Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 5.djvu/194

 154 C,.i 5. Anno tertio Georgii Regis. A. D. 1716. Writs according to the beft of my Skill and Knowledge ; I will take no Bailiff's into my Service, but fuch as I will anfwer for, and will caufe each of them to take fuch Oaths as I do, in what belongeth to their Bufinefs and Occupation ; I will truly fet and return reafonable and due Iffues of them that be within my Bailiwick, according to their Eftate and Circumftances, and make due Panels of Perfons able and fufficient, and not fufpe£ted or procured, as is appointed by the Statutes of this Realm ; I have not fold or let to farm, nor contracted for, nor have I granted or promifed for Reward or Benefit, nor will I fell or let to farm, nor contrail for, or grant for Reward or Benefit, by myfelf or any other Perfon for me, or for my Ufe, directly or indirectly, my Sheriffwick or any Bailiwick thereof, or any Office belonging thereunto, or the Profits of the fame, to any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever ; I will truly and diligently execute the good Laws and Statutes of this Realm ; and in all Things well and truly behave myfelf in my Office, for the Honour of the King and the Good of his Subjects, and difcharge the fame according to the beft of my Skill and Power.. ' So help me God.'' The Under-fre- ' I A. B. do fwear, That I will well and truly ferve the King's Majefty in the Office of Under-fherifF riffY-new Oath. f _£ of the County of, and promote his Majefty 's Profit in all Things that belong-to the faid Office, as far as I legally can or may ; I will preferve the King's Rights, and all that belongeth to the Crown ; I will not aflent to decreafe, leflen or conceal the King's Rights, or the Rights of his Franchifes ; and whenfoever I fhall have Knowledge that the Rights of the down are concealed or withdrawn, be it in Lands, Rents, Franchifes, Suits, or Services, or in any other Matter or Thing, I will do my Utmoft to make them be reftored to the Crown again ; and if I may not do it of myfelf, I will certify and inform fome of his Majefty 's Judges thereof; I will not refpite or delay to levy the King's Debts for any Gift, Promife, Reward or Favour, where I may raife the fame without great Grievance to the Debtors ; I will do Right as well to Poor as to Rich, in all Things belonging to my Office ; I will do no Wrong to any Man for any Gift, Reward or Promife, nor for Favour or Hatred ; I will difturb no Man's Right, and will truly and faithfully acquit at the Exchequer all thofe of whom I fhall receive any Debt, Duties or Sums of Money belonging to the Crown ; I will take nothing whereby the King may lofe, or whereby his Right may be difturbed, injured or delayed ; I will truly return, and truly ferve all the King's Writs to the beft of my Skill and Knowledge ; I will truly fet and return reafonable and due IfTues of them that be within my Bailiwick, according to their Eftates and Circumftances ; and make due Panels of Perfons able and fufficient, and not fufpected, or procured, as is appointed by the Statutes of this Realm ; I have not bought, purchafed, or taken to Farm, or con- trailed for, nor have I promifed, or given any Confideraiion, nor will I buy, purchafe or take to Farm,, or contract for, promife or give any Confideration whatfoever, by myfelf, or any other Perfon for me or for my Ufe, directly or indirectly, to any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, for the Office of Under- fherifF of the County of, which I am now to enter upon and enjoy, nor for the Profits of the fame, nor for any Bailiwick thereof, or any other Place or Office belonging thereunto ; I have not fold nor contracted for, or let to Farm, nor have I granted or promifed, for Reward or Bene- fit, by myfelf or any other Perfon for me or for my Ufe, directly or indirectly, any Bailiwick thereof, or any other Place or Office belonging thereunto ; I will truly .and diligently execute the good Laws and Statutes of this Realm; and in all Things well and truly behave myfelf in my faid Office for his Maje- fty's Advantage, and for the Good of his Subjects, and difcharge my whole Duty according to the beft of my Skill and Power. ' So help me God.' Which faid Oath is hereby ordered and enacted to be udminiftred and given by fuch Commiffioners as {hall be named and authorized to adminifter the foregoing Oath to the High Sheriff" in the Country, when and fo often as a Commiffion or Dedimus fhall be fued forth of the proper Court for that Purpofe, or by the Barons of the faid Court, or one of them, when the faid Sheriffs defire to be fworn in Town. Sheriffs of XX. Provided that the Sheriffs of Wales, and the County Palatine of Chejler, fhall not be obliged to . w . alesandCh ^' take the aforefaid Oaths, or either of them, but fnall ftill take the ufual and accuftomed Oaths as they e have formerly done (except the Words following, ' videlicet, Ye fhall be dwelling in your own proper ire be other- How and by ■whom the faid Oaths to be ad mini (bed. old Oath with an Omiffion. ' Perfon within your Bailiwick, for the Time ye fhall continue in the fame Office, except ye ' wife licenfed by the King)' which Words fhall hereafter be left out of the faid Oaths. This Aft not to XXI. Provided that this Act, or any Thing therein contained, fhall not extend to the Sheriffs of Lon- extend to she- £ on anf J Middlefex, the County Palatine of Durham, the County of Weflmorland, or to the Sheriffs of any a ' City or Town being a County of itfelf, or to any of them, as to their placing in or difpofing of any of the Offices, Places or Employments of their Under-fheriffs, County-clerks, Bailiffs, or other Officers, or their Continuance therein. ' XXII. And whereas by an Act made in the four and five and thirtieth Years of King Henry the ' Eighth, intituled, An Ail for certain Ordinances in the King's Majefly's Dominions and Principality of ' Wales, It is (amongft other Things) enacted. That there {hall be Sheriffs in every of the twelve Shires ' of Wales, yearly appointed by the King's Majefty ; and that the faid Sheriffs ftiall yearly account before 4 fuch &c. as to their tvtfpoling of the Offices of Un- der- (hei iff, &c. 34&35H.3. c. ab.