Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 5.djvu/736

 698 C. 24. Anno fecundo Georgii II. A. D. 1729. Sum of fifty Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain, to any Perfon that fhall fue for the fame, to be re- covered, together with full Colts of Suit, by A6tion of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in any of his Majefty's Courts of Record at IVejlminJler, wherein no EiToign, Protection, Wager of Law, or more than one Imparlance, fhall be admitted or allowed ; and if the faid Offence fhall be committed in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, then to be recovered, together with full Cofls of Suit, by fummary Action or Complaint before the Court of Seffion, or by Proiecuticn before the Court of Jufticiary there, for every Ne- glect or Refufal fo to do ; and no Perfon fhall be admitted to poll, till he has taken and repeated the faid Oath in a publick Manner, in cafe the fame fliall be demanded as aforefaid, before the returning Officer or Sheriff or other fuch others as fhall be legally deputed by him. returning Officer II. And be it further enacted, That if any Sheriff, Mayor, Bailiff or other returning Officer, fhall ad- admitting any to m t an y p e rfon to be polled without taking fuch Oath or Affirmation, if demanded as aforefaid, fuch return- f C ^to 5 forfeit ' n § Offi° er ft^'l forfeit the Sum of one hundred Pounds, to be recovered in Manner aforefaid, together with too".' f 1 - 1 ^ Cofts of Suit ; and that if any Perfon fhall vote or poll at fuch Election without having firft taken the Voters to incur Oath, or, if a Quaker, having made his Affirmation as aforefaid, if demanded, fuch Perfon fliall incur the the like Penalty, fame Penalty, which the Officer is fubject to for the Offence above mentioned. Returning Offi- III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That every Sheriff, Mayor, Bailiff, Head- cer, after read- borough or other Perfon, being the returning Officer of any Member to ferve in Parliament, fhall, im- ingthe Writ, to mediately after the reading the Writ or Precept for the Election of fuch Member, take and fubferibe the take the follow- r n ■ n ,u 'jr. ing Oath. following Oath, videlicet, A. B. do folemnly fwear, That I have not, directly nor indirectly, received any Sum or Sums of Mo- ney, Office, Place or Employment, Gratuity or Reward, or any Bond, Bill or Note, or any Promife or Gratuity whatfoever, either by my Self, or any other Perfon to my Ufe, or Benefit or Advantage, for making any Return at the prefent Election of Members to ferve in Parliament ; and that I will return fuch Perfon or Perfons as fhall, to the beft of my Judgment, appear to me to have the Majority of legal Votes.' Repealed fo far as it relates to the returning Officer hi Scotland by 16 Geo. 2. f. II. fa. 38. Which Oath any Juftice or Juftices of the Peace of the faid County, City, Corporation or Borough where fuch Election fhall be made, or, in his or their Abfence, any three of the Electors are hereby required and authorized to adminifter ; and fuch Oath, fo taken, fliall be entred among the Records of the Seffions of fuch County, City, Corporation and Borough as aforefaid. What Votes IV. And be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That fuch Votes fliall be deemed to be legal, which aall be deemed nave f, een fo declared by the laft Determination in the Houfe of Commons ; which I aft Determination con- ks* 1 " cerning any County, Shire, City, Borough, Cinque Port or Place fhall be final to all Intents and Purpofes whatfoever, any Ufage to the contrary notwithftanding. Penalty of wi!- V. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any returning Officer, Elector or Per- fulPei'jury. fon taking the Oath or Affirmation herein before mentioned, fhall be guilty of wilful and corrupt Perjury, or of falfe affirming, and be thereof convicted by due Courfe of Law, fhall incur and fuffer the Pains and Penalties, which by Law are enacted or inflicted in Cafes of wilful and corrupt Perjury. Perfons convift- VI. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That no Perfon convicted of wilful and corrupt ed never capable Perjury, or Subornation of Perjury, fhall, after fuch Conviction, be capable of voting in any Election of to vote. ar) y Member or Members to ferve in Parliament. Perfons taking VII. ^ n< ^ be lt further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Perfon who hath, or claimeth to Money or Re- have, or hereafter fhall have, or claim to have any Right to vote in any fuch Election, fhall, from and ward for their after the faid twenty-fourth Day of June which fhall be in the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hun- V°:e, &c ' for - dred and twenty-nine, afk, receive or take any Money or other Reward, by way of Gift, Loan or other diffiTd t ■""! Device, or agree or contract for any Money, Gift, Office, Employment or other Reward whatfoever, to & Ci ' give his Vote, or to refufe or forbear to give his Vote in any fuch Election, or if any Perfon by himfelf, or any Perfon employed by him, doth or fliall, by any Gift or Reward, or by any Promife, Agreement or Se- curity for any Gift or Reward, corrupt or procure any Perfon or Perfons to give his or their Vote or Votes, or to forbear to give his or their Vote or Votes in any fuch Jllection, fuch Perfon fo offending in any of the Cafes aforefaid, fhall for every fuch Offence forfeit the Sum of five hundred Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain, to be recovered as before directed, together with full Cofts of Suit ; and every Perfon offend- ing in any of the Cafes- aforefaid, from and after Judgment obtained againft him in any fuch Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, or fummary Action or Profecution, or being any otherwife lawfully convicted thereof, fhall for ever be difabled to vote in any Election of any Member or Members to Parliament, and alfo fhall for ever be difabled to hold, exercife or enjoy any Office or Franchife to which he and they then fhall or at any Time afterwards may be intitled, as a Member of any City, Borough, Town Corporate or Cinque Port, as if fuch Perfon was naturally dead. Offenders in 12 VIII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Perfon offending againft this Act Months after fhall, within the Space of twelve Months next after fuch Election as aforefaid, difcover any other Perfon or the Eleflionaif- p er f ons offending againft this Act, fo that fuch Perfon or Perfons fo difcovered be thereupon convicted, fuch indemnified ' Perfon fo difcovering, and not having been before that Time convicted of any Offence againft this Adt, fhall be indemnified, and difcharged from all Penalties and Difabilities which he fliall then have incurred by any Offence againft this Act. the Aft to be ^- And for the more effectual Obfervance of this Act, be it enacted, That all and every the Sheriffs, read by the She- Mayors, Bailiffs, and other Officers, to whom the Execution of any Writ or Precept for electing any riff, -&c. after Member or Members to ferve in Parliament fliall belong or appertain, fliall and are hereby required, at the reading the Time of fuch Election, immediately after the reading fuch Writ or Precept, read or caufe to be read openly w " t > before the Electors there affembled, this prefent Act, and every Claufe therein contained ; and the fame fliall alfo