single o viii Double i iv Treble ii o Ounce ii o Provided alwayes That all Merchants Accompts not excéeding one shéet of paper Proviso for Merchants and all bills of Exchange Invoyes and Bills of Lading are and shall hereby be understood to be allowed without Rate in the Price of the Letters and likewise the Covers of Letters not excéeding one fourth part of a shéet of paper sent to Marseilles Venice or Legorne to be sent forward to Turky shall be understood to be allowed to pass without rate or payment for the same and according to the same rates and proportions for the Port of Letters pacquets and parcels to or from any of the parts or places beyond the Seas where Posts have not béen heretofore setled and may hereafter be setled by the said Post-Master General for the time being his Executors or Assigns And it shall and may be lawfull to and for such Post-Master General and his Deputy and Deputies to ask demand take and receive of every person that he or they shall furnish and provide with Horses Furniture and Guide to ride Post in any of the Post-roades as aforesaid Thrée pence of English money for each Horses Hire or Postage for every English mile and four pence for the Guide for every Stage And whereas upon the arrival of Ships from parts beyond the Seas into several Ports within his Majesties Dominions many Letters directed to several Merchants and others have béen detained long to the great damage of the Merchants in want of that spéedy advice and intelligence which they might have had if the same had béen forthwith dispatched by the setled Posts and sometimes such Letters have been delivered by the Masters or Passengers of such Ships to ignorant and loose hands that understand not the way and means of spéedy conveyance and delivery Letters whereby great prejudice hath accrued to the affairs of Merchants and others as well by the miscarriage of many Letters so brought as oftentimes by the opening of the same to the discovery of the Correspondencies and secrets of the Merchant Be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid That all Letters and Pacquets that by any Master of any Ship or Vessel or any of his Company or any Passengers therein shall or may be brought to any Port-Town within his Majesties Dominions or any of the Members thereof other then such Letters as are before excepted or may be sent by common known Carriers in manner aforesaid or by a friend as aforesaid shall by such Master Passenger or other person be forthwith delivered unto the Deputy or Deputies only of the said Post-Master General for the time being by him appointed for the said Port-Town and him or them to be sent Post unto the said general Post-Office to be delivered according to the several and respective directions of the same And be it further Enacted by the aforesaid Authority That no person or persons whatsoever or Body politick or Corporate other then such post-Master General as shall from time to time be nominated and appointed by his Majesty His Heirs or Successors and constituted by Letters Patents under the great Seal of England as aforesaid and his Deputy and Deputies or Assignes shall presume to carry recarry and deliver Letters for Hire other then as before excepted or to set up or imploy any Foot-post Horse-post Coach-post or pacquet-Boat whatsoever for the conveyance carrying Penalties of offending against this Act and recarrying of any Lettters or pacquets by Sea or Land within his Majesties Dominions or shall provide and maintain Horses and Furniture for the horsing of any Thorow-pasts or persons riding in post with a Guide and Horne as usual for Hire upon pain of Forfeiting the sum of five pounds of English money for every several offence against the Tenor of this present Act And also for the forfeiture of the sum of One hundred pound of like English money for every wéeks time that any Offender against this Act shall imploy maintain and
Collegiate Church within England and Wales shall at their proper costs and charges before the Twenty fifth day of December One thousand six hundred sixty two obtain under the Great Seal of England a true and perfect printed Copy of this Act and of the said Book annexed hereunto to be by the said Deans and Chapters and their Successors kept and preserved in safety for ever and to be also produced and shewed forth in any Court of Record as often as they shall be thereunto lawfully required And also there shall be delivered true and perfect Copies of this Act and of the same Book into the respective Courts at Westminster and into the Tower of London to be kept and preserved for ever among the Records of the said Courts and the Records of the Tower to be also produced and shewed forth in any Court as néed shall require which said Books so to be exemplified under the Great Seal of England shall be examined by such persons as the Kings Majesty shall appoint under the Great Seal of England for that purpose and shall be compared with the Original Book hereunto annexed and shall have power to correct and amend in writing any Error committed by the Printer in the Printing of the same Book or of any thing therein contained and shall certifie in writing under their Hands and Seals or the hands and seals of any thrée of them at the end of the same Book that they have examined and compared the same Book and find it to be a true and perfect Copy which said Books and every one of them so exemplified under the Great Seal of England as aforesaid shall be déemed taken adjudged and expounded to be good and available in the Law to all intents and purposes whatsoever and shall be accounted as good Records as this Book it self hereunto annexed Any Law or Custome to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Proviso for the Kings Professor of Law in Oxford Provided also That this Act or any thing therein contained shall not be prejudicial or hurtful unto the Kings Professor of the Law within the Vniversity of Oxford for or concerning the Prebend of Shipton within the Cathedral Church of Sarum united and annexed unto the place of the same Kings Professor for the time being by the late King James of blessed memory Provided alwayes Proviso concerning the 3â—th Article agreed in the Convocation Anno 1562. That whereas the Six and thirtieth Article of the Nine and thirty Articles agréed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy holden at London in the year of our Lord One thousand five hundred sixty two for the avoiding of diversities of Opinions and for establishing of consent touching true Religion is in these words following viz. That the Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and Ordaining of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of King Edward the Sixth and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordaining neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious and ungodly And therefore whosoever are Consecrated or Ordered according to the Rites of that Book since the second year of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be Consecrated or Ordered according to the same Rites We decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully Consecrated and Ordered It be Enacted And be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Subscriptions hereafter to be had or made unto the said Articles by any Deacon Priest or Ecclesiastical person or other person whatsoever who by this Act or any other Law now in force is required to subscribe unto the said Articles shall be construed and be taken to extend and shall be applied for and touching the said Six and thirtieth Article unto the Book containing the form and manner of Making Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons in this Act mentioned in such sort and manner as the same did heretofore extend unto the Book set forth in the time of King Edward the Sixth mentioned in the said Six and thirtieth Article Any thing in the said Article or in any Statute Act or Canon heretofore had or made to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding Provided also That the Book of Common Prayer The Common Prayer used by Authority of Parliament 1. Eliz. to be used untill Bartholomew Day 1662. EXP. and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of this Church of England together with the form and manner of Ordaining and Consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons heretofore in use and respectively established by Act of Parliament in the First and Eighth years of Quéen Elizabeth shall be still used and observed in the Church of England until the Feast of St. Bartholomew which shall be in the year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred sixty and two EXP. as to this last Clause CAP. V. For Regulating the Making of Stuffs in Norfolk and Norwich WHereas divers abuses and deceipts have of late years béen had and used in the making of Worsteds and other Stuffs commonly called Norwich Stuffs and in the Réeling of Yarnes whereof the said Stuffs are either wholly or in part made which tends to the debasing of the said Manufacture unto the prejudice of the publique which said Trade of Weaving of Stuffs hath of late times béen very much increased and great variety of new sorts of Stuffs have béen invented 7 E. 4. cap. 1. so that the Power given by the Statute of the Seventh of Edward the Fourth Chapter the First is not sufficient for the Regulating of the same And that the number of the Wardens by the same Act appointed being but Eight are too few for the Governing and Ordering the same Trade by which means the same Manufacture will soon be lost if not prevented and carried into forreign Nations to the great diminution of His Majesties Customs and turning out of the work many thousands of poor people For prevention of which abuses deceipts and evils The number of Wardens and Assistants of Master Weavers in Norwich how and when to be chosen It is Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled in Parliament and by the Authority of the same That there shall be Twelve Wardens and Thirty Assistants all which are to be Master-Weavers within the County of the City of Norwich and County of Norfolk sir of which said Wardens and fiftéen of the said Assistants shall be chosen the first Monday after Pentecost in the year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred sixty and two and from thenceforth yearly and every year on the next Monday after Pentecost at some publique place by the Master-Weavers or the greater part of them present of the said City and County of Norwich And the other six
appraised value upon loss of his Office Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid No person employed about managing the customs may take any bride or reward to connive at any Entry That if any of the Kings Majesties Officers or other persons appointed to manage His Majesties Customs Searchers Waiters or other person or persons whatsoever deputed and appointed by and under them or any of them or any other Authority whatsoever and imployed in or about the Affairs of the Kings Customs and Subsidies shall directly or indirectly take or receive any bribe recompence or reward in any kind whatsoever or connive at any false Entry of any Goods or Merchandizes whereby the Kings Majesty His Heirs or Successors shall be defrauded or hindred in or of His Customs and Subsidies or other Sums of money or Goods prohibited by the Law to be Imported or Exported into or out of the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales Town and Port of Berwick be suffered to pass either by way of Importation or Exportation the person or persons therein offending shall forfeit the sum of One hundred pounds The Penalty and be for ever afterwards incapable of any Office or Imployment under the Kings Majesty His Heirs or Successors or any Authority derived from them as also the Merchant Mariner or other person or persons whatsoever who shall give or pay any such Bribe Recompence or Reward as aforesaid shall forfeit the sum of Fifty pounds Provided nevertheless that if any person or persons offending as aforesaid Persons revealing their own offences within two months to be acquitted shall reveal and make known such his or their Offence in Two moneths time to the Treasurer of England the Chancellor Vnder-Treasurer or Barons of the Exchequer he shall for that Offence be clearly acquitted and discharged And be it further Enacted Forreign goods where to be landed and how weighed and numbred That all forreign Goods and Merchandize which by the person or persons which are or shall be appointed by his Majesty for the managing of the Customs and the Customer Collector and Comptroller shall be permitted to be landed and taken up by Bills at sight Bills at view or sufferance shall be landed at the most convenient Keys or Wharfs where the said person or persons so to be appointed Customer or Collector or Comptroller shall appoint and not elsewhere and there or in his Majesties Store-house of the respective Ports at the Election of the said person or persons so to be appointed and Officers shall be measured weighed and numbred by and in the presence of the Officers to be thereunto particularly appointed which said Officers so appointed shall perfect the Entry and thereunto shall subscribe their Names and the next day following shall give Accompt and make report of every respective Entry so perfected as aforesaid to the said person or persons which are or shall be appointed to manage his Majesties Customs Customer or Collector and Comptroller aforesaid without reasonable cause to be allowed by the said person or persons or Officers aforesaid or in default thereof shall forfeit the sum of One hundred pounds Be it also Enacted That no Ship Vessel or Boat Vessels appointed for carrying Letters may not import nor export Merchandise appointed and imployed ordinarily for the Carriage of Letters and Pacquets shall unless it be in such Cases as shall be allowed by the said person or persons which are or shall be appointed to manage his Majesties Customs or Officers aforesaid Import or Export any Goods or Merchandize into or out of the parts beyond the Seas upon the Penalty of the forfeiture of One hundred pounds to be paid by the Master of the said Vessel or Boat with the loss of his place and all Goods and Merchandize that shall be found on Board any such Ship Vessel or Boat shall be forfeited and lost And whereas some Doubts and Disputes have arisen concerning the said late Act For encresing and encouraging of Shipping and Navigation An Explanation of 12 Car. 2. cap. 18. of goods prohibited to be brought from Holland about some of the Goods therein prohibited to be brought from Holland and the Parts and Ports thereabouts Be it Enacted and Declared That no sort of Wines other then Rhenish no sort of Spicery Grocery Tobacco Pot-ashes Pitch Tarr Salt Rozen Deal-Boards Firr Timber or Olive-Oyl shall be imported into England Wales or Berwick from the Netherlands or Germany upon any pretence whatsoever in any sort of Ships or Vessels whatsoever upon penalty of the loss of all the said Goods as also of the Ships and furniture And whereas also by the said Acts For incouraging and increasing of Shipping and Navigation 12 Car. 2. c. 18. Imposition of 5 s. per Tun upon French Vessels an Imposition of Five shillings per Tun is laid upon all Ships or Vessels belonging to any Subjects of the French King which shall come into any Port Harbour Créek or Road of England Ireland Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed and shall there lade or unlade any Goods or take in or set on shore any Passengers Yet notwithstanding there is great difficulty in recovering the said Duty because small Shallops come not into Harbours where Officers are but either put their Goods and Passengers on shore or Boats come out of Harbours which privately convey them on shore there being no penalty in the Act against such Offenders Be it therefore Enacted How to be recovered and the penalty That any such Ship or Vessel upon which the above-said Imposition of Five shillings per Tun is due and payable which shall either put on shore or put over into any Boat any Goods or Passengers without payment of Custom and Imposition of Tunnage at any time returning into any Harbour Port or Creek of England or Ireland shall not only pay the Duties formerly due but forfeit the sum of Ten pounds And whatsoever Pilot Water-man or Boat-man which shall from any Harbour Port or Créek go out and bring any Goods from on board such Vessel shall not only be liable to pay the Duty of Tunnage which the said Vessel should have paid but forfeit the sum of Forty pounds Be it also hereby Enacted That Vinegar Perry Rape Cider and Cider-eager of any sort or kind whatsoever Tunnage upon V negar Perry Rape Cyder and Cyder eager Imported from and after the four and twentieth day of June One thousand six hundred sixty and two from Forreign Parts is hereby Rated to pay to the Kings Majesty a Subsidy of Tunnage of Four pounds Ten shillings per Tun Imported by English and Six pounds Imported by Stangers according to the Rate already imposed and set upon French Wines to be Collected and Levied for such time and in such manner as by the Act of Tunnage and Poundage is directed and appointed And the same are by vertue of this Act exonerated and discharged of all further and other Sums heretofore set or
