1722: 9 George 1 c.28: An act for more effectual execution of justice in a pretended privileged place in the parish of Saint George in the county of Surrey, commonly called the Mint; and for bringing to speedy and exemplary justice such offenders as are therein mentioned; and for giving relief to such persons as are proper objects of charity and compassion there.
Whereas it is notorious, that many evil-disposed and wicked persons have, in defiance of the known laws of the realm, and to the great dishonour thereof, unlawfully assembled and associated themselves in and about a certain place in the parish of Saint George in the county of Surrey commonly called or known by the name of Suffolk-place, or the Mint, and have assumed to themselves (by unlawful combinations and confederacies) pretended privileges, altogether scandalous and unwarrantable, and have committed great frauds and abuses upon many of his Majesty’s good subjects, and by force and violence protected themselves, and their wicked accomplices, against law and justice: and whereas it is evident, that an act made in the eighth and ninth years of the reign of his late majesty King William the Third, intituled, An act for the more effectual relief of creditors in cases of escapes, and for preventing abuses in prisons and pretended privileged places, hath not proved effectual within the said place, commonly called Suffolk-place or the Mint; and it is absolutely necessary, that further provision should be made for more effectually abolishing the pretended privileges aforesaid, and for bringing all offenders in the premisses to more speedy and exemplary justice: may it please your most excellent Majesty, that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King’s most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That if any person or person shall, after the tenth day of October one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, within the said place, commonly called Suffolk-place or the Mint, in the parish of Saint George in the county of Surrey, or within any the limits, or pretended limits thereof, knowingly and wilfully obstruct or oppose any person or persons, serving, or endeavouring to serve or execute any writ, or any rule or order of any court of law or equity, or other legal process whatsoever, or any escape-warrant or warrants of any justice or justices of the peace, or shall assault or abuse any person or persons serving or executing any such writ, rule, order, process or warrant, or for having so done, whereby any such person or persons shall receive any damage or bodily hurt, every person so knowingly and willingly offending in the premisses, being thereof lawfully convicted, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and shall be transported to some or one of his Majesty’s colonies or plantations in America, by such ways, means and methods, and in such manner, and for such time, and under such pains and penalties, as felons in other cases are by law to be transported.
II. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That after the tenth day of October one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, upon any complaint or complaints at any time or times to be made to any three or more justices of the peace of the county of Surrey, by any person or persons, who have or hath, or shall have any debt or debts, sum or sums of money, due or owing to him, her or them, from any person or persons now being, or which hereafter shall be or reside within the said place or places, commonly called Suffolk-place or the Mint, or within any the limits, or pretended limits thereof (such creditor having any legal writ or process taken out for prosecuting recovery, or levying any such debt or debts, sum or sums of money, and making oath before such justices of the peace, or any of them, that a debt or debts, exceeding fifty pounds at the least, is justly due to him, her or them, from the person or persons against whom such complaint shall be made, and that such creditor verily believes, that such person or persons doth then reside or remain within such a place as aforesaid) it shall and may be lawful to and for the said justices of the peace, or any three or more of them, and they are hereby authorized and empowered, in all and every such case and cases (if they in their discretions shall find it to be requisite) to issue their warrant or order, from time to time, to the sheriff of the county of Surrey, or to the bailiff of the liberty of the borough of Southwark, for the time being, thereby strictly enjoining and requiring him or them, his or their respective deputy or deputies, officer or officers (under such penalty, as by this act is prescribed for non-performance of his or their duty therein) to raise and take the posse comitatus, or such other power or force, as to the said justices, or any three or more of them, shall seem requisite, and enter the said pretended privileged place, called Suffolk-place, or the Mint, and the limits, or pretended limits thereof, and every or any part thereof, and to arrest, and in the case of reluctance or refusal, to open or break open any door or doors to arrest such person or persons, upon any mesne process or other process, extent or execution, and to seize the goods of any such person or persons, upon any execution or extent; and if any such sherrif or chief bailiff, or any his or their deputy or deputies, officer or officers, or any of them, shall neglect or refuse, upon such warrant or order, with such force, to use his or their best endeavours for the executing of such process, execution or extent, he or they so neglecting or refusing to execute such process, execution or extent, shall forfeit to the plaintiff or plaintiffs the sum of two hundred pounds, to be recovered by action of debt, or of the case, bill, plaint or information, in which no essoin, protection, wager of law, or more than one imparlance shall be allowed; and if any person or persons shall resist or oppose any officer or officers of justice, or any person or persons, who shall be aiding or assisting to such officer or officers in the execution of any writ, or any escape warrant, or any warrant or warrants of any justice or justices of the peace, or of any legal process, execution or extent, within the said place called Suffolk-place, or the Mint, or within any the limits, or pretended limits thereof, or shall make rescous of any prisoner taken upon any such write, process, execution or extent, within the place or limits aforesaid, or shall there knowingly harbour or conceal any prisoner so taken, or any person or persons, who rescued any such prisoner, or shall be any ways contriving, or knowingly and willingly abetting, aiding or assisting, in resisting any such officer or officers, or in rescuing any such prisoner or prisoners taken as aforesaid, or shall presume to exercise any unlawful jurisdiction, or make or execute, or join in the making or executing any pretended rule, order or ordinance, for supporting any pretended privilege within the said place called Suffolk-place, or the Mint, or any the limits, or pretended limits thereof, contrary to law, or for opposing or hindering the due execution of any legal process, or any lawful warrant, or any rule, order or decree of any court of law or equity, all and every person and persons so offending, being thereof lawfully convicted upon any indictment or information to be brought or filed within six months after the offence committed, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and shall be transported to some or one of his Majesty’s colonies or plantations in America, by such ways, means and methods, and in such manner, and for such time, and under such pains and penalties, as felons in other cases are by law to be transported.
