Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 6.djvu/338

 276 C. 28. Anno decimo Georgii II. A. D. 1737. N °Ad?^ layS ^' ^ nc * ^ e '*■ f urtner ena & e d by the Authority aforefaid, That from and after the faid twenty-fourth rid cnt^to bc° Day of June one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-feven, no Perfon (hall, for Hire, Gain or Reward, aSed, unkfi a act, perform, reprefent or caufe to be acted, performed or reprefented any new Interlude, Tragedy' £nt y to h th C ° f be Comedy, Opera, Play, Farce or other Entertainment of the Stage, or any Part or Parts- therein ; or chamberlain znv new Act, Scene or other Part added to any old Interlude, Tragedy, Comedy, Opera, Play, Farce &c or other Entertainment of the Stage, or any new Prologue or Epilogue, unlefs a true Copy thereof be fent to the Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houfhold for the time being fourteen Days at leaft before the acting, reprefentine or performing thereof, together with an Account of the Playhoufe or oth.r PJace where the fame (hall be, and the Time when the fame is intended to be firft acted, reprefented or performed, figned by the Mafter or Manager, or one of the Mafters or Managers of fuch Playhoufe or Place, or Company of Actors therein. IV. And be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That from and after the faid twenty-fourth Day of June one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-feven, it fliall and may be lawful to and for the faid Lord Chamberlain for the time being, from time to time, and when, and as often as he (hall think fit, to prohibit the acting, performing or reprefenting any Interlude, Tragedy, Comedy, Opera, Play, Farce or other Entertainment of the Stage, or any Act, Scene or Part thereof, or any Prologue or and Perrons Epilogue ; and in cafe any Perfon or Perfons (hall for Hire, Gain or Reward, act, perform or reprefent, ^(i ; 'p . againft r caufe to be acted, performed or reprefented, any new Interlude, Tragedy, Comedy, Opera, Play, -oi. and their Epilogue, before a Copy thereof (hall be fent as aforefaid with fuch Account as aforefaid, or (hall for Licence. Hire, Gain or Reward, act, perform or reprefent, or caufe to be acted, performed or reprefented, any Interlude, Tragedy, Comedy, Opera, Play, Farce or other Entertainment of the Stage, or any Act, Scene or Part thereof, or any Prologue or Epilogue, contrary to fuch Prohibition as aforefaid; every Perfon fo offending fliall for every fuch Offence forfeit the Sum of fifty Pounds, and every Grant, Li- cence and Authority (in cafe there be any fuch) by or under which the faid Mafter or Matters or Ma- nager or Managers let up, formed or continued fuch Playhoufe, or fuch Company of Actors, (hall ceafe, determine and become absolutely void to all Intents and furpo.es whatfoever. No Plays to be V. Provided always, That no Perfon or Perfons (hall be authorized by virtue of any Letters Patent afted but in from his Majefty, his Heirs, Succeffors or Predeceffbrs, or by the Licence of the Lord Chamberlain of Placestf his ° r m s Majefty' s Houfhold for the time being, to act, reprefent or perform for Hire, Gain or Reward, any Majedy's Red- Interlude, Tragedy, Comedy, Opera, Play, Farce or other Entertainment of the Stage, or any Part dence. or p ar t s therein, in any Part of Great Britain, except in the City of WeJlmirJler, and within the Liber- ties thereof, and in fuch Places where his Majefty, his Heirs or Succeffors, (hall in their Royal Perfons refide, and during fuch Refidence only; anything in this Act contained to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding. Penalties how VI. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That all the pecuniary Penalties inflicted by 10 be recovered, this Act for Offences committed within that Part of Great Britain called England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, (hall be recovered by Bill, Plaint or Information, in any of his Majefty's Courts of Record at IFeflminJhr, in which no Efibin, Protection, or Wager of Law (hall be allowed ; and for the Offences committed in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, by Action or fummaiy Complaint before the Court of Seffion or Judiciary there ; or for Offences committed in any Part of Great Britain, in a fummary Way before two Juftices of the Peace for any County, SteWartry, Riding, Diviffon or Liberty where any fuch Offence (hall be committed, by the Oath or Oaths of one or more credible Wit- nefs or Witnefles, or by the Confeflion of the Offender ; the fame to be levied by Diftrefs and Sale of the Offender's Goods and Chattels, rendering the Overplus to fuch Offender, if any there be above the Penalty and Charge of Diftrefs ; and for want of fufHcient Diftrefs the Offender (hall be committed to any Houfe of Correction in any fuch County, Stewartry, Riding or Liberty, for any Time not exceed- ing fix Months, there to be kept to hard Labour, or to the common Gaol of any fuch County, Stew- artry, Riding or Liberty, for any Time not exceeding (ix Months, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize ; and if any Perfon or Perfons (hall think him, her or themfelves aggrieved by the Order or Orders of fuch Juftices of the Peace, it (hall and may be lawful for fuch Perfon or Perfons to appeal therefrom to the next general Quarter Sefllons to be held for the faid County, Stewartry, Riding or Li- berty, whofe Order therein (hall be final and conclufive ; and the faid Penalties for any Offence againft this Act (hall belong, one Moiety thereof to the Informer or Perfon fuing or profecuting for the fame, the other Moiety to the Poor of the Parifh where fuch Offence (hall be committed, rtrfonsafling VII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Interlude, Tragedy, Comedy, in t'ublick Opera, Play, Farce or other Entertainment of the Stage, or any Act, Scene or Part thereof, (hall be > < th's S A.ft 1U acted, reprefented or performed in any Houfe or Place where Wine, Ale, Beer or other Liquors (hall be fold or retaled, the fame (hall be deemed to be acted, reprefented and performed for Gain, Hire and Reward. limitation of VIII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That no Perfon (hall be liable to be pro- Acuons. fecuted for any Offence againft this Act, unlefs fuch Profecurion (hall be commenced within the Space of fix Calendar Months after the Offence committed ; and if any Action or Suit (hall be commenced or brought againft any Juftice of the Peace, or any other Perfon for doing, or caufing to be done, any thing in purfuance of this Act, fuch Action or Suit (hall be commenced within fix Kalendar Months next after the Fact done ; and the Defendant or Defendants in fuch Action or Suit (hall and may plead General tmie *b e General Iffue, and give the fpecial Matter in Evidence; and if upon fuch Action or Suit a Verdict (hall be given for the Defendant or Defendants, or the Plaintiff or Plaintiffs or Profecutor (hall become nomuit,
 * c. to°iorf"it n ' Farce or other Enteriainment of the Stage, or any Act, Scene or Part thereof, or any new Prologue or