or other the Kings Officers thereof shall before the First day of June next take their respective Corporal Oath and Oaths for the true and faithful execution and discharge to the best of their knowledge and power of their several Trusts and Imployments committed to their charge and inspection And that no person or persons shall hereafter be imployed or put in trust in the business of the Customs untill he shall first have taken his Oath as aforesaid And the Commissioners and principal Officers in the Port of London and the principal Officers in all other the out-ports or any two of them are hereby authorized to administer and give to all and every person or persons such Oath and Oaths as aforesaid and to cause the same to be Entred and Registred in the Custom-house of every respective Port where the person so taking the Oath as aforesaid shall have his residence and imployment Provided also and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Persons imployed about the Customs shall demand nor take any more then the fees due by Law That if any person imployed in his Majesties Customs shall demand or take any other or greater sum of money then by Law is now due or hereafter shall become due or shall put any Merchant or other person out of his turn without express order before or immediate approbation after from the person or persons who are or shall be appointed by his Majesty to manage his Customs or the superior Officers for the Customs or shall illegally detain the goods of any person or shall neglect or refuse to make re-payments and allowances which are or shall be due since the Four and twentieth day of June One thousand six hundred and sixty or shall not after notice given give out and execute his Warrant shall be lyable to double Costs and Damages And for the better increase of good and serviceable shipping Of what sise and burden Merchants Ships shall be and what men and ammunition they shall carry and securing the publick Trade and Commerce Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Merchant or other person that shall after the Nine and twentieth day of September One thousand six hundred sixty and two Export any Goods or Merchandizes from any Port of this Kingdom capable of a Ship or Vessel of two hundred Tun upon an ordinary full Sea to any part or place of the Mediterranean Sea beyond the port of Malaga or Import any Goods or Merchandize from the ports or places aforesaid to any port of this said Kingdom in any Ship or Vessel that hath not two Decks and doth carry less then sixtéen pieces of Ordnances mounted together with two men for each Gun and other Ammunition proportionable shall pay to our Sovereign Lord the King for all and every the Wares and Merchandizes so Exported or imported One per centum over and above the Rates and Duties of Subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage otherwise due and payable for the same Any thing in this Act before contained to the contrary notwithstanding Provided always Proviso for Ships exporting Fish that it shall and may be lawful to export from any of his Majesties Dominions Fish into any of the Ports of the Mediterranean Sea aforesaid in any English Ship or Vessel whatsoever Provided that one moyety of her full lading be Fish only and in such case to Import any Wares or Merchandize in the same Ship for that Voyage without paying any other Rates or Duties of Tonnage or Poundage for the same then were heretofore accustomed And for the better encouragement of building good and Defensible Ships Be it Enacted Encouragemen◠for Building good and defensible Ships That all and every person or persons that shall within the space of Seven years from and after the Five and twentieth day of March One thousand six hundred sixty two build or cause to be built within any of his Majesties Dominions any Ship or Vessel of Thrée Decks or Two Decks and a half with a Fore-Castle and Five foot betwéen each Deck mounted with thirty pieces of Ordnance at least and other Ammunition proportionable shall for the first two Voyages which the said Ship or Ships make from his Majesties Dominions to any forreign parts have and receive to his and their own proper use and benefit one Tenth part of the Customs that shall be paid to His Majesty for all such Goods or Merchandizes as shall be Exported or Imported on the said Ship or Ships to and from this Kingdome And the Commissioners and Officers of His Majesties Customs are hereby impowered and required to pay the same to the Owner or Owners of the said Ship or Ships accordingly Salt brought out of Scotland to pay ob a Gallon Provided alwayes and be it hereby Declared and Enacted That from and after the Four and twentieth day of June One thousand six hundred sixty two All Salt which shall be brought out of the Kingdom of Scotland into this Kingdom the Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed shall yield and pay and is hereby made chargeable to yield and pay unto the Kings Majesty One half penny upon every Gallon of such imported Salt of Winchester measure at the landing thereof Any thing in this present Act or any former or other Law Statute or Order to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding CAP. XII For the better Relief of the Poor of this Kingdom The occasion of increase of Poor WHereas the necessity number and continual increase of the Poor not only within the Cities of London and Westminster with the Liberties of each of them but also through the whole Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales is very great and excéeding burthensome being occasioned by reason of some defects in the Law concerning the setling of the Poor and for want of a due provision of the regulations of relief and imployment in such parishes or places where they are legally setled which doth enforce many to turn incorrigible Rogues and others to perish for want together with the neglect of the faithfull execution of such Laws and Statutes as have formerly béen made for the apprehending of Rogues and Vagabonds and for the good of the Poor For remedy whereof and for the preventing the perishing of any the Poor whether young or old for want of such supplies as are necessary May it please your most Excellent Majesty that it may be Enacted and be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Poor people going from one Parish to another and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same That whereas by reason of some defects in the Law poor people are not restrained from going from one Parish to another and therefore do endeavour to settle themselves in those Parishes where there is the best Stock the largest Commons or Wastes to
or seised by any person or persons Bodies Politick or Corporate and not having accounted for the same to any Authority or pretended Authority Vsurping the Government of this Nation and not pardoned by the Act of Oblivion That all such person or persons Bodies Politick or Corporate shall account and pay the same to his Royal Highness James Duke of York your Majesties onely Brother Lord High Admiral of England or Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports upon suit for the same in the High Court of Admiralty Any thing in this Act the absence of the Lord High Admiral during these late troubles or the persons not having béen imployed or authorized by the said Lord High Admiral to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Provided alwayes and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid How in defect of Iurisdiction in the Admiralty suit may be in the Exchequer That in case of defect of Iurisdiction in the Court of Admiralty for the recovering and levying of any such Prizes Goods matters and things aforesaid That then in such case upon Certificate thereof from the said Court of Admiralty made into his Majesties Court of Exchequer spéedy procéedings shall be had in the said Court of Exchequer for the recovering and levying of the Prizes Goods matters and things aforesaid according to Law and Iustice CAP. XV. The Trade of Silk-throwing regulated VVHereas the Company of Silk-throwers within the City of London and Liberties The Silk-throwers of London incorporated by Patent 5 Car. 1. and all their Servants and Apprentices within four Miles thereof were quinto Caroli primi Incorporated and made one Body Politick and are known by the name of the Master Wardens Assistants and Commonalty of the Trade Art or Mystery of Silk-throwers of the City of London And whereas the said Trade is of singular use and very advantagious to this Commonwealth by imploying the poor there being imployed by the said Company in and about the City of London as is expressed in their Petition above forty thousand men women and children who otherwise would unavoidably be burthensome to the places of their aboad And whereas the present Governours of the said Company by their Petition pray an enlargement of their Charter whereby they may be the better enabled to avoid the many deceits and inconveniencies they daily méet withal by Intruders who have not béen brought up Apprentices to the said Trade and others who settle themselves beyond the limits of their said Charter on purpose to avoid the Searchers and Supervision of the said Governours by which means they are at liberty to make and vend what Wares they please to the disparagement of the said Trade and discouraging of the Petitioners and all others of the said Trade that have duly served Apprentice thereunto according to the known Laws of this Nation For remedy whereof Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by Authority of the same None shall use the trade of a silk-thrower but such as have served as apprentices seven years That from and after the twenty fifth day of December which shall be in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and two no person or persons whatsoever shall directly or indirectly use exercise continue or set up the said Trade Art of Mystery of a Silk-thrower within this Realm of England unless such as are or shall be Apprentices to the said Trade or shall have served seven years Apprentiship thereunto at the least upon pain that every person so offending contrary to this Act shall pay The penalty forfeit and lose the sum of forty shillings for every moneth the said person shall use or exercise the said Trade the one moyety thereof to the use of his said Majesty his Heirs and Successors and the other moyety thereof to such person or persons as shall sue for the same in any of the Courts of Record within this Realm of England Before whom to be recovered or before any the Iustices of Oyer and Terminer or the Iustices of the Peace at their Quarter-Sessions of the Peace by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information or by any other lawful ways or means whatsoever wherein no Protection Wager of Law or Essoign shall be allowed And for the better enabling of the said Master Wardens Assistants and Commonalty of Silk-throwers and their Successors in their Government Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every person and persons whatsoever now using or exercising as Masters the said Art Every person using the trade in London and Westminster shall enter himself of the said corporation And be subject to the laws orders thereof The penalty Trade or Mystery or such as have served as Apprentices to the said Trade by the space of seven years at the least within the said Cities of London and Westminster and the several Suburbs thereof or within twenty miles compass of them or either of them shall before the twenty fifth day of December which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred sixty and two be admitted and are hereby enjoyned to enter themselves into the said Society or Corporation and to perform and be subject and obedient to all such Statutes Laws Orders Ordinances and Constitutions as are or shall be made or ordained for or concerning the Exercise Regulation or Government of the said Art Trade or Mystery or of any person or persons using or exercising the same upon pain of forfeiture of the sum of forty shillings for every moneth he or they shall use or exercise the said Trade after the said twenty fifth day of December One thousand six hundred sixty and two the one moyety thereof to the use of his said Majesty his Heirs and Successors and the other moyety thereof to such person and persons as shall sue for the same in any the Courts of Record within this Realm of England or before any the Iustices of Oyer and Terminer or the Iustices of Peace at their Quarter-Sessions of the Peace by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information or by any other lawful wayes or means whatsoever wherein no Protection Wager of Law or Essoin shall be allowed Provided That such Laws Orders Ordinances and Constitutions so made or which shall be made be not contrary but agréeable with the Laws and Statutes of this said Realm and the Customs of the said City of London The power of the masters wardens and assistants And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said Masters Wardens Assistants and Commonalty and their Successors shall and may have and enjoy and that it shall and may be lawful to and for them from time to time and at all times hereafter to do perform and execute within the said Cities of London and Westminster and the several Suburbs thereof