III. And for more effectually preventing for the future the great and enormous mischiefs and abuses, which have been riotously committed and done within the said place called Suffolk-place or the Mint, or within any the limits, or pretended limits thereof, by wicked persons in vizards, masks, or disguised habits, or having their faces or bodies disguised; be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if after the tenth day of October one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, any person or persons whatsoever, wearing any vizard, mask, or disguised habit, or having his or their face or faces, or body or bodies disguised, shall within the said place called Suffolk-place or the Mint, or within any the limits, or pretended limits thereof, join in, or aid or abet any riot or tumult there, or shall, in any vizard, mask, or other disguise whatsoever, knowingly and willingly there oppose the execution of any legal process, order or warrant, or assault or abuse any person or persons serving or executing any such process, order or warrant, or for having so done, all and every such person or persons, being lawfully convicted of any such offence, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and shall forfeit and suffer as in cases of felony, without benefit of clergy; and all persons aiding, assisting or abetting, or knowingly harbouring or concealing any such disguised person or persons, being thereof convicted, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and shall be transported to some or one of his Majesty’s colonies or plantations in America, by such ways, means and methods, and in such manner, and for such time, and under such pains and penalties, as felons in other cases are by law to be transported.
IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the tenth day of October one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, all and every person and persons who shall apprehend and take any person or persons, guilt of any of the offences before mentioned, and prosecute such person or persons until he or they be convicted, shall have and receive, for every such offender so convicted, the sum of forty pounds, to be paid by the sheriff of the county of Surrey, without any deduction or fee for the same, within one month after such conviction and demand thereof made, by tendering a certificate to the said sheriff, under the hand or hands of the judge or justices before whom such offender or offenders shall be convicted, certifying the conviction of such offender or offenders, and that he or they were taken by the person or persons claiming the said reward; and in case any dispute shall arise between the persons so apprehending any of the said offenders, touching their right and title to the said reward, that then the said judge or justices, so respectively certifying as aforesaid, shall in and by his and their said certificate, direct and appoint the said reward to and amongst the parties claiming the same, in such shares and proportions, as to the said judge or justices shall seem just and reasonable; and if it shall happen any such sheriff shall die or be removed after such conviction and demand made of the said reward (the same not being paid as aforesaid) that then the next succeeding sheriff of the said county of Surrey shall pay the same, within one month after demand, and certificate brought as aforesaid; and if default of payment of the said sum or sums of money shall happen to be made by any such sheriff, the sheriff making default shall forfeit to the person and persons, to whom such money shall be due as aforesaid, double the sum or sums of money such sherrif ought to have paid, to be recovered with double costs of suit by the person or persons aforesaid, or his or their executors or administrators, in any of his Majesty’s courts of record at Westminster, by action of debt, bill, plaint or information, wherein no essoin, privilege, protection or wager of law shall be allowed, nor more than one imparlance.
