ட் 1716. the time. On oath before a baron of the Exchequer, of bills being loft, &c. Treasury to pay the fame. After 25 March 1719. the annuity after the rate of 3 1. per centum, fhall ceafe, and the bank not obliged to circulate exchequer bills. The refidue of the bills to be circulated by fuch perfons as the treasury shall appoint. Treasury to allow a falary for the fame. Treasury to contract with perfons for circulating. Treasury to take fubscriptions from such persons as will advance money for circulating exchequer bills. Contract to be in writing, and registred in the auditor of the receipts and clerk of the pells offices. No ftamps on fuch contracts. Such perfons not difabled from being members of parliament. Perfons circulating the bills, and contractors, to keep an office in London or Westminster, Refufing to exchange the bills for ready money may be fued, &c. Treafury to iffue out money for difcharging exchequer bills, &c. Exchequer bills to be current in the revenue, &c. Receivers and collectors to give ready money for exchequer bills, &c. Exchequer bills paid or lent into the exchequer; officers to caufe tallies to be levied for the fame. Receivers to allow the intereft on exchequer bills. No interest on bills in receivers hands or in the exchequer. How it fhall be known, how long time the bills have been in receivers hands, &c. Such bills may be re-iffued. Bills to be re-issued for the principal money only. Tellers to be re-imbursed the intereft they pay on exchequer bills. Receivers of taxes to keep books for entry. Exchequer bills filled up by indorsements, new bills to be iffued in lieu of them. Forging fuch bills, felony. No intereft to be paid to any leffer fum than one penny. Treasury to iffue bilis for large fums not exceeding 5000 l. each. Treafury to allow falaries to perfons for circulating, &c. Exp. 13 Geo. I. C. 3. The overplus LXVI. Provided alfo, and it is hereby enacted and declared. money at the by the authority aforefaid, That all the monies, which at the end of every end of every or any quarter of a year fhall or may be produced quarter to be for the respective furpluffes, exceffes, or overplus monies of the referved for discharging faid feveral funds, commonly called the aggregate fund, and the national debts fund of the South Sea company, and of the faid duties and rebefore 25 Dec. venues charged with the faid general yearly fund of feven hundred twenty four thousand eight hundred forty nine pounds fix. fhillings and ten pence and one fifth part of a penny, as alfo the excefs or overplus of the fame general yearly fund, when and as often as any fuch furpluffes, exceffes or overplus monies fhall be over and above the monies at the end of every fuch quarter refpectively due or demandable, to be first paid or referved for payment out of the same, by virtue of this and the said recited acts, or any of them) fhall be appropriated, reserved and applied, to and for the further difcharging the principal and intereft of fuch national debts and incumbrances as were incurred before the twenty fifth day of December one thousand feven hundred and fixteen, and are declared to be national debts, and were provided for by act or acts of parliament, in fuch manner and form as fhall be directed or appointed by any future act or acts of parliament to be discharged therewith, or out of the fame, and to or for none other ufe, intent or purpose whatso ever. If provifion be made by parliament in lawful coin to pay off principal CAP. CAP. IV. An act for strengthning the proteftant intereft in these king doms. HEREAS an act of parliament was made in the tenth year 10 Ann. c. 2. of the reign of the late Queen Anne, intituled, An act for preferving the proteftant religion, by better fecuring the church of England, as by law eftablished; and for confirming the toleration granted to proteftant diffenters by an act, intituled, An act for exempting their Majefties proteftant fubjects, dissenting from the church of England, from the penalties of certain laws, and for fupplying the defects thereof; and for the further fecuring the protestant fucceffion, by requiring the practicers of the law in North Britain to take the oaths, and fubfcribe the declaration therein mentioned and whereas part of the said act, as also another act herein after mentioned, have been found to be inconvenient; be it therefore enacted by the King's most excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal and commons, in parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That the faid recited act paffed in the Part of the act tenth year of the late Queen Anne, from the beginning thereof 10 Ann. c. 2. to these words, And it is hereby further enacted and declared by the act of 12 Ann, authority aforefaid, That the toleration granted to protestant diffenters ftat. 2. C. 7. and alfo one act made in the twelfth year of the reign of the late repealed. Queen Anne, intituled, An act to prevent the growth of fchifm, and for the further fecurity of the churches of England and Ireland, as by law established, thall be and are hereby repealed, annulled and made void. and the fchifm with the en II. Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority afore- Mayor,&c.refaid, That if any mayor, bailiff or other magiftrate, in that part forting to any of Great Britain called England, the dominion of Wales, or the conventicle town of Berwick upon Tweed, or the ifles of Jersey or Guernsey, figns of his of fhall knowingly or wilfully refort to, or be prefent at any pub- fice, difabled lick meeting for religious worship other than of the church of to hold any England as by law established, in the gown or other peculiar ha- publick office. bit, or attended with the enfign or enfigns of or belonging to fuch his office, that every fuch mayor, bailiff or other magitrate, being thereof convicted by due courfe of law, fhall be lifabled to hold fuch office or offices, employment or employments, and fhall be adjudged incapable to bear any publick office or employment whatsoever within that part of Great Britain called England, the dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick upon Tweed, or ifles of Jersey and Guernsey. CAP. V. An act for punishing mutiny and defertion, and for the better payment of the army and their quarters. EXP. CAP. 1 13 Car. 2. itat. 2. C. 1. The oath in the recited act. The declaration. 13 Car. 2. flat. 2. c. 1. CAP. VI. An act for quieting and establishing corporations. HEREAS by act made in the thirteenth year of King Charles the Second, intituled, An act for the well governing and regulating of corporations, it is, amongst other things enacted, That every perfon or perfons, who from and after the expiration of the commiffions in the faid act mentioned, should be placed, elected or chofen, in or to any the offices or places of mayors, recorders, bailiffs, town clerks, common council men, or to any office or offices of magiftracy, or places or trufts, or other imployment relating to or concerning the government of cities, corporations and boroughs, and cinqueports and their members, and other port towns, Should at the fame time when the oath for the due execution of the faid places and offices respectively should be adminiftred, take the following oath, viz. A. B. do declare and believe, That it is not lawful, upon any pretence whatsoever, to take arms against the King; and that I do abhor that traiterous pofition of taking arms by his authority against his person, or against those that are commiffioned by him. And fubfcribe the following declaration, viz. I So help me God. A. B. do declare, That I hold that there lies no obligation upon me, or any other perfon, from the oath commonly called, The folemn league and covenant; and that the fame was in itself an unlawful oath, and impofed upon the subjects of this realm against the known laws and liberties of this kingdom. And that in default thereof every fuch placing, election and choice fhould be void; and whereas the taking the said oath, and subscribing the faid declaration, have for feveral years last past been generally omitted, and questions have of late arifen, Whether the faid ftatute made in the faid thirteenth year of King Charles the Second, as to the faid oath and declaration, be yet in force: therefore for avoiding of all fuch questions for the future, and for the establishing the peace and quiet of corporations, be it declared and enacted by the King's most excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the authority of the Members of fame, That all and every member and members of any corpocorporations are confirmed ration within this kingdom, and all and every perfon and perin their offices, fons that were required by the said above recited act to take the though they faid oath, or fubfcribe the faid declaration, fhall be and are have not taken hereby confirmed in their feveral and refpective offices and and declara- places, notwithstanding their omiffion to take the faid oath, or fubfcribe the faid declaration, and fhall be indemnified, freed And indemni- and difcharged of and from all incapacities, difablities, forfeified, &c. tures and penalties arifing from fuch omiffion, and none of their acts fhall be questioned or avoided for or by reason of the same; the faid oath tion. but but that all fuch acts fhall be and are hereby declared and enacted to be as good and effectual, as if all and every fuch perfon and perfons had taken the faid oath, and fubfcribed the faid declaration, according to the