his Majesties Exchequer before the four and twentieth of June one thousand six hundred sixty and two and have or shall have notice thereof by Process out of the Court of Exchequer or otherwise served upon his person or left at his house or last known place of Habitation before the nine and twentieth of September one thousand six hundred sixty and two and shall not before the first day of Easter Term then next ensuing perfect their Accounts touching the said Charge that then the Charge against all and every such person or persons shall be taken as a Debt by Writing Obligatory or Recognizance taken and acknowledged to the Kings Majesty according to the Statute aforesaid and that in both the said Cases Process shall be awarded as is used for recovery of debts due to his Majesty according to the Statute as aforesaid against him or them and against all and every their Sureties not pardoned or discharged by the said Act of Oblivion and his and their respective Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels and Debts and the said Charge to continue in force only until the Accounts shall be perfected and the Accountants discharge them thereof in due manner in the said Court of Exchequer with such allowances as are given by the said Act of Oblivion and untill payment made unto his Majesty of all such sums of money as shall be found due upon the determination of his or their Accounts CAP. XVII Relief of Collectors of Publick Moneys and their Assistants and Deputies BE it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in Parliament now assembled and by Authority of the same Collectors others imployed in levying money by vertue of any Act of Parliament being sued may plead the general issue That all Collectors and other Persons who have levied or Collected or shall Levy or Collect any sum or sums of money or other act done or shall do in order to the same by vertue of any Act of Parliament now in force or of any other Act Order or Ordinance allowed to be put in Execution by any such Act of Parliament as aforesaid and who is or shall be sued for or concerning the same by any other then the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors he and they may plead the General Issue and thereon give the special matter in evidence for his excuse and justification And that all and every person or persons already sued or impleaded for any the Causes aforesaid may notwithstanding any plea or demurrer already made by any such Defendant have liberty to change such his Plea and to plead the General Issue if he shall think fit so to do Provided always that neither this Act nor any thing therein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to authorize the levying or collecting of any sum or sums of money which are pardoned by the late Act 12 Car. 2. c. 11 Entituled An Act of Free and General Pardon Indempnity and Oblivion CAP. XVIII Exporting of Sheep Wool Wool-fells Mortlings Shorlings Yarn made of Wool Wool-flocks Fullers-Earth Fulling-Clay and Tobacco-pipe-Clay Prohibited WHereas against the Laws of this Kingdom great number of Shéep and great quantities of Wooll Wool-fels Mortlings Shorlings Yarn made of Wool Wool-flocks Fullers Earth or Fulling-Clay are secretly Exported Transported carried and conveyed out of the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales the Town of Berwick upon Tweed and Kingdom of Ireland into the Kingdom of Scotland and into Foreign parts to the great decay of the Woollen Manufactures the ruine of many Families and the destruction of the Navigation and Commerce of the Kingdoms Town and Dominion aforesaid which is like daily to increase if some further remedy be not provided and further penalties imposed upon the Offenders therein Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That if any person or persons shall from and after the first day of August Exporting or carrying of sheep wooll woolfels mortlings shorlings yarn woolflocks Fullers earth Fulling clay out of England Wales or Ireland One thousand six hundred sixty and two directly or indirectly Export Transport Carry or Convey or shall cause to be Exported Transported Carryed or Conveyed out of or from the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed or after the first day of January One thousand six hundred sixty and two out of the Kingdom of Ireland into any parts or places out of the Kingdoms or Dominion aforesaid or into the Kingdome of Scotland any Shéep or Wool whatsoever of the bréed or growth of the Kingdoms or Dominion aforesaid or any Wool-fells Mortlings Shorlings Yarn made of Wool Wool-flocks or any Fullers Earth or Fulling-Clay whatsoever or shall directly or indirectly pack or load or cause to be packed or loaden upon any horse Cart or other Carriage or shall load or lay on board or cause to be loaden or laid on board in any Ship or other Vessel in any place within the Kingdoms of England or Ireland Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed aforesaid any such Shéep Wooll Wool-fels Mortlings Shorlings Yarn made of Wooll Wool-flocks Fullers Earth or Fulling Clay to the intent or purpose to Export Transport Carry or convey the same or to cause the same to be Exported Transported Carryed or conveyed out of the Kingdoms of England or Ireland the Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed aforesaid into the Kingdom of Scotland or into any Foreign parts that then every such offence shall be adjudged Felony Made Felony and the Offender or Offenders being duly Convicted shall suffer and forfeit as in case of Felony Aiders and assisters therein shall be adjudged Felons And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Owner of any such Ship or other Vessel every owner of every horse Cart or Carriage upon which any Shéep Wooll Wool-fels Mortlings Shorlings Yarn made of Wool Woolflocks Fullers Earth or Fulling Clay shall be so Exported Transported carryed or conveyed as aforesaid or to any such intent or purpose as aforesaid knowing thereof and being wittingly and willingly aiding assisting or consenting thereunto and also every Master and Mariner of or in such Ship or other Vessel wherein any such Shéep Wooll Wool-fels Mortlings Shorlings Yarn made of Wooll Woolflocks Fullers Earth or Fulling Clay shall be so exported transported carryed or conveyed or loaden or laid on Board as aforesaid to any such intent or purpose as aforesaid knowing thereof and being wittingly and willingly aiding assisting or consenting thereunto and also every Factor or servant or other person whatsoever and every Customer Comptroller Waiter Searcher Surveyor or other Officer or person whatsoever knowing thereof and being wittingly or willingly
the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Proviso for owners of ships that have offended and shall first discover the same Provided always That if any Owner of any Ship or Vessel or any Master or Mariner knowing of such transportation of such shéep wool woolfels mortlings shorlings yarn made of wool wool-flocks Fullers earth Fulling clay or Tobacco-pipe clay shall within thrée moneths next after the knowledg thereof or after his return into the Kingdom of England or Ireland or into the said Town of Berwick or Dominion of Wales aforesaid give the first information bona fide before any of the Barons of either of the Courts of the Exchequer in England or Ireland for the time being or before the head Officer of any Port where he shall first arrive upon his or their Oath of the number and quantity of the goods mentioned in this Act so carryed conveyed and transported and by whom where and in what ship or vessel and afterwards shall be ready upon reasonable warning by Process to justify and prove the same that then such Owner and Owners Master Mariner and Mariners shall not be punished for felony by vertue of this Act but shall nevertheless be subject to all other penalties and forfeitures in this or any other Act contained for the Offence aforesaid and all such Exportation Transportation carrying or conveying of any the goods Common nusance Who may hear and determine the said offences wares or commodities in this Act mentioned is hereby declared and adjudged to be a common and publick Nusance And for the better execution of this Act be it further Enacted that all Iustices of Assize Iustices of Goal-delivery and Iustices of Peace shall enquire of all the premisses in their General Quarter-Sessions and hear and determine the same and that all Mayors Bailiffs and other head Officers of Cities Burroughs and Towns not having Iurisdiction to try felony shall enquire of all and every Offence within this Act not made felony and hear and determine the same CAP. XIX Importing of Foreign Wool-cards Card-wire or Iron-wire prohibited WHereas by the Acts of Parliament made in the third year of King Edward the fourth and the nine and thirtieth year of Quéen Elizabeth 3 E. 4. ca. 4. â—9 El. c. 14. and several other Statutes before that time made It is Enacted amongst other things therein contained that no Cards for wool nor Iron thread commonly called white wire shall be Imported sent or conveyed into this Realm of England wherein the best Iron thread or wire for making wool-cards is made and by the said manufacture of making and drawing of wire and wool-cards very many poor people of this Kingdom and their families have béen imployed and maintained and the wool-cards made thereof are of great concernment to this Kingdom for the good making of woollen Cloth And whereas contrary to the said Statutes not only much Foreign Card-wire but also Foreign wool-cards have béen in these late times Imported into this Kingdom and also within the same many old wool-cards are by ill disposed persons for their private lucre bought up and the old Iron-wire of the said old wool-cards being very weak and insufficient for the well carding of wool is put into new leather and new boards and so uttered and sold to ignorant people for new wool-cards to their great detriment and the indamaging of their work carding of wool and the cloth made thereof By all which very great inconveniencies have béen found by experience of Clothiers in their making of English Cloth which is lately much debased and decayed and wherein this Nation is greatly concerned to uphold and encourage the well making thereof in and by all wayes and means in any wise conducible thereunto Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons assembled in Parliament No Foreign wool-cards card-wire or iron wire for wool-cards may be imported And it is hereby Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Foreign wool-cards or Foreign Card-wire or Iron-wire for making of wool-cards be Imported into this Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or any parts thereof nor used within the same nor any Card-wire taken out of old Cards be from henceforth put into new leather and new Card-boards nor any such wool-cards made thereof be put to sale upon the pains penalties and forfeitures hereafter following that is to say Every person or persons who shall import or bring any Foreign wool-cards or Foreign Card-wire or Iron-wire for making of wool-cards into this Kingdom of England The penalty Dominion of Wales or any parts thereof or make any wool-cards of any such old Card-wire as aforesaid or put the same to sale shall forfeit the said wool-cards and Card-wire or Iron wire for making wool-cards or the value thereof if the same be not seised the one half part thereof to the Kings Majesty and the other half part thereof to such person or persons who shall first seise or sue for the same by Action of Debt Plaint Bill Information or Indictment in any of his Majesties Courts of Record at Westminster or within the County City Burrough or Town Corporate where such offence shall be committed wherein no Essoign Protection Wager of Law or Injunction shall be allowed or admitted Proviso for amending of old wool-cards Provided always That this Act shall not extend to hinder the Owners of any wool-cards to cause them to be amended for their own use or to transport or sell for Transportation onely any their old overworn wool-cards in any parts beyond the Seas out of his Majesties Dominions CAP. XX. Provision of Carriage by Land and by Water for the use of His Majesties Navy and Ordnance WHereas by an Act Entituled An Act for taking away the Court of Wards and Liveries 12 Car. 2. cap. 24. and Tenures in Capite and by Knights Service and Purveyance and for setling a Revenue upon His Majesty in lieu thereof It was amongst other things Enacted for the reasons and recompence therein expressed That from thenceforth no Person or Persons by any Warrant Commission or Authority under the Great Seal or otherwise by colour of buying or making provision or purveyance for his Majesty or any Quéen of England for the time being or of any the Children of any King or Quéen of England that shall be or for his their or any of their Houshold shall take any Cart Carriage or other thing whatsoever of any the Subjects of his Majesty his Heirs or Successors without the free and full consent of the Owner or Owners thereof had and obtained without Menace or Enforcement nor shall summon warn take use or require any of the said Subjects to furnish or find any Horses Oxen or other Cattel Carts Ploughs Wayns or other Carriages for the use of his Majesty his Heirs or Successors or of any Queen of England or of any Child or Children
ease of Sheriffs in passing their Accompts Seizures of Lands remaining charged Michaelmas 1660. Be it Enacted and Declared That from henceforth every Seizure for or concerning any Lands Tenements and Hereditaments now remaining charged in the Foreign accompt of any Sheriff or Sheriffs within the Kingdom of England for the year ended at Michaelmas One thousand six hundred and sixty shall be from the said Foreign accompt charged particularly in the great Roll of the Exchequer And that the several Remembrancers of the said Court or their respective Deputies do in their respective Officers forthwith Seizures hereafter taken or returned and so from time to time for the future write and make true and perfect Copies of all and every such other Seizure and Inquisition as already are or hereafter shall be certified into their respective Offices without certifying the Copy of the Writ or Commission at large upon which such Seizure or Inquisition is or shall be so taken or returned mentioning only in brief the Date of the said Writ or Commission and shall deliver the said Copies well and truly examined and attested under his or their Hands to the Engrosser of the said great Roll And that all such of the said Seizures and Inquisitions as now are returned into any of their respective Offices shall be delivered before the first day of February next coming And that all such other seizures as shall hereafter be returned or certified into their respective Offices shall be delivered so examined and attested as aforesaid to the said Engrosser before the first day of the next Term after the said Remembrancers shall have received the same so as the same may be charged in the great Roll To the end that the Processe of the Court may from thence issue for levying the Issues and Profits thereof to the use of the Crown unto which said Remembrancers or their Deputies shall be from time to time paid for every Sheet which they or their respective Clerks shall so write and deliver the sum of eight pence Fees to the Remembrancers the same to be paid unto them by the aforesaid respective Sheriffs who shall be allowed the same by the Barons upon their respective Accompts out of the Issues and Profits arising out of the Premisses so seized and no Sheriff or Sheriffs for this persent year One thousand six hundred sixty and one Sheriffs shall not answer illeviable seizures Farm Rents c. nor any Sheriff or Sheriffs to be hereafter made or appointed within this Kingdom of England shall be charged in accompt to answer any