V. And be it further enacted, That in case any person or persons shall happen to be killed by any such offender or offenders, endeavouring to apprehend, or in making pursuit after him or them, that then the executors or administrators, or such person or persons, to whom the right of administration of the personal estate of each person so killed shall belong (upon certificate delivered under the hands and seals of the judge or justices of assize for the county where the fact was done, or the two next justices of the peace, of such person or persons being so killed, which certificate the said judge or justices, upon sufficient proof before him or them made, is and are hereby required immediately to give without fee or reward) shall receive the sum of forty pounds from the sheriff of the county where the said act was done and committed, and upon failure of payment thereof by the said sheriff, such sheriff shall forfeit double the said sum of forty pounds, to be recovered against him, with double costs of suit, in manner aforesaid.
VI. And it is hereby further enacted, That all sheriffs, their executors or administrators, upon producing such respective certificates, and the receipts for the money by them paid in pursuance of this act, shall be allowed, and are hereby impowered to deduct, upon their accounting with his Majesty, his heirs and successors, all monies (other than the forfeited sum and sums of money, and costs of suit) which they shall disburse as aforesaid, without any fee or reward whatsoever.
VII. Provided always, That if upon the account of any sheriff there shall not be sufficient in the hands of such sheriff to reimburse him such monies paid by him by virtue of this act, that then the sheriff having so paid the said monies, shall have the same repaid by the commissioners of his Majesty’s treasury or the lord high treasurer for the time being, out of the revenue of the crown, or by record of surplusage upon any other sheriff indebted to his Majesty, upon certificate from the clerk of the pipe to that effect.
VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in case any such apprehender and prosecutor is guilty of any of the offences aforesaid, every such apprehender and prosecutor, not being in prison for any the said offences, and convicting two or more persons of any the offences aforesaid, shall not only have the aforesaid reward of forty pounds, but shall also have, and is hereby entitled to his Majesty’s most gracious pardon, for any of the said offences committed at any time or times before discovery is made of such other two or more persons so to be convicted as aforesaid.
IX. And whereas it is notorious, that dangerous riots and tumults have been frequently occasioned, and great mischiefs done by many inhabitants in the said place, commonly called Suffolk-place or the Mint, unlawfully assembling themselves, and with force opposing the execution of legal process, so that it hath been necessary, for suppressing such riots and tumults, and to enforce due execution of the law, to raise the posse comitatus, or some other extraordinary power: be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the necessary charge of raising the posse comitatus, or such other power as aforesaid, for enforcing the due execution of this act, or the said former act, or for better effecting the purposes thereof, shall be paid by the said sherrif, and allowed in his accounts, or be repaid by the commissioners of his Majesty’s treasury, or the lord high treasurer for the time being, out of the revenue of the crown, or by record of surplusage upon any other sheriff in debt upon his account, upon certificate from the clerk of the pipe to that effect.
X. Provided always, That nothing in this act contained, shall be construed to extend to repeal or make void the said recited act of the eighth and ninth years of the reign of his said late majesty king William the third, or any other law in force, against pretended privileged places, or for suppressing riots or tumults, but that the same shall, to all intents and purposes, be in full force and effect, as if this act had never been made, except in such cases touching which other provision is made by this act.
XI. And forasmuch as there may be inhabiting or residing in the said place called Suffolk-place or the Mint, or within the limits thereof, some persons, who by misfortunes in trade, or other accidents or calamities, have been reduced to such necessities, as have obliged them to take shelter or protection there; and it may be reasonable and convenient to give some relief to such objects of charity and compassion, upon their faithful discovering upon oath, and delivering up, and assigning all their estates and effects whatsoever, for the benefit of their creditors, as is herein after directed; Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That such Persons as shall, by Two lawful Witnesses, prove themselves to be such Objects of Charity and Compassion, in such manner as is herein after mentioned, and shall make a full and true Discovery of all their Estates and Effects, and shall deliver up and assign the same, for the Benefit of their Creditors, and conform to the Directions of this Act herein after mentioned, shall, upon such Discovery, Delivery up, and Assignment, be discharged upon any Arrests or Imprisonment, for any Debt owing by them before the Eleventh Day of February, One thousand seven hundred and twenty two; and to that End, Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for any