made in the first and second years of the reign of King Philip and 1&2 Phil. & M. Queen Mary, obliged to become freemen of the faid city, upon pain C. 14. of forfeiture of their manufactures, contrary to the faid act; by means whereof there was a conflant fupply of able magistrates, and great good did accrue to the faid city in many respects; but the faid manufactures have been, for several years paft, difused, and others introduced in their stead, the good designs of the faid act for the publick utility of the Jaid city, are wholly loft, and the offices of magiftracy there often fall to persons who are not the chief manufacturers, or the most substantial inhabitants; and frequent disorders happen in their elections, occafioning great riots and tumults: for remedy of which mischiefs and inconveniencies, and preventing the like for the future; may it please your Majesty, that it may be enacted; and 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 all persons who now are, or hereafter shall be manufacturers or makers of any fort of Manufactustuffs made of wool, or wherein there is any mixture of wool, rers of stuffs and all makers of wool into yarn, who are not journeymen or to be made servants for hire, master weavers and master wool-combers, and freemen. perfons dealing or trading as such, or employing servants or journeymen in any such manufactures, or having any interest, stock, share or partnership in any fuch manufactures, inhabiting or living in the faid city of Norwich or county of the fame, shall be made free of the said city and admitted freemen thereof, as is herein after mentioned, (that is to say) all persons inhabiting or living in the said city or county of the fame as aforesaid, now being fuch manufacturers or makers of stuffs, or makers of wool into yarn, master weavers, or master woolcombers, or dealers, or traders as such, or imploying servants or workmen in any fuch manufactures, or having any interest, stock, share or partnership therein as aforesaid, shall, upon their request to be made at any court of mayoralty, or affembly of the mayor, sheriffs, citizens and commonalty to be holden for the faid city, on or before the twenty fourth day of June one thoufand seven hundred and twenty three, be admitted and made free of the faid city, paying only one and twenty shillings for such admission and freedom; and all persons, who hereafter shall be such manufacturers in manner as aforesaid, and living or inhabiting as aforesaid, being foreigners, shall, upon their request, to be made at any assembly of the faid corporation to be holden for the said city, be admitted and made free of the said city, paying a sum not exceeding five pounds for such admiffion and freedom, and all persons to be admitted or made free as aforesaid, shall, at the time of admission, take the usual oaths, or, being Quakers, shall take the solemn affirmation to the effect

thereof.

II. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any perfon (fervants and apprentices during their service excepted) who now is or hereafter shall be any such manufacturer, dealer

or trader, or otherwise concerned or interested in any of the said manufactures as aforesaid, shall, after the twenty fourth day of June one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, prefume to use or exercise any of the said manufactures, or be concerned or interested therein in manner aforesaid, not being admitted and made free as aforesaid, every person so offending being lawfully convicted upon a prosecution to be commenced within fix months Dealers herein after the fact committed, shall forfeit the fum of ten pounds for not being free, every kalendar month, such person shall so unlawfully use or exwhat to for- ercise any of the said manufactures, or be concerned or interest

feit.

By 3 Geo. 2. c. 8. f. 2. another oath is appointed in lieu bereof.

ed therein as aforesaid, contrary to this act, next after the third quarterly afssembly of the faid corporation, which shall be held for the faid city; the said fum of ten pounds to be recovered by action of debt, bill, plaint or information, to be brought by the chamberlain of the faid city for the use of the mayor, sheriffs, citizens and commonalty of the said city, in any of his Majesty's courts of record at Westminster, wherein no essoin, privilege, protection or wager of law thall be allowed, nor more than one imparlance.

III. And for better qualifying persons to bear offices of magistracy in the faid city, and for regulating fuch elections, and preventing false and fictitious polling therein, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person, elected to be sheriff of the faid city and county thereof, at any court of mayoralty to be holden in any year, between the twenty fourth day of June and the tenth day of August following, shall within fourteen days after notice in writing given to him of such election, make oath, or being a Quaker, take his folemn affirmation, that he is not at that time worth two thousand pounds in the world, his debts being paid, which oath or affirmation the mayor of the faid city for the time being, or any of his Majesty's justices of the peace, are hereby authorized to administer, such oath or affirmation being made at, or transmitted to some court of mayoralty of the

faid city, to be holden within fourteen days after fuch notice, Who to be ex- every such person shall for that time or turn be excused the faid cused the of- office of sheriff gratis; and that fifty pounds, and no more, shall fice of sheriff. be paid as a fine, by any person so elected, for not ferving the

office of sheriff of the faid city and county thereof, if fuch person shall make or transmit as aforesaid, within the time aforesaid, his oath, or being a Quaker, his folemn affirmation, that he is not at that time worth three thousand pounds in the world, his debts being paid; and that eighty pounds, and no more, shall be paid as a fine, by any person of greater estate so elected, for not serving the office of theriff of the faid city and county.

