the lords fpiritual and temporal, and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That 57,793,475. per cent. any perfon or perfons, bodies politick or corporate, who now Perfons inteor hereafter may be interested in, or intitled unto, any part of rested in the the faid national debt redeemable by law, incurred before Mi- national debt, chaelmas, one thousand seven hundred and forty nine, amount- amounting to ing in the whole to the fum of fifty feven millions feven hun- 6s. 4 d. 29. dred three thousand four hundred seventy five pounds, fix thil- which now lings and four pence halfpenny, which now carries an intereft carries an intereft of 41. after the rate of four pounds per centum per annum, and who have or fhall, on or before the faid twenty eighth day of February, one who fhall conthousand seven hundred and forty nine, fubfcribe their names fent to accept or fignify their confent, to accept of an intereft of three pounds of 31 per cent. from 25 Dec. per centum per annum, to commence from the faid twenty fifth 1757, fhall reday of December, one thousand seven hundred and fifty feven, ceive 4 1. per fubject to the fame provifoes, notices, and claufes of redemp- cent. until tion, which their respective four per cents are now liable to, fhall, in lieu of their prefent intereft be intitled unto, and reper cent. until ceive an intereft of four pounds per centum per annum, until the 25 Dec. 1757. faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred 23Geo.2. C.22. and fifty; and from and after the faid twenty fifth day of De cember, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, an interest of three pounds ten fhillings per centum per annum until the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty feven; and no part of the fame, except what is due to the Eaft India company, fhall be liable to be redeemed till after the said twenty fifth day of December, one thoufand feven hundred and fifty feven. 25 Dec. 1750, and 31. 10 s. in the fame II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That The faid anthe feveral annuities of four pounds per centum per annum, now nuities made payable in respect of the faid principal fum of fifty feven milli- payable and ons feven hundred three thousand four hundred seventy five transferrable pounds, fix fhillings, and four pence halfpenny, to the proprie- manner as the tors thereof, and by this act continued to them until the faid prefent annuitwenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and ties, fifty, as alfo the feveral and refpective reduced annuities of three pounds ten fhillings per centum per annum, and three pounds per centum per annum, by this act made payable in lieu thereof, from the respective days therein mentioned, shall during the refpective continuances thereof, be paid and payable to the respective perfons and corporations intitled thereunto, their executors, adminiftrators, and affigns, at the fame respective offices and places, and out of the fame duties, revenues, and incomes, and at fuch time or times, and fhall be affignable, transferrable, and difpofeable, in the fame manner and form, as the faid annuities of four pounds per centum per annum, are now payable, affignable, transferrable, and difpofeable, by the refpective acts or ftatutes now in force, for or concerning the fame, and as if this prefent act had never been made, fubject fubject to renevertheless to redemption by parliament, from the faid twenty after 25 Dec. demption fifth day of December, one thoufand feven hundred and fifty 1757. B 2 feven, feven, in manner herein after-mentioned; any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof, in any wife notwithstanding. III. And whereas books have been already opened in pursuance of a refolution of the commons of Great Britain, in this feffion of parliament, in the office of the auditor of the receipt of his Majesty's exchequer at Westminster, and alfo at the refpective offices of the governor and company of the bank of England, and of the faid governor and company of merchants of Great Britain trading to the South Seas, and for encouraging the fishery, commonly called the South Sea Company, for taking in the fubfcriptions, or receiving the confents of fuch perfons or corporations, as now are, or fhall be, interested in, or intitled unto, any part of the faid annuities or interefts, after the faid rate of four pounds per centum per annum, who are willing to accept of an annuity of three pounds ten fillings per centum per annum, in lieu thereof, from the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty, until the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty feven, and of an annuity of three pounds per centum per annum, from the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty feven, in fuch manner as hath already been, or hereafter shall be directed in that behalf: and whereas in pursuance of the faid refolution, notices have already been affixed in the office of the auditor of the faid receipt of exchequer, and in other the publick offices aforefaid, and at the Royal Exchange of London, and also published in the London Gazette, that the book or books for taking in the faid