18. London. the 11 Geo. 1. c. in all, or shall have had any allowance in respect thereof; and no person or persons whatsoever shall have any right to vote at any election of a citizen or citizens to serve in parliament, or of any mayor, alderman, or other officer or officers of or for the said city, or any the wards or precincts thereof, who have, at any time within space of two years next before such election or elections, requested to be, and accordingly have been, discharged from paying to the rates and taxes, to which the citizens of London inhabiting therein, are or shall be liable as aforesaid, or any of them, or who have, within the time aforesaid, had or received any alms whatsoever; and the vote of every every such person shall be void. Or who on their own request have within two years, been discharged from payment have received of taxes or alms. Forfeitures how to be distributed. Public act. § 20. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that all and every the forfeitures hereby enacted or inflicted, shall be distributed in the manner following, that is to say, one-third part thereof to the king's most excellent majesty; one other third part thereof to the chamberlain of the said city, to the use of the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of the said city; and the remaining third part thereof to him or them that will sue for the same within six calendar months next after the same shall be incurred; to be recovered by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of his majesty's courts of record at Westminster; wherein no essoin, privilege, protection, or wager of law, shall be allowed, nor any more than one imparlance. § 21. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that this act shall in all courts and places be deemed and taken to be a public act, and shall be judicially taken notice of as such by all judges, justices, and courts whatsoever, without specially pleading the same. 11 Geo. 1. c. 18. London. The Stat. 3 Geo. 2. c. 8. An Act for the better regulating Elections in the City of Norwich, and for preserving the Peace, good Order, and Government of the said City. 66 "WHEREAS many unhappy controversies and "dissentions have of late years arisen in the city of Norwich, at the elections of citizens "to serve in parliament, and also of mayors, sheriffs, aldermen, and common-councilmen "of and for the said city, touching the legality "and validity of the votes of many persons "who in such elections have offered to vote; "and whereas, the time appointed by the "charters of the said city is not sufficient to "elect so great a number of common-council men for each great ward, as are thereby "yearly directed to be chosen when such elec"tions happen to be controverted: and whereas, great differences and dissentions have arisen between the mayor, sheriffs, and aldermen, "and the commons of the common-council of "the said city, in or concerning the making or passing of acts, orders, or ordinances, in common-council, òr assembly of the repre"sentative body of the said city, which have "often obstructed the public business and con"cerns thereof." Now, to the intent that a દ с Norwich. 3 Geo. 2. c. 8 stop may be put to all such controversies and dissentions as aforesaid, touching the legality of voters, that the number of common-councilmen may be yearly elected, and that the public business of the said city may not be obstructed, 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 twenty-fifth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and thirty, every person, before he is admitted to poll as a freeman at any election of a citizen or citizens to serve for the said city of Norwich in parliament, shall take the oath herein first after mentioned, or, being one of the people called Quakers, solemnly affirm the effect thereof; that is to say, Freemens oath at elections of parliament. Refusing to or poll disal lowed. "You do swear that you are, and for twelve calendar months, have been admitted a freeman of the city of Norwich, and that you have not been before polled at this election, or (in case of an election for two citizens) but for one person. "So help you God." And if any person or persons shall refuse or swear, the vote neglect to take the oaths hereby respectively appointed to be taken, or being a Quaker, shall refuse to make such solemn affirmations as. aforesaid, (which oaths or affirmations, the mayor for the time being, or his deputy, or such sworn clerks as shall by him or his deputy be appointed, are hereby authorized to administer), then, and in every such case, the poll or vote of such person or persons so neglecting or re fusing, shall be, and the same is hereby de- 3 Geo, 2. c. 8. clared to be, null and void, and as such shall be rejected and disallowed. Norwich. may go into take the votes there. And be it enacted, by the authority afore- One of the said, that in every election which shall be checks, &c. for a citizen or citizens to serve for the the prisons to said city of Norwich in parliament, or for a mayor, sheriff, alderman, or common-councilman of the said city, one of the checks, a swearer, and a clerk belonging or appertaining to the poll-book of any candidate or candidates at such election, shall be admitted to go into the common gaol or any other prison of the said city, to take the votes of such freemen confined therein for debt, as shall have a right to vote at such election, and the sheriff's, gaoler, or prison-keepers for the time being, are hereby required to admit such check, swearer, and clerk, to go into the said common gaol and other prisons, and to take the votes of such prisoners as aforesaid, upon the penalty of fifty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain, upon every refusal to admit such check, swearer, and clerk, as aforesaid. And be it hereby further enacted, that if any Punishment person or persons shall wilfully, falsely, and for perjury, corruptly, take the said oaths or affirmations set forth and appointed to be taken in and by this act, or any of them, and be thereof lawfully convicted by indictment or information, every person so offending, shall, for every such of fence, incur and suffer such penalties, forfeitures, and disabilities, as persons convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury at the common law are liable unto. Preamble. The Stat. 11 Geo. 3. c. 55. (To be read at Elections for New Shoreham). An Act to incapacitate John Burnett (and others therein mentioned), from voting at Elections of Members to serve in Parliament, and for the preventing Bribery and Corruption in the Election of Members to serve in Parliament for the Borough of New Shoreham, in the County of Sussex. WHEREAS, a wicked and corrupt society, calling itself the christian society, hath for several years subsisted in the borough of New Shoreham, in the county of Susser, and consisted of a great majority of persons having a right to vote at elections of members to serve in parliament for the said borough; and whereas, it appears that the chief end of the institution of the said society, was for the purpose of selling, from time to time, the seat or seats in parliament for the said borough; and whereas, John Burnett, &c. &c. &c. were members of the said society: in order therefore to prevent such unlawful practices for the future, and that the said borough from henceforth be duly represented in parliament; 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 the said John Burnett, Charles Hannington, Thomas Haselgrove, Ralph Moor, Thomas Parsons, Thomas Snook, jun. Thomas Hannington, John Hannington, John |