illeviable Seizure Farm Rent or Debt or other Seizure Farm Rent Debt matter or thing whatsoever which was not writ in Processe to him or them to be levied wherein the persons of whom or the Lands or Tenements out of which together with the cause for which the same shall be so levied shall be plainly and particularly expressed but shall be thereof wholly discharged without Petition Plea or other trouble or charge whatsoever And it is hereby further Enacted and Declared Seizures before 1 Jac. and divers others to be left out of the Sheriffs accompt That all Seizures heretofore made before the first Year of the Reign of the late King James of ever blessed memory now remaining in the Accompts of the Sheriffs and all Seizures and Debts which are pardoned shall be and are hereby fully discharged And that the same and every of them shall hereafter be left out of Sheriffs accompts without further Order Plea Petition or other Charge to any Sheriff or Sheriffs whatsoever And that no Processe shall from henceforth be written forth to any Sheriff for the levying of the same or any of them nor for any other Rent or Farm which cannot be explained by setting forth the particulars thereof or which have been unanswered by the space of forty years last past And that all other dead Farms and Seizures and all desperate illeviable and unintelligible Debts shall be removed out of the Annual Roll and Sheriffs Charge into the Exannual Roll there to remain untill by Commission they shall be revived and made answerable Process for Debts to be sent forth in convenient time And to the end that all new Debts arising and coming into the Exchequer for the future may be sent forth in Processe within convenient time Be it also Enacted and Declared That the aforesaid several Remembrancers do forthwith inrol and certify to the said Ingrosser of the great Roll all such Debts as any Sheriff or Sheriffs of this Realm are or hereafter shall be charged withall either by vertue of their respective Retorns made to the Barons of the said Exchequer upon his Majesties Writs of Fieri facias Levari facias Capias or other Processe and also of all Fines and Amerciaments which are or shall be set and imposed by the Court of Exchequer upon any Sheriff or Sheriffs for his or their contempts or neglects that is to say That all and every such Debts Fines and Amerciaments as now are returned set or imposed in any of the said Offices shall be delivered as aforesaid before the First day of February next ensuing And all such Debts Fines and Amerciaments as shall hereafter be returned set or imposed in any of the respective Offices shall be also delivered by the First day of the next Term after such Retorns made The penalty upon officers for doing any thing against this Act. or such Fines or Amerciaments so set or imposed that so they may be all charged in the Sheriffs Accompts respectively and comprehended within his or their Quietus est upon pain that every Officer or Officers in the said Exchequer who shall in any thing offend contrary to this present Act shall forfeit the sum of Forty pounds for every such offence whereof one moyety shall be to the King his Heirs and Successors and the other moyety to the party or parties who shall be thereby agrieved to be recovered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of his Majesties Courts at Westminster wherein no Essoin Protection Priviledge or Wager of Law shall be allowed or admitted 9 E. 2. St. Lincoln 4 E. 3. cap. 9. 5 E. 3. cap. 4. And it is hereby further Provided and Ordained That no person shall be assigned to be Sheriff of any County within this Realm except such as have Lands within the same County sufficient to answer the King and his people And whereas by an Act made in the One and twentieth year of the Reign of our late Soveraign Lord King James over England 21 Jac. cap. 5. It was provided That whensoever any Sheriff upon passing his Accompts A Quietus est to be a sufficient discharge for a Sheriff if not questioned within four years after grant thereof should have his Quietus est that he should be thereby absolutely discharged of all sums of Money by him Levied and Received and pretended not to be accompted for
within the said Accompt whereupon he had his Quietus est unless such Sheriff should be called in question for such sums of Money so pretended to be Levied and not Accompted for within four years after the time of such Accompt and Quietus est which Act notwithstanding divers Sheriffs and their Heirs upon such pretences have béen molested and troubled many years after their Accompts and Quietus est and have had Process sent out against them contrary to the true intent and meaning of the said Act It is hereby further Provided and Enacted That when any Sheriff or Sheriffs within the Kingdom of England or Dominion of Wales upon passing their Accompts shall have their Quietus est that then such Sheriff and Sheriffs their Heirs Executors and Administrators Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels shall be thereby absolutely discharged of all manner of sum or sums of Money whatsoever by them Levyed and Received notwithstanding any such pretence that the same were not accompted for or other pretence whatsoever unless such Sheriff or Sheriffs shall be called in question and that Iudgment shall be given against him or them for the same within four years next after such Accompt or Quietus est and that every Officer or Minister by whom or by whose default any Writ or Process contrary to this Act shall be sent out shall incur the like Forfeitures and Penalties to be recovered and inflicted by such persons and in such manner as by the aforesaid Act is provided Provided alwayes That this Act or any thing therein contained shall not extend to the Counties of Chester Chester Lancaster Durham Wales Lancaster Durham or the Counties in Wales being County-Palatines as to their manner of accompting but that the Sheriffs therein shall accompt as formerly before the respective Auditors only and not elsewhere Proviso touching the Kings Remembrancer Lord Treasurers Remembrancer Provided That this Act or any thing therein contained shall not extend to enjoyn His Majesties Remembrancer or the Lord Treasurers Remembrancer to transcribe and deliver to the Ingrosser of the great Roll any Inquisitions or Seisures but such as have béen formerly charged in the Foreign Accompts of the Sheriffs but for all Inquisitions upon Attainders or other Forfeitures to the Crown the same shall be put in charge as heretofore they have béen according to the constant usage and Decrée of the Court of Exchequer Nor shall this Act or any thing therein contained extend to exclude His Majesties said Remembrancer of or from the writing forth Process for or upon any His Majesties Debts Duties Outlawries or other charge whatsoever or Process of Levari facias at the prosecution of any person or persons to levy the Issues or Profits of any Lands or Tenements seised or to be seised into the Kings hands or Process of Venditioni exponas for Goods seised or to be seised upon any Debt to His Majesty His Heirs or Successors or upon any Outlawry or to alter or change the Pleadings or other Procéedings heretofore used and accustomed in the said Office upon any Pleadings touching the said Debts Duties and Seisures or any of them whatsoever And that no Debt Duty Fine Amerciament or Seisure whatsoever which shall be charged in the said great Roll of the Pipe upon any person whatsoever by or from any Record Process or Procéeding had made filed or recorded in the Office of His Majesties Remembrancer of his Exchequer nor any Process or Procéeding thereupon to be had or made by vertue of this Act shall be respited stayed mitigated extenuated compounded or otherwise discharged but by Order Warrant or Iudgment made filed or entred in the said Office of His Majesties Remembrancer where the original of such Debt Duty or Charge as aforesaid is and remaineth And that in case any Process of Summons of the Pipe have béen or shall be awarded for or upon any such Debt Duty Fine Amerciament or Seisure whatsoever and the same Debt Duty Fine Amerciament or Seisure shall not upon such Summons of the Pipe be levied or answered unto His Majesty That then the Clerk of the Pipe or Engrosser of the Great Roll shall the next Term after the return of such Summons certifie the same in a Schedule into the Office of His Majesties Remembrancer aforesaid to the end that further Process may be from thence written forth for the Levying and Answering thereof And that this Act or any thing therein contained shall not extend unto nor be construed to be prejudicial to His Majesties Remembrancer in His Exchequer in any just ancient and lawful Fées by him claimed or belonging or incident to His Office and usually had and received by him or his Predecessors Any thing in this Act contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding The conttnuance This Act to continue to the end of the first Session of the next Parliament and no longer CAP. XXII For Preventing of Theft and Rapine upon the Northern Borders of England VVHereas a great number of Lewd Disorderly and Lawless Persons being Thieves and Robbers who are commonly called Moss-Troopers have successively for many and sundry years last past béen bred resided in and frequented the borders of the two respective Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland and the next adjacent parts of Scotland and they taking the opportunity of the large waste Grounds Heaths and Mosses and the many intricate and dangerous Wayes and By-paths in those parts do usually after the most notorious Crimes committed by them escape over from the one Kingdom into the other respectively and so avoid the hand of Iustice in regard the Offences done and perpetrated in the one Kingdom cannot be punished in the other And whereas since the time of the late unhappy distractions such Offences and Offenders as aforesaid have excéedingly more increased and abounded and the several Inhabitants of the said respective Counties have béen for divers years last past necessitated at their own frée and voluntary charge to maintain several Parties of Horse for the necessary defence of their Persons Families and Goods and to the end the aforesaid evil and pernicious members might be apprehended and brought to Iudgment And whereas the most part of the Inhabitants of the said Counties being more remote from the Borders then other parts and consequently not so much exposed to imminent dangers as others are therefore unwilling to contribute their proportionable parts of the aforesaid Charge and yet notwithstanding it cannot probably or possibly be avoided but that those Inhabitants of the respective Counties who hold themselves most secure must certainly sustain much damage and detriment in their Goods and Estates in case the aforesaid Moss-Troopers be not timely suppressed but suffered to grow numerous strong and potent which they must néeds do in case there be no restraint upon them Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled
and by Authority thereof that from and after the Feast of St. Michael the Arch-angel which shall be in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and two for and during the term of Five years next ensuing the date of this present Act it shall and may be lawful for the respective Iustices of Peace of the said respective Counties or the major part of them at any General Sessions of the Peace to be holden for the said Counties respectively on the behalf of the said Counties or either of them from time to time as they shall sée occasion to make an Order in open Court of Sessions for charging according to their several Proportions all and every the several Inhabitants of the said respective Counties for the safeguard and securing of the said severall Counties and Inhabitants thereof from all injury violence spoil and rapine of the Moss-Troopers aforesaid Provided That the said County of Northumberland be not by force of this Act at any time charged above the sum of Five hundred pounds in the year nor the said County of Cumberland charged above the sum of two hundred pounds in the year And for this end and purpose the said several Iustices of Peace of the respective Counties aforesaid are hereby impowred and authorized at any their General Quarter Sessions aforesaid to appoint and imploy from time to time if occasion require any person or persons to have the Conduct and Command of a certain number of men not excéeding the number of Thirty men in the County of Northumberland and Twelve in the County of Cumberland whereby the Malefactors aforesaid may be searched out discovered pursued apprehended and brought to tryal of the Law And all and every the said Iustices of Peace of the respective Counties aforesaid or the major part of them at any General Sessions of the Peace to be holden for the said Counties or either of them respectively are hereby further impowred and authorized by force of this present Act to make and issue forth their respective Warrants under their hands for the levying and collecting any sum or sums of money ordered to be paid for and towards the safeguard and securing of the said Counties respectively as aforesaid and to give full power to the several Constables and other Officers to raise levy and collect the said money and all and every the Inhabitants of the said several Counties according to their respective proportionable Estates in Lands or Goods by Distress and Sale of Goods rendering the overplus if there be any to the respective Owner or Owners And the said Iustices of Peace in the said several Counties or any one of them respectively are hereby also authorized to examine any Complaint made against the Collectors and Constables or any other Officers or Ministers of Iustice whatsoever or any of them or any other refractory person or persons whatsoever that at any time hereafter shall refuse neglect or fail to give obedience to this Act or shall do any act or acts in disturbance or obstruction thereof and to bind over such person or persons to the next Quarter Sessions according to the known Laws of the Land to the end such person or persons may be procéeded withall according to Iustice And the said respective Iustices of Peace as aforesaid are hereby further Impowred and Authorized on behalf of the said several Counties respectively to appoint a Treasurer to receive from the said Collectors the Moneys by them Collected and to pay over the same according to the Orders they shall receive from the said Iustices at the General Sessions of the Peace to be holden for the said respective Counties And the said Iustices are also Impowred to agrée and article with such person or persons yearly as they shall think fit to imploy in the said Service and to take sufficient Security of them for the faithful and most effectual performance thereof for the best safeguard advantage and benefit of the people according to the true intent and meaning of this Act. And in case any person or persons shall in pursuance of this Act be imployed in the Border-Service and shall at any time hereafter wilfully and corruptly or for any sinister respect whatsoever neglect or forbear to Discover or Apprehend or to bring to Tryal any of the said persons called Moss-Troopers as aforesaid and shall be convicted thereof according to Law he or they shall from thenceforth be disabled and made uncapable for ever after to manage or take upon him or them the said Imployment and to suffer such Fine and Imprisonment according to the quality of his or their offence as the Iustices of Peace at their General Sessions shall think fit to inflict Provided nevertheless and be it hereby Declared That it shall be lawful for the Iustices of Peace of either of the said Counties as aforesaid respectively at any time hereafter to moderate or lessen the said charge if they sée cause Provided that this Act shall continue and be in force for five years and no longer Provided always and be it further Enacted by Authority aforesaid That for better suppression and punishment of the said Moss-Troopers flying out of England into Scotland or out of Scotland into England 4 Jac. cap. 1. 