Haselgrove, Ralph Moor, Thomas Parsons, Thomas Snook twenty-one II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Freeholders That from henceforth it shall and may be lawful to and above for every freeholder, being above the age of one and years of age twenty years, who shall have within the rape of Bramber, of 40s. annuin the said county of Sussex, a freehold of the clear yearly ally entitled value of forty shillings, to give his vote at every election to vote. of a Burgess or Burgesses to serve in Parliament for the said borough of New Shoreham. whom vested III. And be it further enacted by the authority afore- Right of said, That the right of election of a member or members election, in to serve in parliament for the said borough of New Shoreham shall be, and is hereby declared to be, in such freeholders as aforesaid, and in the persons who, by the custom and usage of the said borough, have, or shall hereafter have, a right to vote at such election, those whose names are mentioned herein, and incapacitated and disabled by this act, only excepted; and the constable, or other proper officer for the time being, to whom the return of such writ or precept does belong, is hereby required to return the person or persons to serve in parliament for the said borough who shall have the major number of votes of such freeholders and other persons having a right to vote at such election (except such persons as are hereinbefore excepted); any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority afore- Freeholders before admitted to poll, to take the following Oath. Persons guilty of perjury, &c., liable to penalties, as directed by Act 5 Eliz. and Act: 2 Geo. If. said, That every such freeholder, before he is admitted to poll at any election for the said borough, shall if required by the candidates, or any of them, or any other person having a right to vote at the said election, first take the Oath (or being one of the people called Quakers, the solemn affirmation) following; videlicet, "You shall swear, or, being a Quaker, solemnly affirm, that you are a freeholder in the rape of Bramber, in the county of Sussex, and have a freehold estate, consisting of (specifying the nature thereof, and if it consists in messuages, lands, or tythes, in whose occupation the same are; and if in rent, the names of the owners or possessors of the tenements out of which such rent is issuing, or some of them), lying or being at within the rape of Bramber, in the county of Sussex, of the clear yearly value of forty shillings, over and above all rents and charges payable out of or in respect of the same; and that you have been in the actual possession or receipt of the rents and profits thereof for your own use above twelve calendar months (or that the same came to you within the time aforesaid by descent, marriage, marriagesettlement, devise, or promotion to a benefice in a church, or by promotion to an office); and that such freehold estate has not been granted or made to you fraudulently, on purpose to qualify you to give your vote; and that the place of your abode is at and that you are twenty-one years of age, as you believe; and that you have not been polled before at this election." in Which oath, or solemn affirmation, the constable, or other proper officer to whom the return of any writ or precept for such election shall belong, is hereby required to administer and in case any freeholder or other person taking the said oath or affirmation hereby appointed, shall thereby commit wilful perjury, and be thereof convicted; or if any person shall unlawfully and corruptly procure or suborn any freeholder or other person to take the said oath or affirmation, in order to be polled, whereby he shall commit such wilful perjury, and shall be thereof convicted, he and they, for every such offence respectively, shall incur such penalties as are inflicted on persons guilty of perjury, or subornation of perjury, in and by two acts of parliament, one made in the fifth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth (intituled, "An Act for punishing such persons as shall procure or commit wilful perjury, or suborn or procure any person to commit any wilful or corrupt perjury"); and the other made in the second year of his late Majesty's reign (intituled, Act for the more effectual preventing and further punishment of forgery, perjury, and subornation of perjury, and to make it felony to steal bonds, notes, or other "An securities for payment of money"), contrary to the said Acts. V. And be it further enacted by the authority afore- Constable to! said, That such constable, or other proper officer, to whom back a preany writ or precept shall be directed for making any elec- cept the day tion for the said borough, shall, upon the reception of such of the receipt thereof. writ or precept, indorse upon the back thereof the day of his receipt thereof, in the presence of the party from whom he received such precept; and shall forthwith cause public notice to be given within the said borough of New Shoreham, and at the towns of Bramber and Steyning, in the said county of Sussex, by fixing up a notice thereof, in writing on the market-houses, or on the doors of the churches of the said towns, of the day of election; and shall proceed to election thereupon, within the space of twelve days, and not less than eight days, next after his receipt of the same precept. VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this Act shall be publicly read at every election for the said borough of New Shoreham, immediately after the Acts directed by any Act of parliament to be read thereat, and before the persons present shall proceed to make such election. The Act to be read publicly, Cricklade Act. (22 GEO. III. c. 31.) An Act for the Preventing of Bribery and Corruption in the Election of Members in Parliament for the Borough of Cricklade, in the County of Wilts. Preamble. Whereas there was the most notorious bribery and corruption at the last election of burgesses to serve in parliament for the borough of Cricklade, in the county of Wilts: and whereas such bribery and corruption is likely to continue and be practised in the said borough in future, unless some means are taken to prevent the same; in order therefore to prevent such unlawful practices for the future, and that the said borough may from henceforth be duly represented in parliament; 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 from henceforth it shall and may be Certain freelawful to and for every freeholder, being above the age of holders enti twenty-one years, who shall have within the hundreds or for the bodivisions of Highworth, Cricklade, Staple, Kingsbridge, rough of and Malmsbury, or one or more of them, in the county of Cricklade. Wilts, a freehold of the clear yearly value of forty shil tled to vote Customary voters also entitled. No freeholders to vote but such as are quali fied to be county voters. lings, to give his vote at every election of a burgess or burgesses to serve in parliament for the said borough of Cricklade. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the right of election of a member or members to serve in parliament for the said borough of Cricklade, shall be, and is hereby declared to be, in such freeholders as aforesaid, and in the persons who, by the custom and usage of the said borough, have, or shall hereafter have, a right to vote at such election; and the proper officer for the time being, to whom the return of every writ or process does belong, is hereby required to return the person or persons to serve in parliament for the said borough who shall have the major number of votes of such freeholders and other persons having a right to vote at such election; any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. III. Provided always, That such freeholders only shall be entitled to vote as shall be duly qualified to vote at elections for knights of the shire for the said county of Wilts, according to the laws now in being for regulating county elections. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforeFreeholders said, That every such freeholder, before he is admitted to to be sworn. poll at any election for the said borough, shall, if required by the candidates, or any of them, or any other person having a right to vote at the said election, first take the oath, or being one of the people called Quakers, the solemn affirmation following: videlicet, Oath. "I do swear [or, being a Quaker solemnly affirm], That I am a freeholder in the hundreds or divisions of Highworth, Cricklade, Staple, Malmsbury, and Kingsbridge, or any one or more of them, in the county of Wilts, and have a freehold estate consisting of -[specifying the nature thereof; and if it consists in messuages, lands, tenements or tithes, in whose occupation the same are; and if in rent, the names of the owners or possessors of the tenements out of which such rent is issuing, or of some of them], situate, lying, or being at in the aforesaid hundreds or divisions, or in one or more of them, of the clear yearly value of forty shillings, over and above all rents and charges payable out of or in respect of the same; and that I have been in the actual possession or receipt of rents and profits thereof, for my own use, above twelve calendar months (or, that the same came to me within the time aforesaid by descent, marriage, marriage settlement, devise, or promotion to a benefice in a church, or by promotion to an office); and that such freehold estate has not been granted or made to me fraudulently, on purpose to qualify me to give my vote; and that the place of my abode is at and that I am twenty-one years of age, as I believe, and that I have not been polled before at this election." Which oath, or solemn affirmation, the proper officer, Penalty on to whom the return of any writ or precept for such elec- committing perjury, or tion shall belong, is hereby required to administer: and subornation in case any freeholder, or other person, taking the said thereof. oath or affirmation hereby appointed, shall thereby commit wilful perjury, and be thereof convicted; or if any person shall unlawfully and corruptly procure or suborn any freeholder or other person to take the said oath or affirmation, in order to be polled, whereby he shall commit such wilful perjury, and shall be thereof convicted, he and they, for every such offence respectively, shall incur such penalties as are inflicted on persons guilty of perjury, or subornation of perjury, in and by two Acts of parliament, one made in the fifth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, intituled "An Act for punishing such persons as shall procure or commit wilful perjury, or suborn or procure any person to commit any wilful or corrupt perjury;" and the other, made in the second year of the reign of his majesty King George the Second, intituled "An Act for the more effectual preventing and further punishment of forgery, perjury, and subornation of perjury, and to make it felony to steal bonds, notes, or other securities for payment of money," contrary to the said acts. any writ for V. And be it further enacted by the authority afore- How officer said, That such proper officer, to whom any writ or pre- to proceed on cept shall be directed for making any election for the receiving said borough, shall, upon the receipt of such writ or pre- election. cept, indorse upon the back thereof the day of his receipt thereof, in the presence of the party from whom he received such precept, and shall forthwith cause public notice to be given within the said borough of Cricklade, and the several towns of Highworth, Malmsbury, Swindon, and Wotton-Bassett, by affixing a notice thereof in writing, on the market-houses, or on the doors of the churches of the said towns, of the day of election; and shall proceed to election thereupon within the space of twelve days, and not less than eight days, next after his receipt of the same precept. VI. And be it further enacted by the authority afore- This act to said, That this act shall be publicly read at every election be read prefor the said borough of Cricklade, immediately after the vious to any election. acts directed by any act of parliament to be read thereat, and before the persons present shall proceed to make such election. |