Justice or Justices of the Peace for the said County of Surrey (upon the Petition of any such Person or Persons) by Warrant under his or their Hand and Seal, or Hand and Seals, to order and appoint such Person or Persons so Petitioning, to appear before the Justices at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, to be held next after the Expiration of Thirty Days from the Date of such Warrant: And such Person or Persons, coming before such Justices at the said Quarter Sessions, shall in open Court subscribe and deliver in a Schedule of his, her, or their whole Estate, Real and Personal, of what Nature or Kind soever, and the Names of his, her, or their several Debtors, and the several Sums of Money from them respectively secured and owing upon any Speciality, Contract, or other Account whatsoever, and the Names and Places of Abode of the several Persons from whom such Debts are due and owing, and the Witnesses who can prove any such Debt or Contract (if there be any such) and make Oath and Swear to the Effect following; (That is to say)
I A.B. do, upon my Corporal Oath, in the Presence of Almighty God, solemnly Swear, Protest, and Declare, That the Schedule now delivered and subscribed by me, doth contain, to the best of my Knowledge, Remembrance, and Belief, a full, just, true, and perfect Discovery and Account of all Estates, Goods, Chattels, and Effects, of what Nature or Kind soever unto me in any wise belonging, and of all Debts owing to me, or to any Person or Persons in Trust for me, and of all Securities and Contracts, whereby any Money will or may hereafter become payable, or any Benefit or Advantage accrue to me, or to my Use, or to any Person or Persons in Trust for me, and the Names and Places of Abode of the several Persons from whom such Debts are due and owing, and of the Witnesse that can prove such Debts or Contracts; and that neither I, nor any Person or Persons in Trust for me, have any Land, Money, Stock, or any Estate, Real or Personal, in Possession, Reversion, or Remainder, other than what are in the said Schedule contained (excepting Wearing Apparel, Bedding for myself and Family, working Tools, and necessary Implements for my Occupation and Calling, and these in the whole not exceeding the Value of Twenty Pounds; and that I have not, directly or indirectly, sold, lessened, or otherwise conveyed, disposed of in Trust, or concealed, all or any Part of my Land, Money, Goods, Chattels, Stocks, Debts, Securities, Contracts, or Estates, Real or Personal, whereby to secret, conceal, or secure the same, or to receive or expect any Benefit, Profit, or Advantage thereof, or to defraud or deceived any Creditor or Creditors, to whom I am indebted, in any wise howsoever; and that I did reside and inhabit in the Mint aforesaid, or the Limits, or pretended Limits thereof, for Shelter and Protection, on the Eleventh Day of February, One thousand seven hundred and twenty two:
So help me God.
Which said Schedule being so subscribed in the Presence of the Justices in open Court and Sessions, as aforesaid, shall remain with the Clerk of the Peace for the said County of Surrey, for better Information of all the Creditors of such Person or Persons; and all Estates, Real and Personal, Debts and Effects, contained or mentioned in such Schedule, as aforesaid, shall, immediately after Discharge of such Person or Persons, be, and are hereby vested in the Clerk of the Peace for the said County of Surrey, who is hereby directed and authorized, by Order of the Justice at their General Quarter-Sessions of the Peace, to make an Assignment of all the said Estates, Real and Personal, Debts and Effects, to such of the Creditors of the said Person or Persons, who shall apply for the same, by any Writing under their Hands, shall direct or appoint (for which Assignment the said Clerk of the Peace shall take a fee of One Shilling, and no more) in Trust for themselves and the rest of the Creditors; which said Assignee or Assignees is and are hereby impowered and required, in his, her or their own Name or Names, to sue for, recover, and receive the same, and to give sufficient Discharges to the respective Debtors, and to divide the same among the Creditors, who, within Two Months after Notice of such Divided to be published in the London Gazette, shall produce to such Assignee or Assignees an Oath in Writing, made before One or more Justice or Justices of the Peace (who is and are hereby impowered and required to administer such Oath) proving his or her just Debt due from such Person or Persons so discharged, in equal Proportion, according to their respective Debts; for which Assignment the Clerk of the Peace shall be paid One Shilling, and no more, over and above the Stamp Duties; and after the same is recovered and received, to tender the Overplus (if any shall be, their own just Debts and Charges first deducted) to such Person or Persons so discharged, as aforesaid, his, her, or their Executors or Administrators.