7 Jac. cap. 1. the Statutes made in the several Sessions of Parliament in the Fourth and Seventh years of King James shall be revived and put in execution according to their true intent 18 Car. 2. cap. 3. Continued for Seven years from the expiration of this Act. CAP. XXIII An Additionall Act concerning matter of Assurance used amongst Merchants WHereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Thrée and fortieth year of the Reign of Quéen Elizabeth of happy memory 43 El. cap. 12. Entituled An Act concerning matters of Assurances used amongst Merchants Encouragement of Merchants and Trade The Parliament then taking into Consideration by all good means to comfort and encourage the Merchants of this Kingdome thereby to advance and increase the Wealth of this Realm her Majesties Customs and the strength of shipping and for preventing of divers mischiefs in the said Act mentioned It was Enacted That it should and might be lawful for the Lord Chancellor or Lord Kéeper of the Great Seal of England for the time being to award forth under the Great Seal of England one general or standing Commission to be renewed yearly at the least and otherwise so often as unto the Lord Chancellor or Lord Kéeper should séem méet for the hearing and determining of Causes arising on Policies of Assurance such as then were or then after should be entred within the Office of Assurance of the City of London which Commissions should be directed to the Iudge of the Admiralty for the time being the Recorder of London for the time being Two Doctors of the Civil Law Two Common Lawyers and eight grave or discréet Merchants or any five of them which Commissioners or the greater part of them which
should sit and méet should have full Power and Authority to Hear Examine Order and Decrée all and every such Cause and Causes in a brief and summary course without formalities of pleadings or procéedings with Power to warn Parties to come before them and to examine upon Oath any Witnesses that should be produced and to commit to Prison any Person that should wilfully disobey their final Orders and Decrées And the Commissioners to sit once wéekly upon the Execution of the said Commission with a liberty in the said Act for any person grieved by any such Sentence or Decrée to exhibite his Bill in Chancery for the re-examination of such Sentence or Decrée as by the said Act relation being thereunto had more at large may appear But forasmuch as by the said recited Act without five Commissioners there cannot be a Court and without there be a Court they cannot procéed in the execution of their Commission so much as to summon Parties or Witnesses to appear And in case of neglect or refusal of any Party or Witness to appear they have no power to punish the delay or contempt with Costs or otherwise And it is provided by the said Act That not any Commissioner other then the Iudge of the Admiralty or the Recorder of London shall procéed in the execution of such Commission before he hath taken his Oath before the Lord Maior and Court of Aldermen to procéed uprightly and indifferently betwéen party and party which upon the renewing of the said Commission often proves a great delay there being so many Commissioners to be Sworn and the Court of Aldermen not sitting at sometimes in the year when the said Commissions have happened to be renewed And although the said Commissioners upon their final Sentence have power to commit to Prison any person that shall wilfully disobey their said Sentences or Decrées yet they have no power to make any Order against the Ship or Goods which commonly are the things assured by which Omissions for want of Power given by the said Act the benefits intended by the said Act of Parliament are much retarded and the mischiefs by the Act endeavoured to be prevented much increased For remedy whereof Be it Enacted and Ordained And it is hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled That from and after the Four and twentieth day of June which shall be in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and two it shall and may be lawful to and for the Lord Chancellor or Lord Kéeper of the Great Seal of England for the time being Three Commissioners impowred to act to issue out yearly or oftner if néed require one standing Commission under the Great Seal of England thereby impowring and authorizing the said Commissioners or any thrée of them whereof a Doctor of the Civil Law or a Barrister at Law of five years standing at the least to be always one to meet and sit and make a Court and procéed in all things in the execution of the said Commission as before by the said Act any Five might have done And that the said Commissioners or any such thrée of them as aforesaid be and hereby are impowred to Summon Parties and Witnesses to appear and in case of contempt or wilful delay in the Witnesses upon the first Summons and tender of reasonable Charges and in the Parties upon their second Summons Costs to punish the Offenders by Imprisonment or Costs for such time and in such manner as shall be reasonable and according to the nature and quality of their offences And that it shall and may be lawful to and for every such Commissioner to procéed in the execution of the said Commission Lord Mayor of London may administer the Oath having first taken an Oath before the Lord Mayor of the City of London for the time being only to procéed uprightly and indifferently betwéen party and party And the said Lord Mayor is hereby Authorized to give such Oath Any thing in the said Act to the contrary notwithstanding And that no person shall procéed in Execution of the said Commission before he be first Sworn before the Lord Mayor of London for the time being to procéed uprightly and indifferently betwéen party and party as formerly he should have béen before the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen Be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That in case the said Commissioners Commissions out of the Admiralty Court to examine Witnesses beyond Sea or any such thrée of them as aforesaid shall find cause to examine Witnesses beyond the Seas or any remote parts of his Majesties Dominions for the clearing of any doubt or matter before them depending that in such case by direction of the said Commissioners or any such thrée of them like Commissions or Process shall issue out of the Court of Admiralty as have formerly béen for the purposes aforesaid returnable before the said Commissioners And that the said Commissioners or any such thrée of them shall have also power to give and pass their final Sentence Decrée and Executions as well against the body of the party evicted or his goods as also against the Executors and Administrators of such party so evicted And to Assesse Costs of Suit upon such person or persons as shall be condemned by the Decrée of the said Court as to them shall séem Iust And forasmuch as many Witnesses as Sea-men and others come and spéedily go again to Sea Witnesses going to see how to be examined before before a Court can be summoned by which means the Assured and Assurers are many times much damnified For the preventing of which mischief Be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawful to and for any one of the said Commissioners to Administer an Oath to any Witness legally summoned to give testimony timely notice being thereof given to the Adverse party and set up in the Office before such examination to the end such Witness or Witnesses may be cross-examined Provided always That the said Commissioners shall in no case procéed both against person and goods for one and the same debt And provided also Appeal to the Chancery That any thing in this Act contained shall not in any wise extend to prejudice the appeal to the High Court of Chancery given or allowed in the said former Act of Parliament CAP. XXIV An Act Declaratory concerning Bankrupts WHereas divers Noblemen Gentlemen and persons of quality no ways bred up to Trade or Merchandize do oftentimes put in great stocks of money into the East-India Company or Guiney Company and the Fishing Trade and such other publike Societies and receive the procede of those Stocks sometimes in ready monies sometimes in Commodities which they usually sell for money or exchange again by which means the Trade of those Companies is
Acknowledgment before the respective Archbishop Bishop or Ordinary of the Diocess or Vice-Chancellor aforesaid respectively And that every such Parson Vicar Curate or Lecturer shall procure a Certificate under the Hand and Seal of the respective Archbishop Bishop or Ordinary of the Diocess who are hereby required and enjoyned upon demand to make and deliver such Certificate And shall publickly and openly read the same together with the Declaration or acknowledgment aforesaid upon some Lords day within thrée moneths then next following such subscription in his Parish Church where he is to officiate in the presence of the Congregation then assembled in the time of Divine Service And be it further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid That every subscription already made or hereafter to be made before any Vicar-General or Chancellor to any Archbishop or Bishop or Commissary to the Archbishop of Canterbury or any other Bishop is and shall be as effectual and beneficial in Law to all intents and purposes to every person and persons which have or shall make such subscription as aforesaid as if the same had béen made before the Archbishop or Bishop of the Province or Diocess respectively Any thing in the aforesaid Act to the contrary notwithstanding Provided also That every person who shall have benefit by this Act shall make such allowance for serving the Cure since the 24th of August 1662. as shall be judged fit by the Ordinary of the place and shall pay and discharge all Tenths Pensions and other Charges wherewith the Benefice to which he is by this Act restored hath béen or might be legally charged since the day aforesaid Persons prohibited to Preach 14 Car. 2. c. 4. And whereas some doubt hath arisen whether persons prohibited to preach by the said Act are in the same plight as to punishment with persons disabled by the said Act to preach Be it Declared and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the penalties by the said Act to be inflicted upon any person disabled by the said Act to preach for any offence against the said Act shall in like manner be inflicted upon every person so offending that is prohibited by the said Act to preach Any thing doubt or ambiguity in the said Act to the contrary notwithstanding CAP. VII Trade Encouraged Tillage FOrasmuch as the encouraging of Tillage ought to be in an especial manner regarded and endeavoured and the surest and effectuallest means of promoting and advancing any Trade Occupation or Mystery being by rendring it profitable to the Vsers thereof And great quantities of Land within this Kingdom for the present lying in a manner waste and yielding little which might thereby be improved to considerable profit and advantage if sufficient Encouragement were given for the laying out of Cost and labour on the same and thereby much more Corn produced greater numbers of people horses and cattel imployed and other Land also rendred more Valuable Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by the Authority thereof And it is hereby Enacted That from and after the first day of September in the year of our Lord 1663. and from thence forward when the prizes of Corn and Grain Winchester measure Corn not exceeding certain rates may be transported do not excéed the rates hereafter following at the Havens or places where the same shall be shipped or loaden viz The Quarter of Wheat Eight and forty shillings The Quarter of Barley or Malt Eight and twenty shillings The Quarter of Buck-wheat Eight and twenty shillings The Quarter of Oats Thirtéen shillings and four pence The Quarter of Rye Two and thirty shillings The Quarter of Pease or Beans Two and thirty shillings currant English money That then it shall be lawful for all and every person and persons to ship load carry and transport any of the said Corns or Grains from the Havens or places where they shall be of such prizes unto any parts beyond the Seas as Merchandise Any Law Statute or Vsage to the contrary notwithstanding paying such Rates for the same and none other as are to be paid when the same might have béen Transported by one Act passed this present Parliament Entituled 12 Car. 2. c 4. A Subsidy granted to the King of Tunnage and Poundage When corn may be imported and what custom to be paid And it is hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That when the prizes of the aforesaid Corns and Grains do not excéed the Rates above mentioned respectively Winchester-measure at the Haven or place into which any of them shall be imported from any part beyond the Seas there shall be paid for the Custom and Poundage of every Quarter of Wheat five shillings and four pence and for every Quarter of Rye four shillings and for every Quarter of Barley or Malt two shillings and eight pence and for every Quarter of Buck-wheat two shillings and for every Quarter of Oats one shilling four pence and for every Quarter of Pease or Beans four shillings And it is hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That when the prizes of Corn or Grain Winchester-measure do not excéed the rates following at the Markets Havens or Places where the same shall be bought viz. The Quarter of Wheat Eight and forty shillings the Quarter of Rye two and thirty shillings the Quarter of Barley or Mault eight and twenty shillings the Quarter of Buck-wheat eight and twenty shillings the Quarter of Oats thirtéen shillings and four pence the Quarter of Pease or Beans two and thirty shillings That then it shall be lawful for all and every person and persons not Forestalling nor Selling the same in the same Market within thrée moneths after the buying thereof to buy in open Market and to lay up and kéep in his or their Granaries or Houses and to sell again such Corn or Grain of the kinds aforesaid as without fraud or coven shall have béen bought at or under the prïces before expressed without incurring any penalty Any Law Statute or Vsage to the contrary notwithstanding And in regard his Majesties Plantations beyond the Seas are inhabited and peopled by his Subjects of this his Kingdom of England Plantations beyond the Sea For the maintaining a greater correspondence and kindness betwéen them and kéeping them in a firmer dependance upon it and rendring them yet more beneficial and advantagious unto it in the further employment and encrease of English Shipping and Sea-men Vent of English Woollen and other Manufactures and Commodities rendring the Navigation to and from the same more safe and cheap and making this Kingdom a Staple not only of the Commodities of those Plantations but also of the Commodities of other Countries and Places for the supplying of them and it being the usage of other Nations to kéep their Plantations Trade to themselves Be it Enacted and it is