In what manner, and for what time, perfons may office of sheriff by the court of mayoralty, for any longer time be discharged than one year, without the confent of the mayor, sheriffs, cifrom bearing tizens and commonalty, in common council afsembled; and the faid office. that no person after the first day of May one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, shall in any year be excused or difcharg

IV. Provided always, That no person, worth two thousand pounds and upwards, shall be difcharged from bearing the faid

ed

ed from bearing the faid office of sheriff, unless such perfon shall have been first elected to such office, and have notice thereof as usual, between the twenty fourth day of June and the tenth day of Auguft ensuing.

1

V. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That upon What to be every election to be made in time to come, of any mayor, she- done on elecriff, alderman or common council-man, in or for the faid city tion of of Norwich, the mayor or other officer or officers prefiding at cafe mayor, &c. in a poll be such election, in cafe a poll be demanded by any of the candi- demanded. dates, or any three or more of the electors, shall cause a regular poll to be taken of the voters, and shall appoint a convenient number of clerks to take the fame, which clerks shall take the faid poll in the presence of such mayor, or other prefiding officer or officers, or such as he or they, according to the charters and usages of the faid city, shall depute; and before they begin to take the faid poll, every clerk so appointed, shall, by the faid mayor or other prefiding officer or officers, be sworn truly and indifferently to take the fame poll, and to fet down the name of each voter, with his addition and place of abode, and for whom he shall poll, and to poll no elector who is not sworn according to the direction of this act; and every person before he is admitted to poll at the same election, shall first take the oath herein after mentioned, or, being a Quaker, shall folemnly affirm the effect thereof, viz.

Y OU shall fwear, or being a Quaker, you shall folemnly af firm, that you are a freeman of the city of Norwich; or in case of an election for an alderman or common council-man, That you are an inhabitant in the ward, for which fuch election is made, and have not been polled at this election.

Which oath or affirmation the faid mayor, or other prefiding officer or officers, or his or their deputy or deputies, or fuch fworn clerks by him or them appointed to take the faid poll as aforesaid, is and are hereby authorized to administer; and at every such election upon clofing the poll, the number of voters in each poll shall be publickly proclaimed; and if a scrutiny of any such poll shall, within four and twenty hours after closing the fame, or proclamation made thereof as aforesaid, be demanded by or on behalf of any candidate, or by any three or more of the electors voting at such election, such scrutiny shall be proceeded in with effect; and in order thereto the mayor, or other officer or officers presiding at such election, shall, within seven days after demand thereof, deliver to the person or persons requiring fuch scrutiny, or fome of them, a true copy of the poll taken at such election, paying only reasonably for writing the fame, not exceeding the rate of fix pence for the names and additions of twenty voters; and such scrutiny shall begin within twelve days, and not in less than ten days next after clofing or finishing the poll, and shall be publickly proceeded in at the place

D4

place of election, or as near as conveniently may be, without any unnecessary delay.

Mayors, &c. VI. And be it further enacted, That every mayor, or other refusing to de- officer or officers prefiding at any fuch election, refusing to deliver copies of liver copies of the polls, being demanded as aforesaid, or wilpolls, forfeit fully offending in the premisses, shall for every wilful offence contrary to this act, forfeit the sum of five hundred pounds, to the party or parties aggrieved, together with costs of suit, to be recovered by action of debt, bill, plaint or information, in any of his Majesty's courts of record at Westminster, to be brought or commenced within fix months after the offence committed; and in any such action or fuit, no essoin, protection, wager of law, privilege or imparlance shall be admitted or allowed.

VII. And whereas it hath sometimes happened, that upon the death of an alderman of the faid city, the election of another in his place hath been deferred for a long time, to the great prejudice of the inhabitants of the faid city; be it further enacted, That from and

after the twenty fifth day of March one thousand seven hundred

On death, &c. and twenty three, upon the death or removal of any alderman of analderman of the faid city; the mayor, or his deputy appointed by him, a new one is to shall within the space of five days at the longeft, and not sooner

be chofen within five days.