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Justice or Justices, who shall grant any Warrant or Warrants for any Person or Persons appearing before the Justices at any General or Quarter-Sessions aforesaid, shall give a Writing, importing Notice to all the Creditors of such Person or Persons petitioning, as aforesaid, under his or their Hands and Seals, that he or they hath or have granted such Warrant or Warrants, and that the said Person or Persons hath or have petitioned to be discharged; and such Person or Persons so Petitioning, shall cause the said Notice, or a true Copy thereof, to be left for, or serv’d upon all and every of his, her, or their Creditors, or their Executors or Administrators, inhabiting within the Cities of London and Westminster, or either of them, or elsewhere within the Weekly Bills of Mortality, or within Ten Miles of the said Place called Suffolk-Place, or the Mint; which said Notice shall be served or left with the said Person or Persons respectively, Thirty Days before such General or Quarter-Sessions appointed by the said Warrant; and Publick Notice shall also be inserted in the London Gazette, containing the Name, trade, or Occupation, and last Place of Abode of every such Person so to be discharged, before he or she came into the Mint; for which Notice in the Gazette there shall be paid One Shilling for each Name, and no more, Thirty Days before such General or Quarter-Session, so that all Creditors, and the Person or Persons Petitioning, may appear before the Justices at such General or Quarter-Sessions; and in case it shall be proved upon Oath before the said Justices, that such Notice in Writing was so served or left, as aforesaid, and such Publick Notice inserted in the London gazette Thirty Days before such General or Quarter-Sessions, and that the Person or Persons so Petitioning was or were actually inhabiting or residing in the Mint for Shelter or Protection, as aforesaid, upon the Eleventh Day of February, One thousand seven hundred and twenty two, and hath or have so continued to inhabit or reside there till the Time of his, her, or their Petitioning to be discharged, and the said Oath taken by him be not disproved, by good Testimony of any Credible Person or Persons upon Oath, to be administred by the said Justice, then the said Justices, in their said General or Quarter Sessions, or the major part of them, being satisfied of the Truth of the Premisses, shall thereupon, by Order of the said Sessions, free and discharge such Person or Persons so inhabiting or residing, as aforesaid, for Shelter or Protection within the said Place, commonly called Suffolk-Place, or the Mint, or within the Limits, or pretended Limits thereof, from any future Arrests or Imprisonment for any Debt or Debts owing by such Person, before the Eleventh Day of February, One thousand seven hundred and twenty two.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if the Clerk of the Peace for the said County of Surrey for the time being, shall delay or refuse to give any such Person, so discharged, as aforesaid, within Sixty Days after his or her Discharge, a Duplicate of his or her Discharge, on the Payment of One Shilling, or shall take more than the Sum of One Shilling for such Duplicate, such Clerk of the Peace shall, for every such Neglect or Refusal, forfeit and pay to every such Person entitled to and requesting such Duplicate, the Sum of Five Pounds, to be recovered with Costs of Suit, either by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, in any of His Majesty’s Courts of Record at Westminster, wherein no Essoign, Protection, Privilege, or Wager of Law, or more than One Imparlance, shall be granted or allowed; or by Order of the Justices of the Peace, at their General Quarter-Sessions, to be holden for the said County of Surrey, who are hereby impowered and required to levy the same, by Distress and Sale of the Goods of the Persons so offending.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person, so inhabiting or residing, or pretending to inhabit or reside, in the said Place called Suffolk-Place, or the Mint, or within any the Limits, or pretended Limits thereof, shall forswear or perjure himself or herself in any of the Matters aforesaid, and shall be thereof lawfully convicted, he or she shall be adjudged Guilty of Felony, without Benefit of Clergy.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person, discharged by the Authority of, or pursuant to this Act, shall at any time after such Discharge be imprisoned by reason of any Judgement obtained, or any Debt, Damages, Contempts, Costs, Sum or Sums of Money contracted, insured, owing or due, before the said Eleventh Day of February, One thousand seven hundred and twenty two, but that upon every Arrest upon every or any such Judgement, or for any such Debts, Damages, Contempts, Costs, or Sum or Sums of Money, due before the said Eleventh Day of February, it shall and may be lawful for any Judge or Judges of the Court where the Process issued, upon shewing the Duplicate of such Person or Persons Discharge or Discharges, to release and discharge out of Custody such Person or Persons; and such Judge and Judges is and are hereby impowered so to do, as such Person so arrested or detained upon Execution or Mesne Process, do give a Warrant of Attorney to appear to every such Action, and to plead thereunto.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Suit or Action be brought against any Justice or Justices of the Peace, or any Sheriff, Bailiff, Officer, or Minister whatsoever, for any thing by him or them done in pursuance of this Act, he or they may plead the General Issue, and give this Act in Evidence; and if the Plaintiff or Plaintiffs be Non-suited, or discontinue his or their Action or Actions, or if a Verdict pass against him, her, or them, or Judgment upon Demurrer be given against any such Plaintiff or Plaintiffs, the Defendant or Defendants shall have Treble Costs, and shall have such Remedy for the same, as any Defendant or Defendants have for Costs in other Cases by Law.