hereby further Enacted That if any Officer of the Customs in England Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed shall give any Warrant for or suffer any Sugar Tobacco Ginger Cotton-wool Indico Speckle-wood or Jamaica Wood Fustick or other Dying Wood of the growth of any of the said Lands Islands Colonies Plantations Territories or Places to be carryed into any other Countrey or place whatsoever until they have béen first unladen bona fide and put on shore in some Port or Haven in England or Wales or in the Town of Berwick That every such Officer for such offence shall forfeit his place and the value of such of the said goods as he shall give Warrant for or suffer to pass into any other Countrey or place the one moyety to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors and the other moyety to him or them that shall inform or sue for the same in any Court of Record in England or Wales wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager in Law shall be allowed Encouragement of Plantations and encrease of Shipping And for the better encouragement of the said Plantations and the increase of the Shipping and Navigation of this Kingdom Be it Enacted and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the five and twentieth day of March one thousand six hundred sixty and four it shall and may be lawful out of any Port of England or Wales or out of the Town of Berwick Sea-coals to ship and lade Sea-coals for any part of them paying for the Chalder Newcastle measure one shilling eight pence and for the Chalder London-measure one shilling and no more in full of all Custom and Poundage for the same Any Law Statute or Prohibition to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Provided That such Sea-coals be shipped in such shipping and so Navigated as abovesaid And that good security be given to the Officers of the Customs in such Port in which they are shipped for the landing them in the said Plantations and not elswhere And forasmuch as several considerable and advantagious Trades cannot be conveniently driven and carried on without the Species of Money or Bullion and that it is found by experience that they are carried in greatest abundance as to a common Market to such places as give frée liberty for exporting the same and the better to kéep in and increase the current Coins of this Kingdom Be it Enacted and it is hereby Enacted That from and after the first day of August one thousand six hundred sixty and thrée it shall and may be lawful to and for any person or persons whatsoever to Export out of any Port of England or Wales in which there is a Customer or Collector or out of the Town of Berwick all sorts of Foreign Coyn or Bullion of Gold or Silver Foreign coin or bullion may be exported first making entry thereof in such Custom-house respectively without paying any Duty Custom Poundage or Fée for the same Any Law Statute or Vsage to the contrary notwithstanding And lastly Whereas a very great part of the richest and best Land of this Kingdom is and cannot so well be otherwise imployed and made use of as in the Féeding and Fattening of Cattel And that by the coming in of late of vast numbers of Cattel already fatted such Lands are in many places much fallen and like daily to fall more in their Rents and Values and in consequence other Lands also to the great prejudice detriment and impoverishment of this Kingdom Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid and it is hereby Enacted That for every head of great Cattel except such as are of the bréed of Scotland that shall be imported or brought into England Penalties upon importation of Foreign cattel at certain times Wales or the Town of Berwick upon Tweed after the first day of July and before the twentieth day of December in any year And for every head of great Cattel of the bréed of Scotland that shall be imported or brought into England Wales or the Town of Berwick after the four and twentieth day of August and before the twentieth day of December in any year there shall be paid to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors the sum of twenty shillings And the sum of ten shillings to him or them that shall inform or seise the same And the sum of ten shillings to the Poor of the Parish where such Seisure or Information shall be made to be recovered and levied by Bill Plaint or other Action wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager in Law shall be allowed And moreover That there shall be paid to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors for every Shéep which shall be Imported into England Wales or the Town of Berwick aforesaid after the First day of August and before the Twentieth day of December in any year the sum of Ten shillings of lawful money of England to be recovered and levied in manner aforesaid Provided always That this Act in so far as it relates to great Cattel or Shéep The continuance of this Act as to importation of cattel Encouragement of Herring Fisheries shall not take place till the First day of July One thousand six hundred sixty and four nor continue longer then the end of the First Session of the next Parliament And for the encouragement of the Herring and North-Sea Island and Westmony Fisheries Be it Enacted and it is hereby Enacted by the authority aforesaid That from and after the First day of August which shall be in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and four no Fresh Herring Fresh Cood or Haddock Coal-fish or Gull-fish shall be Imported into England Wales or the Town of Berwick but in English-built Ships or Vessels or in Ships or Vessels bona fide belonging to England Wales or the Town of Berwick and having such Certificate thereof as is abovesaid and whereof the Master and thrée Fourths at the least of the Mariners are English and which hath béen fished caught and taken in such Ships or Vessels and so navigated and not being â—ought or had of any strangers born or out of any strangers Bottoms under the pain of the forfeiture of all such Herring Codd Haddock Coal-fish or Gull-fish impâ—â—ted contrary to the true intent and meaning hereof and of the Ship or Vessel in which it was Imported One moyety of which forfeitures shall be to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors and the other moyety to him or them that shall inform seise or sue for the same to be recovered by Bill Plaint or other Action wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager in Law shall be allowed And be it further Enacted and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Duties to be paid upon importation of salted or dried Fish That for the following sorts or kinds of salted or dried Fish which from and after the said First day of August shall be imported into England Wales or
the Town of Berwick in any other Ship or Vessel then what is English-built or belonging to England Wales or Town of Berwick and having such Certificate thereof as abovesaid and whereof the Master and thrée fourths of the Mariners at least are English and not having béen fished and caught in such Ships or Vessels and so navigated there shall be paid by way of Custom and Impost the several sums of money herein after particularly mentioned that is to say for Cod-fish the Barrel Five shillings for Cod-fish the last containing twelve Barrels Thrée pounds for Cod-fish the hundred containing sixscore Ten shillings for Coal-fish the hundred containing sixscore Five shillings for Lings the hundred containing sixscore One pound for White Herrings the Last containing twelve Barrels One pound sixtéen shillings for Haddocks the Barrel Two shillings for Gull-fish the Barrel Two shillings And forasmuch as planting and making Tobacco within this Kingdom of England doth continue and increase to the apparent loss of his said Majesty in his Customs the discouragement of the English Plantations in the parts beyond the Seas and prejudice of this Kingdom in general notwithstanding an Act of Parliament made in the Twelfth year of his said Majesties Reign for prevention thereof Entituled An Act for prohibiting the Planting Setting 12 Car. 2. cap. 34. The further penalty for planting Tobacco in England or Sowing of Tobacco in England and Ireland And forasmuch as it is found by experience that the reason why the said planting and making of Tobacco doth continue is That the penalties prescribed and appointed by that Law are so little as have neither power or effect over the transgressors thereof For remedy therefore of so great an evil Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every the person or persons whatsoever that do or shall at any time hereafter Set Plant or Sow any Tobacco in Séed Plant or otherwise in or upon any ground field earth or place within the Kindom of England Dominion of Wales Islands of Guernsey and Jersey or Town of Berwick upon Tweed or Kingdom of Ireland shall over and above the penalty of the said Act for that purpose ordained for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum of Ten pounds for every Rod or Pole of ground that he or they shall so Plant Set or Sow with Tobacco and so proportionably for a greater or lesser quantity of ground one third part thereof to the Kings Majesty one other third part thereof to the use of the poor of such respective Parish or Parishes wherein such Tobacco shall be so Planted Set or Sowed and the other third part thereof to him or them that shall sue for the same to be recovered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of his said Majesties Courts of Record at Westminster wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed And it is hereby further Enacted That in case any person or persons shall resist or make forceable opposition against any person or persons in the due and through Execution of the said Act of the Twelfth of his said Majesties Reign that he she or they so resisting and making forceable opposition shall over and above the penalties therein mentioned for such Offences be committed to the Common Gaol of the County where such offence shall be committed there to remain without Bail or Mainprise untill he she or they have entred into a Recognizance to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors with two sufficient Sureties of Ten pounds penalty not to do or commit the like offence again Proviso for Tobacco planted in Physick Gardens Provided alwayes That this Act nor any thing therein contained shall not extend to the hindrance or prejudice of Planting Tobacco in any Physick-Garden of either of the Vniversities or any other private Garden for Chirurgery so as the quantity so planted excéed not the half of one Pole in any one place or Garden Cattel imported from the Isle of Man Provided also and be it Enacted That it shall and may be lawful to import Cattel of the bréed of the Isle of Man not excéeding six hundred in any one year And Corn of the growth of that Island out of that Island into England so as the said Cattel be landed at Chester Liverpool or Wirewater Any thing in this Act to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding CAP. VIII Butchers may not sell live fat Cattel 3 4 E. 6. cap. 19. VVHereas by an Act made in the Third and Fourth years of the Reign of King Edward the Sixth It is Enacted That no Person using the Craft or Mystery of a Butcher should buy any fat Oxen Stéers Runts Kine Heisers Calves or Shéep and sell the same again alive upon pain of forfeiture of the Cattel so sold which Law hath not wrought such effectual Reformation as was intended by reason of the difficulty in the proof of such Buying and Selling being for the most part at places far distant if not in several Counties by means whereof the Parties so offending have escaped unpunished Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament Assemâ—led and by Authority of the same That no Person using the Trade of a Butcher shall at any time from and after the Feast of Saint Michael the Arch-Angel next ensuing Sell Offer or Expose to sale in any Market or elsewhere either by himself or any Servant or Agent whatsoever any fat Oxen Stéers Runts Kine Heifers Calves Shéep or Lambs alive upon pain to forfeit the double Value of the Cattel so Sold or Offered Penalty upon Butchers for selling live fat cattel or Exposed to Sale as aforesaid The one moyety of which forfeiture shall be to the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors and the other moyety to him or them that will sue for the same in any of his Majesties Courts of Record by Bill Plaint Action of Debt or Information wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed CAP. IX Four intire Subsidies granted to His Majesty by the Temporalty EXP. CAP. X. An Act for Confirming of Four Subsidies Granted by the Clergy EXP. CAP. XI An Additional Act for the better Ordering and Collecting the Duty of Excise and preventing the Abuses therein 12 Car. 2. cap. 24. FOr the preventing of the Frauds and Deceits of Brewers and other persons who make Béer and Ale and other Exciseable Liquors to sell and of the abuses committed by the Officers Collectors and Managers of the Excise to the great decay of his Majesties Revenue of Excise and obstruction of the due and orderly Collecting of the same and for supply and amendment of certain defects in the Laws and Statutes relating to the Duty of Excise as well for the support and advance of the said Revenue as for the ease of the People Be it Enacted
