Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 6.djvu/302

 240 C. 35. Anno nono Georgii II. A. D. 1736. "After 24 June 173^ any Ju- ftice, on infor- mation upon Oath, that 3 or more Perfons are affembled together, armed with Fire-arms, &c. may grant a Warrant for apprehending them, and commit them to the County Gaol ; upon Convic- fliall think fit, to compound for, releafe, or difcharge the fame, notwithftanding any Appropriation thereof by any Act or Ads of Parliament, but fo as all fuch Monies which (ball arife or be received by virtue of any fuch Compofition, fhall be applied in fuch Manner, and to fuch Ufes, as the original Debts, Dues, or Demands recovered by fuch Judgments are or would be applicable, if this Act had not 'been made, or in a rateable Proportion where the fame Debts, Dues, and Demands are applicable to different Ufes. ' X. And whereas divers diflblute and diforderly Perfons frequently appear in great Gangs near the ( Sea Coafts and the Shores of navigable Rivers, and in and about the Towns and Villages adjacent c thereto, and in divers other Parts of this Kingdom, carrying Fire-arms or other ofFenfive Weapons, to ' the great Terror of his Majefty's Subjects, and the Hindrance of the Civil Officers, and the Officers ' of the Cuftoms and Excife, in the Execution and Difcharge of their Duty, and during their Abode ' there commit great Spoil and Devaftation to the Eftates thereabouts, in order to be aiding and aflift- ' ing in the clandeftine running, landing, or carrying away prohibited and uncuftomed Goods, and to ' refcue the fame after Seizure from the Officers of the Cuftoms or Excife, and to watch for proper Op- ■* portunities for that Purpofe : And whereas feveral Officers of the Revenue and others their Affiftants ' have been wounded, maimed, and fome of them murdered in the Execution of their Office, and great ' Quantities of run Goods have been refcued after Seizure, and Sheriffs and other Civil Officers have ' been forcibly hindered from the Execution of Procefs ;' For preventing thereof be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That from and after the twenty - fourth Day of June in the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-fix, upon Information to be given upon Oath before any one or more of his Majefty's Juftices of the Peace in any County, City or Liberty whatsoever, that any Perfons to the Number of three or more are or have been after the faid Twenty-fourth Day of June one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-fix, aflembled for any of the Purpofes aforefaid, and are or have been after the faid twenty-fourth Day of June armed with Fire-arms or other ofFenfive Arms or Wea- pons ; fuch Juftice or Juftices of the Peace ihall and may grant his or their Warrant to the Conftables, Headboroughs, and other Peace Officers whatfoever, or any of them, requiring fuch Officer and Officers reflectively, to take to his and their Affirtance as many of his Majefty's Subjects as may be thought ne- ceffary for the apprehending all and every Perfon and Perfons, againft whom fuch Information fhall be given as aforefaid, and fuch Juftice or Juftices of the Peace fhall and may (if upon due Examination he or they find Caufe) commit all and every or any of the faid Perfon and Perfons to the next County Gaol, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize until he, fhe or they fhall be difcharged by due Courfe of Law ; and all and every fuch Perfon and Perfons upon due Proof of his, her or their being aflembled ieir be- anc * arme d as aforefaid, in order to be aiding and affifting in the clandeftine running, landing, refcuing, ingaffembied to or carrying away prohibited or uncuftomed Goods, and upon Conviction of and for fuch Offence, fhall affift in the run- be adjudged guilty of Felony, and fhall be tranfported as a Felon or Felons to fome or one of his they fhaii°be S ' Majefty's Colonies or Plantations in America, there to remain for the Space of feven Years, in the tranfported for fame Manner as Felons are appointed to be tranfported by an Act made in the fourth Year of the Reign 7 Years, as of his late Majefty King George the Firft, of glorious Memory, intituled, An Acl for the further pre- the A«fts 4 & 6 Y vent i»g Robbery, Burglary, and other Felonies, and for the more ejfeclual Tranfportation of Felons, and unlaw- Geo. 1. ful Exporters of Wooll, and for declaring the Law upon fome Points relating to Pirates, and by another AS 4 Geo. r. c. n. made in the fixth Year of the Reign of his faid late Majefty, intituled, An Ac! for the better preventing Rob- Berfons 1 'return- bery, Burglary, and other Felonies, and for the more effectual Tranfportation of Felons ; and if any fuch Of- ing before the fender or Offenders fhall return into Great Britain or Ireland before 'the Expiration of the faid Term, contrary to the Intent and Meaning hereof, he or they fo returning fhall fuffer as Felons, and have Exe- cution awarded againft them as Perfons attainted of Felony without Benefit of the Clergy. XI. And for the better Difcovery and apprehending all and every the faid Offender and Offenders, be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That from and after the faid twenty-fourth Day of Ju?ie one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-fix, all and every Perfon or Perfons, who fhall apprehend and take any Perfon or Perfons guilty of any of the Offences laft before-mentioned, fhall have and receive for every fuch Offender who fhall be convicted of any fuch Offence, the Sum of fifty Pounds, to be paid in fuch Manner as herein after is mentioned, immediately after fuch Conviction and Demand there- of made by tendring a Certificate under the Hand or Hands of the Judge or Judges before whom fuch Offender or Offenders fhall be convicted, certifying the Conviction of fuch Offender or Offenders, and 50 1. to Perfons that he, flie or they were taken by the Perfon or Perfons claiming the faid Reward ; and that if any Per- preiiendin/ P " ^ on or P er ^ ons fhall happen to lofe any Limb, or an Eye, or be otherwife maimed or dangeroully wound- ed, in the apprehending, or in the endeavouring to apprehend, or making purfuit after, any fuch Of- fender or Offenders, all and every Perfon and Perlons fo maimed or wounded as aforefaid lhall upon fuch Conviction as a brefaid have and receive the Sum of fifty Pounds, over and above any other Reward that he or they (hail be intitled to by virtue of this Act ; and that in cafe any Perfon or Perfons (hall hap- fn,of n!wi»r- s P en t0 ^ e billed in the taking or apprehending, or endeavouring to apprehend, or in making purfuit af- ter, any fuch Offender or Offenders, that then the Executors or Adminiftrators of fuch Perfon or Per- fons fo killed as aforefaid (upon Certificate delivered under the Hands and Seals of the Juftice or Juftices i of Affize for the County where the Fact was done, or the two next Juftices of the Peace, of fuch Per- fon or Perfons being fo killed, which Certificate the faid Juftice or Juftices, upon fufficient Proof before : him or them made, is and are hereby required immediately to give without Fee or Reward) fhall have and receive the Sum of fifty Pounds, over and above any other Reward that the Perfon or Perfons fo killed, his or their Executors or Adminiftrators, lhall or may be intitled to by virtue of this Act. XII. And be it further enacted, That if any of the faid Offender or Offenders fhall within three Months after fuch his, her or their Offence, and before his, her or their Conviction, difcover two or more Expiration of fuch Term, to fuffer Death. I for apprehend- ing, and ;o 1. to the Executors of Perfons killed fuch Offenders Offenders disco- vering 2 or more Accomplices,