direction of the faid act. So much of II. And be it also further enacted by the authority aforesaid, the recited act That so much of the faid ftatute as requires the taking of the as requires faid oath, and fubfcribing the faid declaration, fhall be and is the taking hereby repealed; and that neither the faid oath or declaration the faid oath, &c. repealed. shall be required for the future. &c. who have nevertheless III. And whereas by the faid recited act made in the thirteenth 13 Car. 2. ftat. year of King Charles the Second, it is enacted, That no perfon or 2. c. 1. perfons fhall be placed, elected, or chofen, in or to any of the offices or places relating to or concerning the government of any city, corporation, borough, cinque-port and their members, and other port-towns, or any other offices in the faid recited act mentioned or expreffed, that shall not have, within one year next before fuch election or choice, taken the facrament of the Lord's Supper, according to the rites of the church of England, and that in default thereof every fuch placing, election and choice, fhall be void; be it further enacted by the au- Members of thority aforesaid, That all and every the now member and mem- corporations, bers of any corporation within this kingdom, and all and every omitted to person and persons now in actual poffeffion of any office, that take the facrawere required by the said above recited act to take the facrament ment, as enof the Lord's fupper according to the rites of the church of joined by the England within one year next before his election or choice into faid act, shall fuch office, fhall be and are hereby confirmed in their several continue in and respective offices and places, notwithstanding their omiffion offices, and be to take the facrament of the Lord's fupper as aforefaid, and freed from all shall be indemnified, freed and discharged, of and from all in- incapacities, &c. arifing capacities, difabilities, forfeitures and penalties arifing from fuch from fuch omiffion; and that none of their acts, nor the acts not yet omiffion. avoided, of any who have been members of any corporation, or in actual poffeflion of fuch offices, fhall be queftioned or avoided for or by reafon of fuch omiffion; but that all fuch acts shall be and are hereby declared and enacted to be as good and effectual as if all and every fuch perfon and perfons had taken the facrament of the Lord's fupper in manner as aforefaid; nor shall any perfon or perfons, who fhall be hereafter placed, elected or chofen, in or to any the offices aforefaid, be removed by the corporation, or otherwife profecuted for or by reason of fuch omiffion; nor fhall any incapacity, difability, forfeiture or penalty, be incurred by reason of the fame, unless such person be fo removed, or fuch profecution be commenced, within fix months after fuch perfon's being placed or elected into his respective office, as aforefaid, and that in cafe of a profecution the same be carried on without wilful delay. 12 Ann.ftat.2. c. 8. The recited act shall be continued as long as the duties on to bacco conti nue. CAP. VII. An act for continuing an act made in the twelfth year of the ·W CA P. VIII. An act for the more effectual relief of fuch wives and children, as are left by their husbands and parents, upon the charge of the parish. W HEREAS divers persons run or go away from their places of abode into other counties or places, and fometimes out of the kingdom, fome men leaving their wives, a child or children, and fome mothers run or go away, leaving a child or children, upon the charge of the parish or place where fuch child or children was or were born, or last legally fettled, although fuch perfons have fome eftates, which should eafe the parish of their charge, in whole or in part: may it please your Majefty therefore that it may be enacted, Churchwar- and be it enacted by the King's moft excellent majefty, by dens, &c. may and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temby warrant poral and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and ces, feize the by the authority of the fame, That it fhall and may be lawful goods, &c. of for the churchwardens or overfeers of the poor of fuch parish husbands and or place where any fuch wife, or child or children shall be fo parents, who left, upon application to, and by warrant or order from any two juftices of the peace, to take and feize so much of the goods and chattels, and receive fo much of the annual rents and profits of the lands and tenements of fuch hufband, father or mother, as fuch two justices of the peace, as aforefaid, shall order or direct, for or towards the discharge of the parish or place where fuch from two jufti leave their wives and children upon the parish. 6 |