Provided that they have been assessed suages of 40s. 7 & 8 W. 3, c. 7. c. 5. offices, in regard or by reason that the same have not usually been, or shall not be charged or assessed to all or any the public taxes, church rates, and parish duties, as mentioned in the above recited act, or in respect or in right of any other messuages or lands not herein before 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 the same parish or town-ship where the same shall lie or be, are usually charged to the same; any thing contained in the said recited act to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding. ANNO 120 ANNE REGINE, STAT. 1, CAP. 15. An Act for making perpetual an Act made in the seventh "WHEREAS in the 7th year of the reign of the late king William the Third, an act was made, intituled, An act to prevent false and double returns of members to serve in parliament, and was thereby enacted to continue for the term of seven years, and from thence to the end of the next session of parliament, and no longer; which act, by ano12 & 13 W. 3, ther act made in the 12th year of the reign of the said late king, intituled, An act for continuing a former act to prevent false and double returns of members to serve in parliament, was enacted, should thereafter be in force for, and during the term of eleven years, and from thence to the end of the first session of the next parliament, and no longer; which said act has been found by experience to be very useful for the preservation of the rights of the several counties, cities, and boroughs of this kingdom, in the election of members to serve in parliament, and being near expiring: Be it therefore enacted, &c. That the said act made in the 7th year of the reign of the late king William the Third, intituled, An act to prevent false and double returns of members to serve in parliament, and every clause, matter, and thing therein contained, shall be, and is hereby declared to be in full force, and is hereby made perpetual. The act 7 & W. 3, c. 7. made perpetual. 8 ANNO 1 GEORGII REGIS, CAP. 38. 'WHEREAS in and by an act of parliament made in the sixth year of the reign of their late majesties king William c. 2. 4 Ed. 3, 2, c. 1. 1 W. & and Queen Mary (of ever blessed memory) intituled, An 6 W. & M. act for the frequent meeting and calling of parliaments, it c. 14. 36 Ed. 3, was amongst other things enacted, That from henceforth c. 10. 16 Car. no parliament whatsoever, that should at any time then M. s. 2, c. 2. after be called, assembled, or held, should have any continuance longer than for three years only at the farthest, to be accounted from the day on which, by the writ of summons, the said parliament should be appointed to meet; and whereas it hath been found by experience, that the said clause hath proved very grievous and burthensome, by occasioning much greater and more continued expences, in order to elections of members to serve in parliament, and more violent and lasting heats and animosities among the subjects of this realm, than were ever known before the said clause was enacted, and the said provision, if it should continue, may probably, at this juncture, when a restless and popish faction are designing and endeavouring to renew the rebellion within this kingdom, and an invasion from abroad be destructive to the peace and security of the government:' Be it enacted, &c. That this present parliament, and all parliaments that shall at any time hereafter be called, assembled, or held, shall and may respectively have continuance for seven years, and no longer, to be accounted from the day on which, by the writ or summons, this present parliament hath been, or Parliament any future parliament shall be, appointed to meet, unless tinuance for this present or any such parliament hereafter to be sum- seven years, moned, shall be sooner dissolved by his majesty, his heirs dissolved by or successors. shall have con unless sooner the king. ANNO 10 GEORGII I. STAT. 2, Cap. 56. An Act to disable any Person from being chosen a Member 'WHEREAS by an act, intituled, An act for the security of her majesty's person and government, and of the succession to the crown of Great Britain in the Protestant line, and made in the sixth year of the late queen Anne, it 6 Annæ, c. 7. was provided, that no person, having any pension from the crown during pleasure, should be capable of being elected, or of sitting or voting as a member of the house of commons in any parliament, which should be then after summoned and holden;' to the end therefore, that the provision intended by that law, for securing the honour of the house of commons, may not in future times be defeated or eluded by any person, who shall be a member of the house of commons, accepting any pension for any term or number Persons havof years; Be it enacted, &c. That no person having any ing pensions pension from the crown for any term or number of years, from the either in his own name, or in the name or names of any ble of being other person or persons in trust for him, or for his benefit, members of shall be capable of being elected or chosen member of, or commons. crown incapa the house of Persons hav sions, and of sitting or voting as a member of, this present or any future house of commons, which shall be hereafter summoned. 2. AND be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, ing such pen- That if any person who shall have such pension as aforebeing elected, said, at the time of his being so elected, or at any time and sitting in after, during such time as he shall continue or be a memthe house, to ber of the house of commons, shall presume to sit or vote forfeit 201. per diem to the in that house, then and in such case, he shall forfeit twenty prosecutor. pounds for every day in which he shall so sit or vote in the said house of commons, to such person or persons who shall sue for the same, in any of his majesty's courts in Westminster hall; and the monies so forfeited shall be recovered by the person so suing, with full costs of suit, in any of the said courts by action of debt, bill, plaint or information, in which no essoin, privilege, protection, or wager of law, shall be allowed, and only one imparlance. ANNO 110 GEORGII I. CAP. 18. An Act for regulating Elections within the City of London, 'WHEREAS of late years great controversies and dissentions have arisen in the city of London, at the elections of citizens to serve in parliament and of mayors, aldermen, sheriffs, and other officers of the said city; and many evil minded persons having no right of voting, have unlawfully intruded themselves into the assemblies of the citizens and presumed to give their votes at such elections, in manifest violation of the rights and privileges of the citizens, and of the freedom of their election, and to the disturbance of the public peace; and whereas great numbers of wealthy persons are not free of the said city, do inhabit and carry on the trade of merchandize and other employments within the said city, and refuse or decline to become freemen of the same, by reason of an ancient custom within the said city restraining the freemen of the same from disposing of their personal estates by their last wills and testaments; and whereas great dissentions have arisen between the aldermen and commons, of the