for fishing in New-found-land The penalty shall burn destroy or steal any Boat Cask Salt Nets or other Vtensils for Fishing or making of Oyl or other goods or Merchandize left in any Harbour in New-found-land or Greenland by English or burn pull down or destroy any house built by English in New-found-land or Greenland to live in during the Fishing season or Stage built by them in either of the said places for the saving or ordering of Fish or making of Oyl upon pain of the loss of double the value of what shall be by them stoln burnt or destroyed to be recovered in any of his Majesties Courts in New-found-land or Greenland respectively or in any Court of Record in England by Bill Plaint or other Action wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager in Law shall be allowed A repeal of the Statute concerning Madder 14 Car. 2. c. 30 And whereas upon the humble Petition and complaint of the Merchants and Salters of the City of London it doth appear That some sorts of Madder very useful for Dying cannot be Imported so pure and clean as by one Act passed the last Session of this present Parliament Intituled An Act for the Importation of Madder pure and unmixed is directed and appointed Be it Enacted and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said Act and every Clause and Thing therein contained be from henceforth utterly void and repealed to all intents purposes and Constructions whatsoever CAP. XVII An Act for setling the Dreining of the Great Level of the Fenns called Bedford Level VVHereas certain Moors Marshes Fenny and Low surrounded Grounds within the Counties of Northampton Norfolk Suffolk Lincoln Cambridg and Huntington and the Isle of Ely were called the Great Level of the Fenns And after several fruitless undertakings for Dreining the same were upon the Desires of many persons of Worth and Interessed in the same declared to be a Great and Noble Work and of much Concernment to the whole Countrey and at their earnest desire undertaken to be Dreined by Francis late Earl of Bedford according to a Law of Sewers made at Kings Lynne in the sixth year of the Reign of the late King Charles of glorious memory which said Level is bounded as followeth viz. Eastward from the Bridg and Cawsey of Stoake unto Brandon-Bridg upon the Vplands of Northold Methold Feltwell Hockwold and Wilton in the County of Norfolk and from Brandon-Bridg unto the end of Worlington-Load upon Mildenhall River The great level of the fens how bounded upon the Vplands of Brandon the Low grounds of Wainsford excluding the same the Vplands of Sakingheath the Low grounds of Earsewell excluding the same And the Vplands of Mildenhall in the County of Suffolk Southward from Worlington-Load unto Burwell Block upon the Vplands of Freckingham Istham Fordham Soham and Wickin in the County of Cambridg and excluding the Low grounds of Burwell Landward and other places lying Eastward from Burwell Block aforesaid and from thence unto the Mill near Anglisey Abby upon the Vplands of Burwell Reach Swaffham Pryor Swaffham Bulbeck and Botsham in the County of Cambridg and from thence unto the Ferry-place at Clayhith upon the Vplands called Quyhall the Low Ground called Low-Fenne and the Vplands of Hormingsey and Clayhith in the said County excluding the Low grounds called Low Fenne and Offenne and from the said Ferry-place unto Over-Load upon the Vplands of Water-Beach Cottenham Rampton Winelingham and Over in the said County of Cambridg and upon the Low grounds of Swacy in the said County excluding the same Westward from Erith unto the Dam lately made upon the River Neane near Standground upon the Vplands of Somersham and the Soake thereof Warbois Wistow Berry Ramsey Upwood Raveley Wood-walton Sawtrey Connington Glatton and Holme Caldecott Denton Stilton Yaxley Fasset and Standground in the County of Huntington excluding the Low grounds lying on the North side of the River of Owse above Erith and from the said Dam unto Peterborough Bridg upon the said River of Neane and from thence unto the Ferry-place near Waldron Hall upon the Vplands of Peterborough and the Soake thereof in the County of Northampton and Northward from the said Ferry-place near Waldron Hall unto Crowland Bridg upon the River of Welland and from thence to Dowsedale upon the Bank of Great Porland and from thence unto Guyhurne upon the Southea Bank and from thence unto Tilnehurne upon the Bank of the Fenne Ground called Waldersea and from thence unto Elme Leame at Grangers House upon the Bank of the Fenne Ground called Coldham and from thence unto the River of Neane near Thurlings in Upwell upon the Bank of Needham called Bishops Dike and from thence unto Weil Creek at the North-west corner of Wassingham Fenne upon the Bank of the Grounds in Upwell and Outwell called Playfield and Churchfield excluding the aforesaid Fennes and Grounds called Waldersea Coldham Needham Playfield and Churchfield and from thence unto Salters-Load upon the New Podyke Bank and from thence unto the mouth of the River Wissey upon the River Owse and from thence unto Helgey Bridg upon the River Wissey and from thence unto the Vplands at the end of the Bank of the Grounds late of Edmond Skipwith Esquire deceased upon the said Bank and from thence unto Stoake Bridg upon the Vplands of Roxham Deereham Weereham Wretton and Stoake in the said County of Norfolk Except the imbanked Grounds late of Edmond Skipwith Esquire lying on the North side of the River of Owse And whereas the said Francis late Earl of Bedford was to have for his recompence of effecting that difficult work onely Ninety five thousand Acres of the said Grounds with convenient High-wayes and Passages to the same And the New River Cutts and Dreynes to be made by the said Earl and his Assigns and the Banks of the same and the Forelands in the inside of the said Banks not to exceed Sixty foot in breadth Which was a work of so Great and Publick Concernment that his said late Majesty gave great Encouragement to the said Francis late Earl of Bedford and others whom he had taken in to be Adventurers and Participants with him therein upon the Covenants Conditions and Agréements contained and specified in and by a certain Indenture of Fourtéen parts bearing date the seven and twentieth day of February in the seventh year of the Reign of his said late Majesty and his Royal Assurance to further it by his Concurrence to an Act of Parliament for establishing thereof and did by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England Incorporate the said late Earl his Adventurers and Participants to have Succession for ever and in order to the effecting thereof the said late Earl and his Adventurers and Participants bestowed great sums of money for perfecting the same and after his death and some interruptions William now Earl of Bedford son and heir to the said Earl Francis with divers of his Adventurers and Participants
for the Establishing the Form of Making â—4 Car. 2. 〈◊〉 4 Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons in the Church of England according to the said Act or any other subsequent Act. And whereas they or some of them and divers other person and persons not Ordained according to the Form of the Church of England and as have since the Act of Oblivion taken upon them to Preach in unlawful Assemblies Conventicles or Méetings under colour or pretence of Exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom have setled themselves in divers Corporations in England sometimes Thrée or more of them in a place thereby taking an opportunity to distill the poysonous Principles of Schism and Rebellion into the hearts of His Majesties Subjects to the great danger of the Church and Kingdom Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled Persons restrained from Inhabiting in Corporations and by the Authority of the same That the said Parsons Vicars Curates Lecturers and other persons in holy Orders or pretended holy Orders or pretending to holy Orders and all Stipendaries and other persons who have béen possessed of any Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Promotion and every of them who have not declared their unfeigned assent and consent as aforesaid and subscribed the Declaration aforesaid and shall not take and subscribe the Oath following The Oath I A. B. Do Swear That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that Traiterous Position of taking Arms by His Authority against His Person or against those that are Commissionated by him in pursuance of such Commissions And that I will not at any time endeavour any Alteration of Government either in Church or State And all such person and persons as shall take upon them to Preach in any unlawful Assembly Conventicle or Méeting under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom shall not at any time from and after the Four and twentieth day of March which shall be in this present year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred sixty and five unless onely in passing upon the Road come or be within Five miles of any City or Town Corporate or Burrough that sends Burgesses to the Parliament within His Majesties Kingdom of England Principality of Wales or of the Town of Berwick upon Tweed or within Five miles of any Parish Town or place wherein he or they have since the Act of Oblivion béen Parson Vicar Curate Stipendary or Lecturer or taken upon them to Preach in any unlawful Assembly Conventicle or Méeting under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom before he or they have taken and subscribed the Oath aforesaid before the Iustices of the Peace at their Quarter-Sessions to be holden for the County Riding or Division next unto the said Corporation City or Burrough Parish place or Town in open Court which said Oath the said Iustices are hereby Impowred there to Administer upon forfeiture for every such offence the sum of Fourty pounds of lawful English money The Penalty the one Third part thereof to His Majesty and his Successors the other Third part to the use of the poor of the Parish where the offence shall be committed and the other third part thereof to such person or persons as shall or will sue for the same by Action of Debt Plaint Bill or Information in any Court of Record at Westminster or before any Iustices of Assize Oyer and Terminer or Gaol-Delivery or before any Iustices of the Counties Palatine of Chester Lancaster or Durham or the Iustices of the great Sessions in Wales or before any Iustices of Peace in their Quarter-Sessions wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed Provided always and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons restrained from coming to any City Town Corporate Burrough Parish Town or place as aforesaid or for any other person or persons as shall not first take and subscribe the said Oath and as shall not frequent Divine Service established by the Laws of this Kingdom and carry him or her self reverently decently and orderly there to Teach any publique or private-School or take any Boarders or Tablers that are Taught or Instructed by him or her self or any other upon pain for every such offence to forfeit the sum of Forty pounds to be recovered and distributed as aforesaid Provided also and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall be lawful for any Two Iustices of the Peace of the respective County upon Oath to them of any offence against this Act which Oath they are hereby Impowred to Administer to Commit the Offender for Six moneths without Bail or Mainprise unless upon or before such Commitment he shall before the said Iustices of the Peace Swear and Subscribe the aforesaid Oath and Declaration Provided always That if any person intended to be Restrained by vertue of this Act shall without fraud or covin be Served with any Writ Subpoena Warrant or other Process whereby his personal appearance is required his obedience to such Writ Subpoena or Process shall not be construed an offence against this Act. CAP. III. For Uniting Churches in Cities and Towns Corporate FOrasmuch as the setled Provision for Ministers in most Cities and Towns Corporate within this Realm is not sufficient for the Maintenance of able Ministers fit for such places whereby Mean and Stipendary Preachers are entertained to serve the Cures there who wholly depending for their Maintenance upon the good will and liking of their Auditors have béen and are hereby under temptation of too much complying and suiting their Doctrine and Teaching to the humour rather then good of their Auditors which hath béen a great occasion of Faction and Schism and of the contempt of the Ministry The Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled being deeply sensible of the ill consequence thereof and piously desiring able Ministers in such places and a competent setled Maintenance for them by the Vnion of Churches which is also become necessary by reason of the great Ruine of many Churches and Parishes in the late ill times and otherwise Do therefore most humbly beséech Your most Excellent Majesty That it may be Enacted and be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty In what Cities and Towns and how Churches and Chappels may be united by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same That in every City or Town Corporate and their Liberties within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales which
Continued BE it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled That an Act made in the Fourtéenth year of the Reign of Our Soveraign Lord the King that now is 14 Car. 2. cap. 23. Entituled An Act for preventing Abuses in Printing Seditious Treasonable and Unlicensed Books and Pamphlets and for Regulating of Printing and Printing Presses shall be continued with the Alterations and Additions made in and by this Act and shall remain in force until the end of the First Session of the next Parliament And be it further Enacted That from and after the Six and twentieth day of December One thousand six hundred sixty five Three printed Copies of every Book in London how to be disposed Every Printer within the City of London or in any other place except the Two Vniversities shall reserve Thrée Printed Copies of the best and largest Paper of every Book new Printed or reprinted by him with Additions and shall before any publick Vending of the said Book bring them to the Master of the Company of Stationers and deliver them to him One whereof shall by the said Master of the said Company of Stationers within Ten days after he hath so received the same be delivered to the Kéeper of His Majesties Library and the other two within the said ten days to be sent to the Vice-Chancellour of the two Vniversities respectively for the use of the publick Libraries of the said Vniversities Books printed in the Vniversities And it is further Enacted That the Printers in the said Vniversities and every of them respectively from and after the said Six and twentieth day of December shall deliver one such Printed Copy as aforesaid of every Book so new Printed or reprinted in the said Vniversities or in either of them to the Kéeper of His Majesties Library as aforesaid as also to the Vice-Chancellour of either of the said Vniversities for the time being two other such Printed Copies for the use of the publick Libraries of the said Vniversities respectively And if any of the printers aforesaid or the said Master of the Company of Stationers shall not observe the direction of this Act therein That then he and they so making default in not delivering the said printed Copies as aforesaid shall severally forfeit besides the value of the said printed Copies the sum of Five pounds for every Copy not so delivered as also the value of the said printed Copies not so delivered The same to be recovered by His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and by the Chancellour Masters and Scholars of either of the said Vniversities respectively by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of His Majesties Courts of Record at Westminster wherein no Essoyn Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed CAP. V. Thomas Dolman Joseph Bampfeild and Thomas Scot attainted of High Treason if they render not themselves by a Day IN all humble manner shew unto Your most Excellent Majesty Your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled in Parliament That whereas it is notoriously known that Thomas Dolman Joseph Bampfeild alias Stepner and Thomas Scot Son of Thomas Scot lately Executed as a Most execrable Traitor one of the horrid bloudy murderers of His late Royal Majesty King Charles the First of ever blessed memory contrary to the duty of their Allegiance have most traiterously and wickedly adhered and still do adhere to Your Majesties Enemies beyond the Seas where they as yet remain and commit divers Treasonable acts without any sense of loyalty to Your Majesty or of natural affection to their native Country May it therefore please Your most Excellent Majesty That it may be Enacted And be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the consent and advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled That if the said Thomas Dolman Joseph Bampfeild alias Stepner and Thomas Scot Thomas Dolman Joseph Bampfeild Thomas Scot. shall not return into the Realm of England and render themselves to some or one of His Majesties Iustices of the Peace for the County wherein he or they shall first arrive at or before the first day of February next ensuing and also abide their Legal Trial for such