Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 3.djvu/775

 A,t). 1698, Anno nono & decimo Gulielmi III. C. 41. 719 ' Sea, fo that the Inhabitants on the one Side thereof cannot be privy to or prevent what is done by thofe ' of the other Side ;' Be it therefore enafted by the Authority afoi-efaid. That the faid Hundred of ff^iii- h .ndr;d of ^cheifia {hall be deemed and taken, in refpeil to the faid Ad, as two dillinft hundreds (that is to fay) the Wuuiit-lfcj (o Part of the one Side of the faid Arm of the Sea as one Hundred, and the Part on the other Side as one j^ ''n"H^'**° other intire Hundred > and the Penalties, which may be forfeited for fufFering fuch Exportation, fhall affeQ, ^l^j"^ ^cTs'to charge, and be levied on that Part only of the faid Hundred which lies on the fame Side of the faid Arm of v/uoi'l. the Ssa, out of which iuch Exportation Was made and permitted j any thing in this or any other Ail to rattkrPmifi. the contrary notwithftanding; Provided neverthelefs, That nothing in this Adt fhall be conftrucd to extend "ly"'!"™"^ to divide the faid Hundred in any other Particular but in this only. ij°[[ ^' ■ ^^ CIO. 3 Cea. I. f, 21, i^Geo..c.ix. ^Geo.i.c.ii. iiCm. i. f. 34. 13 Gra, i, c, 13, jCca. »■ f. »I. ijC«, 2. c.ii. i^Gco.t, c. ij. 15 Cm, S> r> 14. z6Ge<i.2,c,Z&ii. ig Geo, t. c, ^i, and ■^oGeo.z. c. it, CAP. XLI. An A(5t for the better preventing the Imbezlement of His Majefty's Stores of War, and pre- venting Cheats, Frauds, and Abufes, in paying Seamens Wages. WHEREAS notwithftanding divers good Laws made and enabled, for the preventing of the ftealing ' Ceo. r. c iji and Imbezlement of His Majefty's Stores of War, and Naval Stores, thofe Frauds, Thefts, and 9 ^'^°- '• •=• *• ' Imbezlements are frequently pradlifed, and the convidling of fuch Offenders is rendred difficult and im- pra£tic:able, by Reafon it rarely happens that direft Proof can be made of fuch Offender's immediate taking, imbezling, or carrying away any of His Majefly's faid Stores of War and Naval Stores out of or from His Majefty's Store-houfes, Docks, Yards, Ships, Ordnance, or other Places for keeping and preferving the feme, but only that fuch Goods are marked with the King's Mark, and found in the Cuf- tody and Pofleffion of the faid Perfon accufed for flrealing or imbezling the fame, to the great Encourage- ment of fuch wicked Offenders, and to His Majefty's and the Kingdom's great Damage :' For preventing fuch Imbezlements for the future, and for the more effeitual Execution of the Laws and Statutes already in Force againfl fuch Imbezlements, and Thefts, Be it therefore enafted by the King's moft Excellent Ma- jefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in Parliament afTembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That from and after the four and twentieth Day no warlike os of June one thoufand fix hundred ninety-eight, it fhall not be lawful to or for any Perfon or Perfons what- naval Stores, foever, other than Perfons authorized by contracting with His Majefty's Principal Officers or CommifHoners except for the: of the Navy, Ordnance, or Viftualling Office for His Majefty's Ufe, to make any Stores of War or Naval K.ing's ui'e, Stores whatfoever, with the Marks ufually ufed to and marked upon His Majefty's faid Warlike and Na- "'M' ^f '"J^^, val or Ordnance Stores ; that is to fay, any Cordage of three Inches and upwards, wrought with a white Marks -c'."^^ thread laid the contrary Way, or any fmaller Cordage, to wit, from three Inches downwards, with a Twine in lieu of a White Thread, laid to the contrary Way as aforefaid, or any Canvas wrought or un- wroiight, with a Blue Streak in the Middle, or any other Stores with the broad Arrow, by Stamp, Brand or otherwife, upon Pain that every fuch Perfon or Perfons, who fhall make fuch Goods fo marked as afore-^ faid, not being a Contradlor with His Majefty's Principal Officers or Commiifioners of the Navy, Ordnance, or Vidluallers for His Majefty's Ufe, or employed by fuch Contracftor for that Purpofe as aforefaid, fhall for every fuch Offence forfeit fuch Goods, and the Sum of two hundred Pounds, together with Cofts of Suit; Penalty^ one Moiety whereof fhall be to His Majefty, and the other Moiety fo the Informer, to be recovered by Aftion of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in any of His Majefty's Courts of Record at Wcjiminjler, •wherein no Effoin, Privilege, Proteftlon, Wager of Law, Injunction, or Order of Reftraint, nor more than one Imparlance fhall be allowed. II. And be it further enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That fuch Perfon or Perfons, in whofe Penalty on Psr- Cuftody, Pofleffion or Keeping fuch Goods or Stores marked as aforefaid {hall be found, not being em- p"n V^r "f ployed as aforefaid, and fuch Perfon or Perfons who fhall conceal fuch Goods, or Stores marked as maHced Swr % aforefaid, being indicted and convidted of fuch Concealment, or of the having fuch Goods found in his are found, &.-. Cuftody, Pofleffion or Keeping, fhall forfeit fuch Goods, and the Sum of tv/o hundred Pounds, together a Z.;/. iJajw. with the Cofts of Profecution, one Moiety to Flis Majefty, and the other Moiety to the Informer, to be ^"^■•. recovered as aforefaid, and fhall alfo fuffer Imprifbnment, until Payment and Performance of the faid For- J^'^'^'^ ^P"'~ feiture, unlefs fuch Perfon fhall, upon his Trial, produce a Certificate under the Hand of three or more of c^t^e^ &c.^"' His Majefty's Principal Officers or Commiffioners of the Navy, Ordnance or ViiStuallers, expreffing the ' Bs'g Geo. 1. Numbers, Quantities or Weights of fuch Goods, as he or flie fhall then be indicted for, and the Occafion <■• !^- §-3 &4. and Reafon of fuch Goods coming to his or her Hands or Pofl'effion. f Penalty of ' III. And forafmuch as divers wicked Perfons, during the late War .ind fince, for Lucre and Gain have .'_*. ^'^'^>3 ^■ ' perfonated Seamen, who have really ferved, or are fuppofed to have ferved on Board His Majefty's Shibs, "'"'^ '^' " • Majefty, as of -the Perfons who have really ferved on Board any of His Majefty's Ships, and have alfo ging Letter of men to perfonate, and divers wicked Perfons do of their own Accord perfonate the Wives, R,elatioRs or enforced and c..-- Creditors of fuch Seamen, who have, or are fuppofed to have, ferved on Board of His Majefty's Ships, plained by and thereby have falfly taken out Letters of Adminiftration to fuch Seaman or Seamen, having ferved, ' ^eo. i.ftat. or fuppofed to have ferved on Board of His Majefty's Ships, or have forged and counterfeited Letters of ^" -S- ^- 7' 4 ■ ' Attorncvj
 * faid A&; but the Hundred of PFinchelfea in the Cinque Ports being divided by a navigable Arm of the
 * and thereby have received divers Sums of His Majefty's Money at the Pay Offi.ce, or elfewhere, of rlis ^^^l °° ''"'
 * Majefty's Officers appointed for Payment of His Majefty's Fleet and Ships, in Deceit, as v/ell of Flis Seaman, m-^for^