common-council of London, in or concerning the making or passing of acts, orders or ordinances in common-council, which, if not timely settled and determined, may occasion great obstructions of the public business and concerns of the said city, and create many expensive controversies and suits at law, and be attended with other dangerous consequences;' Now, to the intent that suitable remedies may be provided, for preserving the privileges of the city of London and the freedom of election therein, and for settling the right of such elections, and putting a stop to the aforesaid controversies and dissentions and the ill consequences of the same, and that a constant supply may be had of able officers, capable of supporting the dignity of, and maintaining good order and government within, that ancient, populous and loyal city, which is of the greatest consequence to the whole kingdom: Be it enacted, &c., That at all times from and after the first day of June, 1725, upon every election of a citizen or citizens to serve for the said city of London in parliament, and upon all elections of mayors, sheriffs, chamberlains, bridge masters, auditors of chamberlains and bridge masters accounts, and all and every other officer and officers to be chosen in for the said city, by the liverymen thereof, and upon all elections of aldermen and common-councilmen, chosen at the respective wardmotes of the said city, the presiding officer or officers at such elections shall, in case a poll be demanded by any of the candidates, or any two or more of the electors, appoint a convenient number of clerks to take the same, which clerks shall take the said At elections poll in the presence of the presiding officer or officers, and by the liverybe sworn by such officer or officers, truly and indifferently men, &c. presiding officer to take the same, and to set down the name of each voter to appoint a and his place of residence or abode and for whom he shall convenient poll, and to poll no person who shall not be sworn, or being poll clerks, a Quaker, shall not affirm according to the direction of this act; and every person before he is admitted to poll, at any election of any citizen or citizens to serve in parliament, or of any officer or officers usually chosen by the liverymen of the said city as aforesaid, shall take the oath hereinafter mentioned, or being one of the people called Quakers solemnly affirm the effect thereof, that is to say, number of &c. "You do swear, That you are a freeman of London, and Liveryman's a liveryman of the company of and have so oath. been for the space of twelve calendar months; and that the place of your abode is at in and that you have not polled at this election. So help you God." AND in case of any election of any alderman, or commoncouncilman, every person before he is admitted to poll, shall take the oath herein-after mentioned, or being one of the people called Quakers, shall solemnly affirm the effect thereof, that is to say, "You do swear, That you are a freeman of London and Oath at wardan householder in the ward of and have not motes. polled at this election. So help you God." to swear re AND if any person or persons shall refuse or neglect to Vote of pertake the oaths hereby respectively appointed to be taken, son refusing or being a Quaker, shall refuse or neglect to make such jected. solemn affirmation as aforesaid, then and in every such case the poll or vote of such person or persons so neglecting or refusing shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be, null and void, and as such shall be rejected and disallowed. 2. AND be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That at all times from and after the said first day of June, 1725, upon every election of such citizen or citizens, officer or officers, by the liverymen of the said city, and upon every election of such officer or officers, at any ward be taken, if required. mote of the said city as aforesaid, all and every person and persons having a right to vote or poll at such election or elections, shall, before he be admitted to vote or poll thereWhat oaths to at, (if required by any of the candidates, or any two or more of the electors) first take the oaths in and by an act made in the first year of his majesty's reign, intituled, ‘An act for the further security of his majesty's person and government, and the succession of the crown in the heirs of the late princess Sophia, being Protestants, and for extinguishing the hopes of the pretended prince of Wales, and his open and secret abettors,' appointed to be taken, or being one of the people called Quakers, shall, if required as aforesaid, solemnly affirm the effect thereof; and if any person or persons shall, being required thereunto as aforesaid, refuse or neglect to take the said oaths by the said act appointed to be taken, or to affirm the effect thereof as aforesaid, that then the poll or vote of such person or persons so neglecting or refusing shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be, null and void, and as such shall be rejected and disallowed; and the presiding officers at all and every the respective elections aforesaid, and such sworn clerks as shall be by them appointed, are hereby respectively authorized and impowered to administer the above mentioned oaths and affirmations; and if any such Presiding officer and sworn presiding officer or officers, sworn clerk or clerks, shall neglect or refuse so to do, or shall otherwise offend in the oaths, under a premises, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this penalty. act, every such officer and sworn clerk, shall for every such offence forfeit the sum of sixty pounds, of lawful money of Great Britain, besides costs of suit. clerk to administer the Penalty on false oaths, doc. How presid ing officer to act, if poll demanded. 3. AND it is hereby further enacted, That if any person or persons shall wilfully, falsely, and corruptly take the said oaths or affirmations set forth and appointed in and by this act, or either of them, and be thereof lawfully convicted by indictment or information, or if any person or persons shall corruptly procure or suborn any other person to take the said oaths or affirmations, or either of them, whereby he shall wilfully and falsely take the said oaths or affirmations, or either of them, and the person so procuring or suborning shall be thereof convicted by indictment or information; every person so offending shall for every such offence incur and suffer such penalties, forfeitures, and disabilities as persons convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury, at the common law, are liable unto. 4. And to the intent that the poll at every such election may be expeditiously and duly taken;" Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if a poll shall be demanded at any of the elections before-mentioned, after the said first day of June, 1725, the presiding officer or of.. ficers at such elections shall begin such poll the day the same shall be demanded, or the next day following at the farthest, unless the same shall happen on a Sunday, and then on the next day after, and shall duly and orderly proceed thereon from day to day (Sundays excepted) until such poll be finished, and shall finish the poll at elections by the |