Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 6.djvu/743

 A. D. 1746. Anno decimonono Georgii II. C. 28. 677 the yearly Value of forty Shillings as aforefaid, which have not been charged or affeffed towards fome Aid granted, ' or hereafter to be granted lo his Majefty, his Heirs or Succcffors, by a Land Tax in Great Britain; twelve Calendar Months next before fuch Election : Provided, That nothing herein con- Exception. tained (hall extend, or be conflrued to reftrain any Perfon from voting in any fuch Election for Cities and 'Towns as are Counties of themfelves as aforefaid, in Refpect c:r in Right of any Rents, or any Meffuages or Seats belonging to any Offices, in Regard or by Reafon that the fame have not been ufualiy charged or affefled to the Aid commonly called the Land Tax; and the acting Commiffioners CommKTionert of the' Land Tax for the time being, or any three or more of them, at their Meetings, fhall fign and -f^'., leal brie 'other Duplicate of the Copies of the Affeffment or Afieffments to be delivered to them by Di the Affe'ffofs, after all Appeals determined, and the fame ihall deliver, or caufe to be delivered, to ' 'the Perfons officiating' as Clerks of the Peace within the Districts of the faid Cities and Towns, being '[] j ; r ^ d o£ Counties of (hcmTelves as aforefaid reflectively, to be by them kept amongft the Records of the Set the Pi fions, to which all Perfons may refort at all feafonable Times, and infpect the fame, paying fix Pence 3nd filed. for fuch Inflection; and the faid Perfons officiating as Clerks of the Peace, or their Deputies, arc Copies to he I'cr- hereby requited forthwith to give Copies of the faid Duplicates, or any Part thereof, to any Perfon or » ven ">. Peifoiis who fhsfl require the fame, paying after the Rate of fix Pence for every three hundred Words ; '' xi '^ e and lb in Proportion for any greater or left Number. IV. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That from and after the faid twenl '- noting, fourth Day Of June one thoufand feven hundred and forty-fix, no Perfon lhall vote in fuch El of a Member or Members to ferve in Parliament for any City or Town, being a County of it!. and in which Perfons have a Right to vote for fuch Members, for and in refpect of Lands, Tene- ments .or Hereditaments, of the yearly Value of forty Shillings, unlefs fuch Perfons fhall have a free- hold Eftate in the City and County, or Town and County for which he votes, of the clear yearly Value of forty Shillings, over and above all Rents and Charges payable out of or in refpect of the and-tobein fame, and (hall have been in the actual Poffellion, or in Receipt of the Rents and Profits thereof for .j P ° ffel 5 on his own Ufe, above twelve Calendar Months, except the fame came to him within the Time afore- Months. 2 faid by Defceht, Marriage, Marriage Settlement, Devife or Promotion to any Benefice in a Church, Exception, or by Promotion to an Office ; and no Perfon fhall vote in Refpect or in Right of any Freehold Eftate which was made or granted to him fraudulently, on purpofe to qualify him to give his Vote, or lhall vote more than once at the fame Election ; and if any Perfon (hall vote in any fuch Penalty of Election contrary to the true Intent and Meaning hereof, he lhall forfeit to any Candidate for rears' Iti' whom fuch Vote fhall not have been given, and who (hall firft fue for the fame, the Sum of forty &c. Pounds, to be recovered by him or them, his or their Executors or Administrators, together with full Cofts of Suit, by Action of Debt, in any of his Majefty's Courts of Record at JFefiminfler, wherein no EiToin, Protection, Wager of Law, Privilege or Imparlance fhall be admitted or allow- ed ; a,nd in every fuch Action the Proof (hall lie on fuch Perfon againft whom the fame was brought, The Proof wnlefs ..the Fact on which fuch Action is grounded be, the having polled more than once at the fame where to He, &c. Election. V. And be it declared by the Authority aforefaid, That no Publick or Parliamentary Tax, Church Tuxes not orPariih Rate or Duty, or any other Tax, Rate or Affeffment' whatfoever, to be affeffed or levied within this Aa - within fuch Cities or Towns, being Counties of themfelves as aforefaid, is or fhall be deemed or con- ftrued to be any Charge payable out of or in refpect of any Freehold Eftate wijthin the Meaning and Intention of this Act, or of the Oath or folemn Affirmation herein before directed to be administered to and taken by every Freeholder, if required, as aforefaid. VI. And be it further. enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That the Sheriff or Sheriffs of any, City; Sheriff to alio* or Town, being a County of itfelf, in that Part of Great Britain called England, or in his or their a Cheque Bock Abfence, his or their under Sheriff or under Sheriffs,- or fuch other Perfon as he or they (hall depute, B r y £ vi;ry Poil fhall, at every Election of any Member or Members to ferve in Parliament for fuch City or Town, allow a Cheque Book for every Poll Book for each Candidate, to be kept by their refpective In- fpectors, at the Place where the Poll for fuch Election (hall be taken or carried on. . • VII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That from and after the faid twenty- Sheriffs to give ''-': Notice,. Britain called England, (hall forthwith, upon the Receipt of the Writ for Election of a Member or Mem- bers .to ferve in Parliament for fuch City or Town, caufe publick Notice to be given of the Time and ami to proceed: Place of Election, arid mail proceed to Election thereupon, within the Space of eight Days next after to Ekaion that of his Receipt of the faid Writ, and give three Days Notice thereof at leaft, exclusive of the^^R^T Day of the Receipt of the Writ, and of the Day of Election. of the Writ! VIII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That in cafe any Sheriff or under She-, Sheriffs offend - riff, prefiding at any Election of a Member or Members to ferve in Parliament for any fuch City or ing,' Town, being a County of itfelf as aforefaid, within that Part of Great Britain called England, lhall wilfully offend againft, or act contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Aft, every fuch Sheriff" or under Sheriff (hall be liable to be profecuted by Information or Indictment in his Majefty's Court of King's Bench at IVeJhninfter, or at the Affizes for the City or Town where fuch Offence lhall be may b'e prolS- committed, in which no Noli profequi, or Cejfat Proctffu;. Ihall be granted ; any Law, Cuftom or Ufage £"", ' R K tl,e, 10 the' 'contrary thereof in any wile nptwithftanding".. ._. : ' ££ &s Benoh »» .'•'"• V'' IX. And '