Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 4.djvu/89

 A. D. 1700. Anno undecimo & duodecimo Gulielmi III. C. 6, 7. 43 C A P. VI. An Ad to enable his Majefty's natural-born Subjefls to inherit the Eftate of their Anceflors, either lineal or collateral, notwithftanding their Father or Mother were Aliens. ' TTT HERE AS clivers Perfons, born within the King's Dominions, are difabled to inherit and make ' W their Titles by Defcent from their Anceftors, by reafon that their Fathers or Mothers, or fome ' other Anceftor (by whom they are to derive their Defcent) was an Alien, and not born within the ' King's Dominions :' For Remedy whereof be it enafted by the King's moft excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parlia- ment aiTembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That all and every Perfon or Perfons, being the King's natural-born Subje£t or Subjects within any of the King's Realms or Dominions, fball and may hereafter lawfully inherit and be inheritable as Heir or Heirs to any Honours, Manors, Lands, Tene- ments or Hereditaments, and make their Pedigrees and Titles by Defcent from any of their Anceftors King's natsral- lineal or collateral, although the Father and Mother, or Fathers or Mothers, or other Anceftor of fuch bom Subjefts Perfon or Perfons, by, from, through, or under whom he, fhe, or they fhall or may make or derive their Jl^!' '"t""" ^* Title or Pedigree, were or was, or is or are, or {hall be born out of the King's Allegiance, and out of ^^^^'^^^5 j^^^, his Majefty's Realms and Dominions, as freely, fully, and efteclually, to all Intents and Purpofes, as if nors,&c.' though ' fuch Father or Mother, or Fathers or Mothers, or other Anceftor or Anceftors, by, from, through, or their Parents under whom he, fne, or they fhall or may make or derive their Title or Pedigree, had been naturalized, '^"'^ ^°'-'1 °^ °^ or natural-borii SubjecSts, or Subjeifls within the King's Dominions ; any Law or Cuftom to the contrary *^^j^^"^ 1^^°' notwithftanding. - ' CAP. VII. An Adl for the more effeftual Suppreffion of Piracy. WHEREAS by an Aft of Parliament made in the twenty-eighth Year of the Reign of King 28 H. 8. c 15. Henry the Eighth, it is enadted. That Treafons, Felonies, Robberies, Murders, and Confe- ' Amended by deracies committed on the Sea, fliall be enquired of, tried, and determined according to the common '^'^^•^' '•3' ' Courfe of the Lav/s of this Land ufed for fuch Offences upon the Land within this Realm ; whereupon the Trial of thofe Offenders before the Admiral, or his Lieutenant, or his Commiffary, hath been alto- gether difufed : And whereas, that ftnce the making of the faid A£t, and efpecially of late Years, it hath been found by Experience, that Perfons committing Piracies, Robberies, and Felonies on the Seas, in or near the Eit/i and Pp'efl Iiidh-s, and in Places very remote, cannot be brought to condign Punifiiment without great Trouble and Charges in fending them into England to be tried within the Realm, as the faid Statute directs, infomuch that many idle and profligate Perfons have been thereby encouraged to turn Pirates, and betake themfelves to that fort of wicked Life, trufting that they fhall not, or at leaft cannot eafily, be queftioncd for fuch their Piracies and Robberies, by reafon of the great Trouble and Expence that will neceiiarily fall -upon, fuch as fhall attempt to apprehend and profecute them for the fame: And whereas the Numbers of them are of late very much increafed, and their Infolencies fo great, that unlefs fome fpeedy Remedy be provided to fupprefs them, by a ftrict and more eafy Way for putting the ancient Laws in that Behalf in Execution, the Trade and Navigation into remote Parts i iXi/tV P. C. will very much fuffer thereby ;' Be it therefore declared and enafccd by the King's moft excellent Ma- 355- jefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this ^'"'•^' i5; 35i.' prefent Parliament ailembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That all Piracies, Felonies, and Rob- beries committed in or upon the Sea, or in any Haven, River, Creek, or Place, where the Admiral or ^^ow and whore, Admirals have Power, Authority, or Jurifdidtion, may be examined, inquired of, tried, heard, and de- ^^^^"^^^ Felo- termined, and adjudged, according to the Direiflions of this Aft, in any Place at Sea, or upon the Land, miTt'edo'n the?e"a in any of his Majefty's Iflands, Plantations, Colonies, Dominions, Forts, or Faftories, to be appointed may be tried. for that Purpofe by the King's Commiflion or Commifiions under the Great Seal of England^ or the Seal of the Admiralty of England, direfted to all or any of the Admirals, Vice-Admirals, Reer-Admirals, ' By 4 Geo. tt ' Judges of Vice-Admiralties, or Commanders of any of hislVIajetty's Ships of War, and alio to all ore. n. §.7. of- any fuch Perfon or Perfon-s, Officer or Officers, by Name, or for the Time being, as his Majefty fhall fenders againft think fit to appoint ; which faid Commiffioners fliall have full Power jointly or feverally, by Warrant '^^'*/^'^™^y''° under the Hand and Seal of them, or any one of them, to commit to f?.fe Cuftody any Perfon or Perfons, bv"^8H s'^r/i: '- againft whom Information of Piracy, Robbery, or Felony upon the Sea, fliall be given upon Oath (which • • • 5- Oath they or any one of them ihall have fall Power, and are hereby required to adminifter) ajid to call Admiralty Court and affemble a Court of Admiralty on Ship-board, or upon the Land, when and as ol'ten as Occafion t°':'"i'''*ofieven ihall require ; which Court {hall confift of ieven Perfons at the lealf. Perfons. II. And if fo many of the Perfons aforefaid cannot conveniently be afTembled, be it further enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That any three of the aforefaid Perlbns (whereof the PrefiJent or Chief of fome EngUJh Faftory, or the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Member of his Majefty's Councils in any of the Plantations or Colonies aforefaid, or Commander of one of his Majefty's Ships, is always to be dne) fhall have full Power, and Authority, by virtue of this Aft, to call and affemble any other Perfons on Ship-board, or upon the Land, to make up the Number of (even. ■, III. Provided, That no Perfons but fuch as are known Merchants, Faftors, or Planters, or fuch as are Perfons qualified C;iptains, Eieutenants, or Warrant Officers in any of his Majefty's Ships of War, or Captains, Mafters, ^o 'it and voce, ■ G 5 or^<^'