"and conveyances whatsoever, made to any 13 Geo.2.c.20. person or persons in any fraudulent or collu"sive manner, on purpose to qualify him or

66

66

them, to give his or their vote or votes at such "elections of knights of the shire, subject "nevertheless to conditions or agreements to "defeat or determine such estate, or to re-convey the same, shall be deemed and taken against those persons who executed the same "as free and absolute, and be holden and enjoyed by all and every such person or persons, "to whom such conveyance shall be made as "aforesaid, freely and absolutely acquitted, exonerated, and discharged, of and from all manner of trusts, conditions, clauses of reentry, powers of revocation, provisoes of re"demption, or other defeazances whatsoever, "between or with the said parties, or any other

person or persons in trust for them, and that "all bonds, covenants, collateral or other se"curities, contracts, or agreements, between "or with the said parties, or any other person "or persons in trust for them, or any of them, "for the redeeming, revoking, or defeating, "such estate or estates, or for the restoring or "re-conveying thereof, or any part thereof, to any person or persons who made or executed "such conveyance, or to any other person or persons in trust for them, or any of them, "shall be null and void to all intents and pur

66

poses whatsoever; and that every person who "shall make and execute such conveyance or "conveyances as aforesaid, or, being privy to "such purpose, shall devise or prepare the same, "and every person who, by colour thereof, shall "give any vote at any election of any knight or knights of the shire to serve in parliament,

13 Geo. 2. c.20. “shall, for every such conveyance so made, "or vote so created or given, forfeit the "sum of forty pounds to any person who shall "sue for the same, to be recovered, together "with full costs of suit, by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of the courts of "record at Westminster, wherein no essoin, privilege, protection, wager of law, or more "than one imparlance, shall be admitted or al"lowed; and it is thereby further enacted, that no person shall vote for the electing of any knight of a shire within that part of Great “Britain called England, in respect or in right "of any lands or tenements, which have not "been charged or assessed to the public taxes, "church rates, and parish duties, in such pro

10 Ann. c. 23. § 2, recited.

portion as other lands or tenements of forty "shillings per annum, within the same parish or "township where the same shall lie, or be

usually charged, and for which such person "shall not have received the rents or profits, or "be entitled to have received the same, to the "full value of forty shillings or more, to his "own use, for one year before such election, "unless such lands or tenements came to such 66 person within the time aforesaid by descent, "marriage, marriage settlement, devise, or pre"sentation to some benefice in the church, "or by promotion to some office, unto which "such freehold is affixed, and that, if any per"son shall vote in any such election contrary "to the true intent and meaning of the said "act, he shall, for every such offence, forfeit "the sum of forty pounds, one moiety thereof "to the poor of the parish or parishes, where "the lands or tenements lie, for which such person shall vote, and the other moiety to the

แ person or persons who shall sue for the same, 13 Geo. 2. c.20. to be recovered by action of debt, bill, plaint,

66

or information, in any of the courts of record at Westminster, wherein no essoin, privilege, "protection, or wager of law shall be allowed,

or more than one imparlance; and whereas, 12 Ann. stat. 1. "by an act, made in the next session of parlia- c. 5, recited. "ment, to explain a clause in the said last "recited act, made in the tenth year of the reign "of queen Anne, it is enacted, that the "said act, made in the tenth year of the "reign of queen Anne, or any thing therein "contained, shall not extend, or be construed to restrain any person from voting in such "election of any knight of a shire, within that part of Great Britain called England, in respect or in right of any rents, tithes, or "other incorporeal inheritances, or any messuages or lands in any extra-parochial places, "or any chambers in the inns of court or inns "of chancery, or any messuages or seats belonging to any offices, in regard or by reason "that the same have not usually been, or shall "not be charged or assessed to all or any of the

66

public taxes, church rates, and parish du"ties, as mentioned in the said act, made in "the tenth year of the reign of queen Anne, or "in respect or right of any other messuages or "lands not thereinbefore specified, in regard or "by reason that the same have not been usually

charged or assessed to all and every the public "taxes, church rates, and parish duties aforesaid, "provided that such messuages or lands have "usually been charged or assessed to some one "or more of the said public taxes, rates, or "duties, in such proportion as other messuages "or lands of forty shillings per annum within

m m

13 Geo. 2. c.20. "the same parish or township, where the same "shall lie or be, are usually charged to the same,

any thing contained in the said act, made in the "tenth year of the reign of queen Anne, to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding; "and whereas it is reasonable, that provision "should likewise be made to prevent any "fraudulent conveyances of lands and tene"ments, in order to multiply votes for electing "members to serve in parliament, for such cities "and towns as are counties of themselves, "wherein persons have a right to vote for 69, and 12 Ann. "electing such members, for or in respect "of lands, tenements, or hereditaments, of lands and tene- "the yearly value of forty shillings:" Be it enments, in reacted, by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords

Provisions in 10 Ann. c. 23.

stat. 1. c. 5,

extended to

spect of which

persons shall

tions for mem

or towns, be

at such elec

tions as free

holders, uot having an

estate one year tion, assessed

before elec

acts is de

vote at elecmem- spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this bers for cities present parliament assembled, and by the auing counties of thority of the same, that from and after the themselves. twenty--fifth day of March, one thousand sePersons voting ven hundred and forty, the said provisions contained in the said in part recited act, made in the tenth year of the reign of queen Anne, for preventing fraudulent conveyances in order to multiply votes for electing knights for shires, as in the said and in the said act made in the next sessions of scribed, liable parliament, shall be extended and construed to to the penal- extend, to such lands or tenements, for or in reures of 10 Ann. spect of which any person shall vote for the c. 23, with the election of any member to serve in parliament for any such city or town as aforesaid, being a County of itself, in that part of Great Britain called England, and that if any person shall vote for the election of any such member as a quiring assess freeholder, not having such an estate for one year before the same election, and so charged or assessed as in the said acts, or one of them, is

ties and forfeit

same excep

tions as there
(Repealed by 19

in.

Geo. 2. c. 28. $2, as to the

provisions re

ment to taxes, rates, &c.)

described, except in cases therein excepted, 13 Geo. 2. c. 20. every such person shall be subject to the like penalties and forfeitures, as are by the said act, made in the tenth year of the reign of queen' Anne, imposed on persons voting for knights of shires, not having the qualifications thereby required.-A. D. 1740.

The Stat. 18 Geo. 2. c. 18.

An Act to explain and amend the Laws touching the Elections of Knights of the Shire to serve in Parliament for that Part of Great Britain called England (a).

"WHEREAS Several delays and inconveni"encies have arisen in elections of knights of "shires to serve in parliament, to the great "trouble and expence of the candidates and "electors:" For remedy thereof, be it enacted, by the king's 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 from and after the twentyfourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and forty-five, upon every election to be made within that part of Great Britain called England, or dominion of Wales, of any knight or knights of the shire to serve in parliament,

(a) For a corresponding towns being counties, see 19 act with respect to elections Geo. 2. c. 28. of members for cities and