Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 3.djvu/188

 i 140 C. 16. Anno decimo fexto Caroli L A.D. 1640. C/H. %. ftat.i. win': mail be the Meets snd Bounds of Fo- reit;. Prerentmenfs contrary here^ »no (hall ba TOld. ' whereas of late Time fome Endeavours or Pretences have been to fet on foot Forefts in fome Parts of ' this Reahn, and the Dominion of Wales, where in Truth none have been or ought to be, or at leaft ' have not been ufed of long Time:' For Remedy whereof, may it pleafe your moft excellent Majefty, That it be declared and enadled by Authority of Parliament; IV. And be it declared and enafted by the King's moft excellent Majefty, and the Lords and Com- mons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That from henceforth the Meets, Meers, Limits and Bounds of all and every the Forefts refpedively, fhall be to all Intents and Purpofes taken, adjudged and deemed to extend no further refpeftively than the Meets, Meers, Limits » and Bounds which in the feveral Counties refpedively wherein the faid Forefts do lie, were commonly known, reputed, ufed or taken to be the Meets, Meers, Limits and Bounds of the faid Forefts refpec- tively, in the tvi'entieth Year of the Reign. of our late Sovereign Lord King 'James, and not beyond ia any wife; any Perambulation or Perambulations, Prefentments, Extents, Surveys, Judgments, Recordsj Decrees, or other Matter or Thing whatfoever to the contrary notwithftanding : (2) And that all and every the Prefentments fince the faid twentieth Year made, and all and every other Prefentment and Pre- fentments, and all and every Judgement and Award upon, or by Reafon or Pretext of, any fuch Pre- fentment or Prefentments, and all and every Perambulation and Perambulations, Surveys, Extents, and other Adl and Ads, at any Time heretofore had or made, by which the Meets, Meers, Limits or Bounds of the faid Forefts, or any of them, are or are pretended to be further extended than as afore- faid; (3) And alfo all and every Prefentment of any Perfon or Perfons at any Juftice-Seat, Swainmote, or Court of Attachments, for or by Reafon or by Colour of any A6t or Adts whatfoever done or com- mitted in any Place without or beyond the faid Meets, Meers, Limits or Bounds refpecftively, fo com- monly known, reputed, ufed or taken as aforefaid, and all and every Fine and Fines, and Amerciament and Amerciaments, upon, by Reafon or Colour of any fuch Prefentment or Prefentments, ftiall from henceforth be adjudged, deemed and taken to be utterly void, and of no Force or Effed j any Law, Sta- tute, Record or Pretence whatfoever, to the contrary notwithftanding. NoPhce where V. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid. That no Place or Places within this Realm no juO'c • Seat, of England, or Dominion of Wales, where no fuch Juftice-Seat, Swainmote, or Court of Attachment Court "o('a? ^''^^ ^^^^ °^ kept, or where no Verderers have been chofen, or Regard made, within the Space of tach',i'e°ntf,'&c. f'^ty Years next before the firft Year of his Majefty's Reign that now is, Ihall be at any Time hereafter iiath b^en with- judged, deemed or taken to be Foreft, or within the Bounds or Meets of the Forefts; (2) But the fame fha'i"'be Sount- ^^^^^ ^^ ^™'" thenceforth for ever hereafter difaffbrefted and freed, and exempted from the Foreft Laws ; ed Foreft. " 2ny Juftice-Seat, Swainmote, or Court of Attachment held or kept within or for any fuch Place or Places, at any Time or Times fince the Beginning of his Majefty's faid Reign, or any Prefentment, Enquiry, A61 or Thing heretofore made or hereafter to be made or done to the contrary notwithftanding. VI. Provided alfo, and be it further enadled by the Authority aforefaid. That for the better putting into Certainty all and every the Meets, Meers, Bounds and Limits of all and every the Foreft, as afore- faid, the Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal oi England for the Time being, fliall by Virtue of this Adt, upon Requeft of any of the Peers of this Kingdom, or of the Knights and Bur- geffes of the Parliament, or any of them, grant feveral Commiflions under the Great Seal oi England, to Commiflioners to be nominated relpeftively by the faid Peers, Knights and Burgefles, or any of them, (2) to enquire of and find out. by Inquefts of good and lawful Men upon Oath, and by the Oaths of Witnelles to be produced ^- the faid Inquefts, and by all other lawful Means, all and every the Meers, Meets, Bounds and Limits'of the Forefts refpedively, which were commonly known to be their Meers, Meets, Bounds and Limits refpedtively, in the faid twentieth Year of the Reign of our late Sovereign Lord Kin^ James, and to return the Inquefts fo taken into the Court of Chancery; (3) and that all and every the Sheriffs and Bailiffs, of and in every County wherein any fuch Inquefts fhall be fo to be taken, and all and every the Verderers, Forefters, Rangers, and other Officers of the Forefts refpedtively where any fuch Officers be, ftiall be affiftant and attendant to the Executions of the faid Commiffions, accord- ing as by Virtue of the faid Commiffions refpedively they ftiall be commanded ; (4) and where no fuch Officers are, or where fuch Officers be, if they or any of them ftiall refufe or negedt fuch Affiftance and Attendance as aforefaid, then the faid Commiffioners fhall and may proceed without them in the Execu- tion of the faid Commiffions. Forefts (hsii not VII. And be it further enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That the Forefts whereof the Meets, Meers, extend beyond Limits and Bounds ftiall be fo returned and certified by Virtue of any the faid Commiffions as aforefaid, from thenceforth fliall not extend nor be extended, nor be deemed, adjudged or taken to extend any fur- ther in any wife than the Meets, Meers, Limits and Bounds that ftiall be fo returned and certified: (2) And that all the Places and Territories that fliall be without the Meets, Meers, Limits and Bounds fo re- turned and certified, fliall be and are hereby declared to be from thenceforth free to all Intents and Pur- pofes, as if the fame had never been Foreft, or fo reputed; any Adl or Ads, Matter or Thing what- foever to the contrary thereof notwithftanding. VIII. Provided, and be it further enaded by the Authority aforefaid. That all and every the Grounds, Territories or Places, which have been or are difaffbrefted, or mentioned to be difafforefted in or by any Letters Patents, Charters or otherwife, fuice the faid twentieth Year of the Reign of our faid late Sovereign Lord King James, fhall be excluded and left out of the Meets, Meers, Limits and Bounds of V.-ii. flat, the Forefts, which are to be enquired of, returned and certified by Virtue of the faid Commiffions, or any .of them refpedively, and fhall be and hereby are declared and enaded to be utterly difafforefted, free and exempt to all Intenrs and Purpofes, as if the fame had never been at all Foreft, or fo reputed; any Thirig in tlijs prefent Ad contained, or any other Ad, Matter or Thing whatfoever to the contrary in any wife notwithftanding 8 IX. Pro- For afcertaining ft! Meets, &c. C imm'ffions fiiall be ilTucd. tlie Mcils, &c. fo returned. re:1ed(h!Ube, excluded.