This a publick act,

than two days after such death or removal shall happen (and the faid mayor or his deputy have notice thereof) proceed to the election of a new alderman, giving first to the freemen of the ward, for which the election is to be made, twenty four hours notice at least, before such election shall begin : provided that nothing in this act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to the limits of the palace of the bishop of Norwich, or the precincts of the cathedral church of Norwich.

VIII. And be it enacted, That this act shall in all courts and places be deemed and taken to be a publick act, and all judges, justices and others, are to take notice thereof as such, without specially pleading the fame.

CAP. X.

An act for clearing, depthning, repairing, extending, maintaining and improving the haven and piers of Great Yarmouth, and for depthning and making more navigable the feveral rivers emptying themselves at the said town; and also for preferving ships wintering in the said haven, from accidents by fire.

WH

HEREAS the ancient borough of Great Yarmouth in the county of Norfolk, bordering upon the sea, hath by lang experience been found to be of great importance, for advancing his Majesty's service and revenue, trade in general, more especially the fishery, and for breeding and employing many thousands of skilful mariners and feamen: and whereas the haven and piers belonging to the Said borough, have been, and still continue obstructed by fands thrown up by the fea in fuch fort, as the benefit accrewing thereby must be wholly loft, if not timely prevented and preserved by clearing, repair

ing and maintaining the fame, the great and unavoidable charge whereof being insupportable by the inhabitants bitants of the faid borough, they the Jaid inhabitants, from time to time, have been aided and relieved by feveral fuccessive acts of parliament: and whereas the powers and authorities of the last act, made and ordained for and concerning the faid haven and piers in the tenth and eleventh years of the reign of the late King William the Third (of glorious memory) are determined and 10 & 11 W.3. expired, and, unless renewed and continued, the great fums of mo- c. 5. ney already expended and laid out in and about the faid haven and piers, pursuant to the said feveral acts of parliament, will prove useless and ineffectual, and the faid haven and piers must inevitably fall foon into irreparable decay, and the barbour, so beneficial, become inacceffible, to the great detriment of his Majesty and his kingdoms, trade in general, utter ruin and impoverishment of the said inhabitants and adjacent counties: for preventing whereof, and to the end the faid haven and piers, and the jettees on the North-fide thereof may be cleared, deptbned, repaired, extended, maintained and improved, and the channel of that part of the river Yare, leading from Great Yarmouth to Norwich aforesaid, called Braydon, and so much of the faid river Yare as lies between the new mills in Norwich and Hardly-Cross in Hardley, in the county of Norfolk; and also the rivers Waveney and Bure, commonly called the North river, which empty themselves at the faid town of Yarmouth, be depthned and made more navigable for boats and keels usually passing the fame, and timber and other materials for that purpose provided and furnished, from time to time, as occasion shall require; be it enacted, &.

From the 25th of March 1723, for twenty three years, and to the end of Revived for 2 the next feffion of parliament, there shall be paid by every master of any years by 20 ship unlading within the haven of Great Yarmouth or in Yarmouth-Road, Geo.2. C. 40. from the South part of Scratby in Norfolk to the North part of Corton in Suffolk, for every chalder of coals, Winchester measure, last of wheat, rye, barley, malt or other grain, and for every weigh of falt, and for every tun of other goods, (fish excepted) such sums of money, not exceeding twelve pence, as the mayor, aldermen, burgesses and commonalty of the borough of Great Yarmouth in common council shall appoint, viz. 6 d. for clearing and improving the haven, piers and jetees; one penny halfpenny to the chamberlain of Norwich for clearing and depthning the channel of the river Yare, between the new mills in Norwich and Hardly-Cross; one halfpenny to persons yearly named by the quarter feffions at the castle at Norwich, for clearing and depthning the North-River; one halfpenny to persons yearly named at the quarter-feffions at Beccles, for clearing and depthning the river Waveney; one halfpenny unto such as the mayor, &c. of Yarmouth, in common council shall appoint, for repairing the bridge and the keys; and three pence for clearing and depthning the channel of the river Yare, called Braydon. Twelve commissioners appointed to infpect accounts, &c. Fish oil, &c. exempt from payment of duty. EXP.

CAP. XI.

An act for repairing and widening the road leading from the black bull in Dunstable in the county of Bedford, to the way turning out of the faid road up to Shafford-house in the county of Hertford.

The toll granted by this act is to have continuance from 1 June 1723, for 8 Geo.2. c.9.

21 years, Farther continued by 24 Geo. 2. c. 10. PR.

CAP.

ZoGeo.2.C.24.