fubfcriptions, or receiving the faid confents, were laid open at the faid receipt of exchequer, and in other the publick offices aforesaid, to the end the proprietors of the faid annuities, after the faid rate of four pounds per centum per annum, might be apprized thereof, and make their fubfcriptions, or give their confents, in the faid respective book or books, under a proper preface to be prepared for that purpose, by fubfcribing their respective fums, names, and places of abode, with his, her, or their respective proper additions: and whereas it may so happen, that notwithstanding the faid feveral notices, many of the perJons or corporations intitled to the faid annuities or interefts, after the faid rate of four pounds per centum per annum, may hitherto have omitted to make fuch fubfcriptions, or give their confents in the faid books, in the manner before-mentioned; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the faid feveral and respective open at the books fhall conftantly be opened at the faid receipt of excheexchequer, quer, and other the publick offices aforefaid, for that purpose &c. until 28 Feb. for every day, Sundays only excepted, until the faid twenty eighth fubfcriptions day of February, one thousand feven hundred and forty nine, of the 41. per inclufive, and no longer; fubject nevertheless to fuch further directions, with refpect to the taking in or receiving fuch fubSee 23 Geo. 2. fcriptions or confents from the proprietors of the faid annuities of four pounds per centum per annum, as fhall or may be given by the commiffioners of the treasury or any three or more of them now being, or the high treasurer, or any three or more of the commiffioners of the treasury for the time being, for the benefit and advantage of the publick; and it fhall and may be Books to be cent. C. 22. 1749, lawful lawful to and for the proprietors of the faid annuities of four pounds per centum per annum, or such person or perfons, as he, fhe, or they fhall refpectively authorize and impower by writing in that behalf, to fubfcribe or confent for them, in manner aforefaid, to have free accefs to the faid feveral books, at all seasonable hours, and they have hereby power to make their fubfcriptions, or give their confents therein, for the whole sum or fums due to them, or any of them, according to this act, without any fee or charge whatsoever; and the feveral and refpective officers of the faid receipt of exchequer, and of other the publick offices aforefaid, appointed or to be appointed to take in such subscriptions, or receive fuch confents, as aforefaid, fhall, during the time aforefaid, conftantly attend at the faid refpective offices for that purpose, at fuch hours as business is usually tranfacted at the faid feveral and refpective publick offices. fubscribers; IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, Annuities feThat all and every perfon and perfons, bodies politick or cor- cured to the porate, who have or fhall, on or before the faid twenty eighth day of February, one thoufand feven hundred and forty nine, have fubfcribed, or given their confent in the book or books aforefaid, to accept of an intereft or annuity after the rate of three pounds ten fhillings per centum per annum, from the said twenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty, until the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thoufand seven hundred and fifty feven; and of an annuity of three pounds per centum per annum, to commence from the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty seven, in lieu of their prefent annuities of four pounds per centum per annum, fhall have, receive, and enjoy, and they are hereby declared to be intitled to an annuity of three pounds ten fhillings per centum per annum, from the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty, until the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and fifty feven; and to an annuity of three pounds per centum per annum, from the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thoufand feven hundred and fifty feven, redeemable by parliament, in manner herein-after mentioned; and the faid annuities of three pounds ten fhillings per centum per annum, and three pounds per centum per annum, and the principal or capital for which the fame fhall be payable, are hereby declared, and fhall be adjudged, taken, and accepted in conftruction of law, and in all courts of law and equity whatsoever, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, to be a perfonal and not a real estate, and perfonal eftate, fhall go to the executors or adminiftrators of the perfon or perfons dying poffeffed thereof, interested therein, or intitled thereunto, and not to the heirs of such person or perfons; any law, ftatute, cuftom, or ufage to the contrary notwithstanding; and that the faid annuities fhall be free from all taxes, charges, free from and impofitions whatfoever, in the fame manner as they now taxes. are. V. And it is hereby enacted and declared, That it shall and Executors, may B 3 ed to fub(cribe. &c. impower- may be lawful for all executors, adminiftrators, guardians, truftees, committees of the estates of ideots or