Provided, That the Discharge of any Person by virtue of this Act, shall not acquit any other Person or Persons from any Debt, Sum or Sums of Money, or any Part thereof; but that all others shall remain, and be liable and answerable for the same, as they were before.
Provided always, That it shall and may be lawful for any Person discharged by this Act, in case any Scire facias or Action of Debt shall be brought against him or her, upon any Judgement obtained against him or her, before the said Eleventh Day of February, to plead generally in Discharge of his or her Person from Execution, that he or she was actually residing in the said Place called Suffolk-Place, or the Mint, or within the Limits or pretended Limits thereof, on the said Eleventh Day of February, and was duly discharged, according to this Act, at the General or Quarter-Sessions held at such Time and Place for the said County of Surrey (as his or her Case shall be) without pleading any other Matter specially; and in case any other Action or Suit shall be brought or commenced against him or her for any other Debt or Debts, or Sum or Sums of Money due or owing before the said Eleventh Day of February, to plead in Discharge of his or her Person from Execution, that such Debt or Debts, or Sum or Sums of Money (as the Case shall happen) was or were contracted, or due or owing before the said Eleventh Day of February, and that he or she was actually resident in the said Place called Suffolk Place, or the Mint, or within the Limits, or pretended Limits thereof, on the said Eleventh Day of February, and was duly discharged in the Manner above directed, without pleading any other Matter specially, whereto the Plaintiff or Plaintiffs shall or may reply, that such Defendant was not actually resident in the said Place called Suffolk Place, or the Mint, or within the Limits, or pretended Limits thereof, on the said Eleventh Day of February, or any other Matter or Thing, which may shew the said Defendant not to be entitled to the Benefit of this Act, or not duly discharged according to it, in the same Manner as the Plaintiff or Plaintiffs might have replied, in case the Defendant had pleaded this Act, and his or her Discharge by virtue of this Act specially; and if the Plaintiff or Plaintiffs shall be Non-suited, or discontinue his or her Action, or if a Verdict shall pass against him, her, or them, or Judgment be given against him, her, or them, upon Demurrer, the Defendant shall have Double Costs, and shall have such Remedy for the same, as any Defendant or Defendants have for Costs in other Cases by Law.
Provided always, and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person or Persons whatsoever shall, by virtue of this Act, be entitled to, or have any Benefit of any Discharge from any Debts or Arrests whatsoever, unless such Discharge be obtained before the Tenth Day of July, One thousand seven hundred and twenty four.
Provided also, That no Person against whom any Commission of Bankrupt hath been awarded, and whose Certificate hath not been allowed, shall have or be entitled to any such Discharge, or receive any Benefit therefrom.
Provided always, That notwithstanding the Discharge of any Person or Persons pursuant to or by Authority of this Act, if it shall hereafter appear such Discharge was obtained fraudulently, the same shall be, and is hereby declared to be Void and of none Effect.
Provided also, That every Person petitioning in Order to be discharged pursuant to this Act, shall, at the Time of such Petitioning, leave with the Justice or Justices petitioned, a true and exact List, signed by him or her, of all his or her Creditors, and also a true Copy of the Schedule containing his or her Discovery, to be sworn unto at the General or Quarter-Sessions, as aforesaid; which List and Copy of the Schedule shall be forthwith transmitted to the Clerk of the Peace for the said County of Surrey, in whose Custody the same shall or may be inspected, at all reasonable Times, by any Creditor desiring to see the same, without any Fee or Reward.
Provided always, That no Person shall be entitled to, or have any Benefit or Advantage by any Discharge from any Debts or Arrests to be granted pursuant to this Act, who shall be really and bona fide indebted in more than the Sum of Fifty Pounds for Principal to any One Person, besides Interest and Costs of Suit.
And whereas divers Persons, who have taken Shelter within the said pretended Privileged Place called the Mint, in the Parish of St. George in the County of Surrey, have rented Houses or Land to the Yearly Value of Ten Pounds per Annum or upwards therein, but by reason of their Poverty were never rated nor paid to the Relief of the Poor of the said Parish, nor served any Parochial Offices there; Be it therefore Declared and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no such Shelterer or Shelterers, or their Families, shall be judged to have gained any Legal Settlement in the said Parish, by virtue of having rented any houses of Lands of such Value, unless such Shelterer or Shelterers have been rated and have paid to the Relief of the Poor of the said Parish, or have served Parochial Offices there; Any Law or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
Source: Hardcopy. First 10 clauses in Pickering, Statutes at Large, vol. 15.
Note: Partially repealed by 1820: 1 George 4 c.116.