Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 5.djvu/581

 A.D.I724* Anno undecimoXjEORGii Regis. C. 23. 53: cap. xxm. An Act for making more effectual an Aft patted in the fifth Year of his Majefty's Reign, inti- tuled, An Aft for preventing of Mifchiefs which may happen by keeping too great Quantities of Gunpowder in or near the Cities of London and Weftminfter, or the Suburbs thereof. ' *' Wl HEKEAS b y * n A& pafled in the fifth Year of his Majefty's Reign, intituled, An A& for Cco _ ,_ c _ ' VV preventing ibe Mifchiefs which may happen by keeping too great Quantities of Gunpowder in or near ' the Cities of London and Weftminfter, or the Suburbs thereof, it is (amongft other Things) enacted, That z6. C. 21. from and after the firft Day of Auguji one thoufand feven hundred and nineteen it fhould not be lawful 4 for any Perfon or Perfons to keep more than fix hundred Pounds of Gunpowder, each Hundred con- ,eCar. t. , ' taining five Score Pounds net Weight, at any Time in any Storehoufe, Warehoufe or other Place xjadzje'l. ' within the Cities of London and Wejiminfier or either of them, or within trie Suburbs thereof, or within ' three Miles of the Toiver of London, or within three Miles of his Majefty's Palace at Saint James's, or ' within two Miles of any Magazine erected for keeping Gunpowder belonging to his Majefty, his Heirs ' and Succeflors, for the Ufe of the Publick : And whereas fince the making of the faid Act many Dealers ' in Gunpowder and others, have divided their Hpufes and Warehoufes into feveral final] Partitions or ' Apartments, and there keep great Quantities of Gunpowder, whereby and by other evil and indirect ' Means and Practices the good Defigns of the faid Act are notoriously eluded and evaded, to the appa- ' Subjects : And whereas it is neceflary for publick Safety to leffen the Quantity of Gunpowder allowed ' by the laid Act to be kept within the Limits aforefaid, and it is alfo requifite to make the faid Act more ' effectual ;' May it therefore pleafe your Majefty, that it may be enacted, and be enacted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty's, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That from and After i June after the firft Day of June one thoufand feven hundred and twenty-five, 1 it ihall not be lawful to have or 5 7 2 5> none to keep within the Limits aforefaid', more than two hundred Pounds of Gunpowder at any Time in any 1; ' l 'P more than Houfe, Storehoufe, Warehoufe, Shop, Cellar or other Place, or in any Houfes, Storehoufes, Warehoufes, powt i er ;„ any Shops, Cellars or other Places under one or the fame Roof, or in any Yard or Yards within the Limits one Place in Lon- aforefaid, for more than the Space of twenty-four Hours ; upon Pain of forfeiting all fuch Gunpowder don or Weftmin- ; and the Value thereof, with full Cofts of Suit, to any Perfon or Perfons, other than and except the Owner ft". &c. for more or Owners, Proprietor or Proprietors of or other Perfon or Perfons interefted in fuch Gunpowder, who will ' an 24 oa ' s ' inform and fue for the fame by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information in any of his Majefty's Courts ena ty * of Record at Weftminjler, wherein no Eflbin, Protection, Privilege or Wager of Law fhall be allowed, nor any more than one Imparlance, provided fuch Suit or Action be commenced and profecuted within fix Kalendar Months next after fuch' Forfeiture or Penalty fhall be incurred. II. And be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That the Juftices of the Peace authorized by the faid J""^ to iffo« recited Act to iffue their Warrants to fearch after dangerous Quantities of Gunpowder within the Limits ^ a / ri!n ! s graus ' aforefaid, fhall upon Demand made by any Parifh-Officer, or by any two or more Houfholders, being Inhabitants within the faid Limits, affigning a reafonable Caufe for the fame, iffue fuch Warrants gratis; and that upon every or any fuch Search it fhall be lawful for the Searchers or Perfons finding the fame, Searchers within immediately to feize, and then-or at any Time within twelve Hours after fuch Seizure, to amove or caufe 1% Hours, to to be amoved all fuch Gunpowder as fhall be found within the Limits aforefaid, exceeding the Quantity amove fuch allowed. by this prefent Act ; and every Perfon wilfully obftructing or hindring any fuch Seizure or Amo- G u°p°«'<ler. val fhall for every fuch Offence forfeit to the Informer five Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain, to be recovered as aforefaid, with full Cofts of Suit. III. And for preventing the dangerous Ufe of Iron Hammers or Hammers fhod or plated with Iron or Steel, in any Warehoufe or other Place ufed for keeping Gunpowder within the Limits aforefaid; Be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That in cafe any Perfon fhall after the faid firft Day of June working with prefume to ufe or work with any Iron Hammer or any Hammer fhod or plated with Iron or Steel, in any iron Hammers io fuch Warehoufe or Place, while any Gunpowder is there, every fuch Perfon fo offending, being thereof fuch Warehoufes convicted, within one Month next after the Offence committed, by the Oath or Oaths of any credible forfeits 2.0s. Witnefs or Witneffes, before one or more Juftice or Juftices of the Peace within the Limits aforefaid, which Oath or Oaths fuch Juftice or Juftices are hereby authorized and required to adminifter, fhall for every fuch Offence forfeit twenty Shillings to the Informer, to be levied (in cafe of Non-payment) by Diftrefs and Sale of the Offender's Goods and Chattels by Warrant or Warrants under the Hand and Seal or Hands and Seals of any fuch Juftice or Juftices, rendring the Overplus to the Owner, the Charges qf fuch Diftrefs and Sale being firft deducted ; and for want of fufficient Diftrefs, every fuch Offender be- ing convicted as aforefaid, fhall be fent by fuch Juftice or Juftices to the Houfe of Correction, there to be kept to hard Labour for any Time not exceeding one Month, nor lefs than fourteen Days, as fuch Ju- ftice or Juftices fliall in his or their Difcretion or Difcretions think fit. IV. Provided always, That this Act or any Thing herein contained, fhall not extend or be conftrued tf bt t 05 ffe.5> any to extend in any wife to affect any S':orehoufe or Magazine belonging to his Majefty, his Heirs or Sue- MigazShfe bei ceffors, wherein Gunpowder or other Stores fhall be kept for the Ufe of the Publick, or to hinder the longing to the proving or trying Gunpowder by his Majefty's Officers, as is ufual for the Service of his Majefty, his Crown > &c - Heirs or Succeflors, or to the carrying of Gunpowder to or from any of his Majefty's Magazines or with Forces in their Marches. V. And
 * rent Danger of feveral publick Offices and the Lives and Fortunes of many thoufands of your Majefty's