their Treasons Then every of them the said Thomas Dolman Joseph Bampfeild alias Stepner and Thomas Scot not rendering himself as aforesaid or not abiding his Trial aforesaid shall from and after the said First day of February stand and be adjudged attainted of High Treason to all intents and purposes whatsoever and shall suffer and forfeit as a person attaint of High Treason by the Laws of the Land ought to suffer and forfeit And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Persons beyond Sea by Proclamation are required to return into England That all and every person and persons who now are or hereafter shall be beyond the Seas and whom His Majesty by any of His Royal Proclamations to be issued under the Great Seal of England during the continuance of this War with the States of the United Provinces shall name and require to return into England and render themselves by a certain day therein to be mentioned to some or one of His Majesties Iustices of the Peace for the County wherein he or they shall first arrive and shall not return and render themselves accordingly and abide their legal Trial shall from and after the day to them to be prefixed by such Proclamation stand and be attainted of High Treason to all intents and purposes and shall suffer such pains and penalties and undergo all such forfeitures as persons attainted of High Treason ought to do The time by such Proclamation Three moneths at least Provided That the time to be prefixed by such Proclamation for the persons therein to be named to render themselves be not less then the time and term of Thrée Calendar moneths from and after the Date of such Proclamation And be it further Declared and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Persons Serving the States of the Vnited Provinces during the War That all and every His Majesties Subjects who from and after the First day of February next ensuing shall at any time during the continuance of the said War serve the States of the United Provinces either by Land or Sea as a Souldier or Seaman on this side the Straights Or from and after the First day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and six within the Straights Or from and after the First day of August in the said year One thousand six hundred sixty six in Africa or America or any where beyond the Straights on this side the Equinoctial Or from and after the First day of February in the said year One thousand six hundred sixty six in
nine hundred and two pounds fiftéen shillings and eight pence And all and every person or persons who shall be liable to or any wayes concerned or imployed in the assessing collecting levying receiving or paying of the Moneys by this Act imposed shall have like benefits advantages and discharges and shall be subject to like penalties and forfeitures in case of any neglect or refusal to pay their respective Assessment or to perform their respective duties as any other person or persons lyable unto or concerned or imployed in the assessing collecting levying receiving or paying any of the said former Assessments ought to have or be subject unto as fully and amply as if all and every the clauses matters and things to the said former Assessments relating had béen again in this Act repeated and Enacted The meeting of the Commissioners And be it further Enacted That the several Commissioners shall méet together at the most usual and common place of méeting vpon or before the Tenth day of January One thousand six hundred sixty seven to put this Act in Execution And that the said One hundred and twenty thousand nine hundred and two pounds fiftéen shillings and eight pence shall be assessed collected levied and paid unto the Receivers of the several Counties appointed or to be appointed by His Maâ—esty and by them answered and paid into his Majesties Exchequer upon or before the Fiftéenth day of February One thousand six hundred sixty and seven Anno XVIII Caroli II. Regis CAP. I. Moneys raised by a Poll and otherwise towards the Maintenance of the present War MOst Gracious Soveraign We Your Majesties most Obedient and Loyal Subjects the Commons now in Parliament Assembled having taken into our serious Consideration the many and urgent Occasions which at this time do press Your Majesty to an extraordinary Expence of Treasure for the Defence of Your Majesties Kingdoms and Dominions and in most thankful acknowledgment of Your Majesties just and tender Care of the welfare of Your People A Free Gift presented to his Majesty towards the carrying on the Warre Do most humbly present unto Your Majesty a Frée Gift of several Sums of money towards the carrying on of the present War to be Levied in such manner as is hereafter expressed and do beséech your Majesty to accept thereof And that it may be Enacted And be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and of the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same That all and every person and persons Bodies Politique and Corporate Guilds or Fraternities within this Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed having any personal Estate in such Debts owing to them within the Realm or without Of Personal Estates in Debts and Moneys which he or they do not account or estéem as desperate over and besides such just Debts as he she or they shall bona fide owe or in ready moneys shall yield and pay unto His Majesty for every Hundred pounds in such Debts and ready Moneys the sum of Twenty shillings to be Assessed Imposed Levied and Collected in manner herein after mentioned Debts and Moneys not chargeable by this Act. Provided always That no sum of Money which hath béen lent unto his Majesty upon the Security of the Act Passed at Oxford in the Seventéenth year of his Majesties Reign entituled An Act for granting the Sum of Twelve hundred and fifty thousand pounds to the Kings Majesty for His present further Supply or lent by the City of London upon the Security of His Majesties Revenue arising by Hearth-money 17 Car. 2. cap. 1. at the rate of Sir per Cent. and which at the time of the execution of this present Act shall be unpaid nor any sum of money which shall be lent unto his Majesty upon the Security of this present Act or upon the Security of any other Act of Parliament passed or to be passed during this present Session of Parliament at the rate of Sir per Cent. shall be Rated or Assessed by vertue of this Act Any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding Commissioners and Officers chargeable And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every person and persons Commissioner or Commissioners having using or exercising any Office Place or publick Imployment whatsoever such persons who are or shall be in Muster and Pay at Land or Sea onely excepted and all and every their Deputies Agents Clerks Secondaries Substistutes and other their inferiour Ministers and Servants whatsoever who are already Taxed in and to the said Monethly Assessment for and in respect of their Offices Agencies and Imployments shall likewise pay vnto his Majesty over and above the several sums with which they are or shall be Charged in or to the said Monethly Assessment the sum of Twelve pence for every Twenty shillings which he or they do receive in one year by vertue of any Fées Profits Perquisites or other Advantages to him or them accruing or by reason or occasion of their several Offices Agencies and Imployments And such who are not already Taxed in and by the said Monethly Assessment for and in respect of their Commissions Offices Agencies and Imployments shall yield and pay unto His Majesty the full sum of Thrée shillings for every Twenty shillings which he or they do receive in one year by vertue of any Fées Profits Perquisites or other advantages to him or them accruing or by reason or occasion of their several and respective Commissions Offices Agencies and Imployments The said several sums of Twelve pence in every Twenty shillings and Thrée shillings in every Twenty shillings to be Assessed Imposed Levied and Collected in such manner as is herein after mentioned Allowing to every such Officer and Commissioner one Third part of the Annual Salary or Sum of money he shall so receive for and towards his or their charge of executing any such Commission Office or Place before mentioned And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid Pensions and Stipends from his Majesty That all and every other person and persons having or claiming to have any Pension or yearly Stipend or Annuity by vertue of any Gift or Grant from His Majesty under his Great Seal or Privy Seal shall pay unto his Majesty the sum of Thrée shillings for every Twenty shillings by the year so given or granted as aforesaid to be Assessed Imployed Levied and Collected in such manner as is herein after mentioned And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Sergeants at Law Counsellors Sergeants at Law Counsellors Attorneys Sollicitors Scriveners Advocates Proctors Notaries Physitians Attorneys Sollicitors and Scriveners and all Advocates Proctors and publick Notaries and all and every person and persons practising the Art of Physick shall pay unto His Majesty the sum of Two shillings
upon this Act may be Assigned over And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every person or persons to whom any moneys shall be due by vertue of this Act after Warrant or Order entred in the Book of Register aforesaid for payment thereof his Executors Administrators or Assigns by Indorsement of his Order or Warrant may assign and transfer his Right Title Interest and Benefit of such Warrant or Order or any part thereof to any other which being notified in the Office of the Auditor of the Receipt aforesaid and an entry and memorial thereof also made in the Book of Registry aforesaid for Warrants which the Officers shall on request without Fée or charge accordingly make shall intitle such Assignée his Executors Administrators and Assigns to the benefit thereof and payment thereon And such Assignée may in like manner Assign again and so Toties quoties and afterwards it shall not be in the power of such person or persons who have made such Assignments to make void release or discharge the same or any the moneys thereby due or any part thereof Persons sued for executing this Act may plead the general issue And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Action Plaint Suit or Information shall be commenced or prosecuted against any person or persons for what he or they shall do in pursuance or in execution of this Act such person or persons so sued in any Court whatsoever shall or may plead the general Issue Not guilty and upon any Issue joyned may give this Act and the special matter in Evidence And if the Plaintiff or Prosecutor shall become Nonsuit or forbear further prosecution or suffer Discontinuance or if a Verdict pass against him the Defendant and Defendants shall recover their treble Costs for which they shall have the like remedy as in any Case where Costs by the Law are given to Defendants CAP. II. Cattel may not be imported from Ireland and other parts beyond the Seas nor Fish taken by Foreigners WHereas by an Act of this present Parliament entituled An Act for the Encouragement of Trade amongst other things some Provision was made for the preventing of coming in of vast Numbers of Cattel 1◠Car. 2. cap. 5. Stat. 3. whereby the Rents and Values of the Land of this Kingdome were much fallen and like dayly to fall more to the great Prejudice Detriment and Impoverishment of this Kingdom which nevertheless hath by experience béen found to be ineffectual and the continuance of any Importation either of the Lean or Fat Cattel dead or alive herein after specified not onely Vnnecessary but very Destructive to the welfare of this Kingdome Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled That such Importation from and after the second day of February Importation of Cattel a common Nusance in this present year One thousand six hundred sixty and six is a publick and common Nusance and shall be so adjudged déemed and taken to be to all intents and purposes whatsoever And that if any great Cattel Shéep or Swine or any Béef Pork or Bacon except for the necessary Provision of the respective Ships or Vessels in which the same shall be brought not exposing the same or any part thereof to Sale shall from and after the said second day of February by any wise whatsoever be Imported or brought from beyond Seas into this Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed That then it shall and may be lawful for any Constable The Penalty Tything-man Headborough Church-wardens or Overséers of the Poor or any of them within their respective Liberties Parishes or Places to take and seize the same and kéep the same during the space of Eight and fourty hours in some publick or convenient place where such Seizure shall be made within which time if the Owner or Owners or any for them or him shall make it appear unto some Iustice of the Peace of the same County where the same shall be so seized by the Oath of two credible Witnesses which Oath the said Iustice of Peace is hereby impowred and required to administer That the same were not Imported from Ireland or from any other place beyond the Seas not herein after Excepted after the said second day of February Then the same upon the Warrant of such Iustice of Peace shall be delivered without delay But in default of such Proof and Warrant then the same to be forfeited One half thereof to be disposed to the use of the Poor of the Parish where the same shall be so found or seized the other half to be to his or their own use that shall so seize the same And for the better encouragement of the Fishery of this Kingdom Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Ling Herring Cod or Pilchard fresh or salted Encouragement of Fishery dryed or bloated or any Salmons Eels or Congers taken by any Foreigners Aliens to this Kingdom shall be Imported uttered sold or exposed to sale in this Kingdom That then it shall and may be lawful for any person or persons to take and seize the same The one half thereof to be disposed of to the use of the Poor of the Parish where the same shall be so found or seized the other half to his or their own use which shall so seize the same Provided always That nothing in this Act shall be construed to hinder the Importation of Cattel from the Isle of Man in this Kingdom of England Isle of Man so as the number of the said Cattel do not excéed Six hundred Head yearly And that they be not of any other Bréed then of the Bréed of the Isle of Man And that they be landed at the Port of Chester or some of the Members thereof and not elsewhere This Act to continue until the end of Seven years and from thence to the end of the First Session of the next Parliament CAP. III. A former Act for preventing of Theft and Rapine upon the Northern Borders of England Continued WHereas an Act was made in the Fourtéenth year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord the King that now is entituled 14 Car. 2. cap. 22. An Act for preventing of Theft and Rapine upon the Northern Borders of England which Act is very near expiring and hath béen found very necessary for the preservation of those places from that great number of Lewd Disorderly and Lawless persons that usually frequented thereabouts Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled That the said Act and every Clause and Clauses therein contained and all and every the Powers and Authorities thereby given be continue and remain