lunaticks, and the accomptant general of the court of chancery, and the deputy remembrancer of his Majefty's court of exchequer, to make, or cause to be made, fubscriptions in the faid book or books, fignifying their confent to accept an interest or annuity of three pounds ten fhillings per centum per annum, from the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, until the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and fifty feven, and of an annuity of three pounds per centum per annum, to commence from the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty feven, for and on the behalf of their refpective teftators, infants, minors, femes covert, ideots, or lunaticks, and the fuitors of the court of chancery, and of the faid court of exchequer, and others, for whom they are or shall be respectively entrusted; and fuch executors, adminiftrators, guardians, trustees, committees, and accomptant general, and deputy remembrancer, are, and shall be, by virtue of this act, indemnified in and for doing the fame. Treasury to defray the charges. The funds made fubject to the reduced intereft, VI. Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the commiffioners of the treasury, or any three or more of them now being, or the high treasurer, or any three or more of the commiffioners of the treafury for the time being, thall have power, and they are hereby authorized, out of any money remaining in the receipt of the exchequer, of cr for the duties, revenues, and incomes appropriated for the payment of the faid annuities of four pounds per centum per annum, to reward all fuch perfons as fhall be any ways employed in the execution of this act, in relation to the taking in fuch fubfcriptions, or receiving fuch confents as aforefaid, and to defray all fuch incident charges, as fhall neceffarily attend the execution of the faid act, in fuch manner as to them shall seem juft and reasonable. VII. And it is hereby also enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all the duties, revenues, and incomes which are now appropriated, fubject, or applicable to the payment of the faid annuities of four pounds per centum per annum, fhall, from and after the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, be fubject and liable to the payment of such of the faid annuities of four pounds per centum per annum, as shall not be fubfcribed, in cafe any fhall be unfubfcribed, and alfo of the faid reduced annuities of three pounds ten fhillings, and three pounds per centum per annum, in the fame manner, to all intents and purpofes, as the fame were liable and fubject to the payment of the faid annuities of four pounds per centum per annum; and all the monies coming into the exchequer, of or for the feveral duties, revenues, and incomes, appropriated, fubject, or liable to the payment of the faid unfubfcribed annuities and of the faid reduced annuities of three pounds ten fhillings per centum per annum, and three pounds per centum per annum, which fhall be more than fufficient to answer and pay the faid respective annuities, fhall, from and after the faid twenty fifth day of December, one thoufand feven hundred and fifty, be applied to the fame ufes, intents, and purpofes, and in the fame manner, as the several furpluffes, exceffes, or overplus monies of the faid duties, revenues, and incomes are now applicable. VIII. Provided always, and it is hereby enacted by the autho- Claufe of rerity aforesaid, That from and after the faid twenty fifth day of demption. December, one thousand feven hundred and fifty feven, the faid reduced annuities of three pounds per centum per annum, shall and may be redeemed by parliament, upon giving the said notices, and making the fame payments of principal money at a time to fuch perfons or corporations as now are, or hereafter fhall be, intitled to the faid annuities, and of all arrearages of the faid annuities, as are directed to be given and made by the several and refpective acts, by which the faid feveral annuities, after the rate of four pounds per centum per annum, were made payable, and from and after payment of any fuch principal money, to the faid perfons or corporations, as are or fhall be intitled to the fame, a proportional part of the faid annuities fhall cease and determine, and be understood to be redeemed; any thing in this or any former act or acts of parliament to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding. CAP. II. An act for granting an aid to his Majefty by a land tax to be raised in Great Britain, for the fervice of the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty. EX P. At 35. in the pound. CAP. III. An act for continuing and granting to his Majefty certain duties upon malt, mum, cyder, and perry, for the fervice of the year one thousand feven hundred and fifty. EXP. CAP. IV. An act for punishing mutiny and defertion; and for the better payment of the army and their quarters. EXP. CAP. V. An act for enlarging the term and powers granted by an act paffed in the The act 5 Geo. 2. c. 10. continued for 21 years. An alt for repairing, improving, and maintaining the haven W 20 Geo. 2. HEREAS by an act made in the twentieth year of his pre- |