After July 5, 1779, there fhall be paid yearly out of the turpluffes of certain famp-duties, &c. the fol lowing fums, in augmen tation of the judges falaries; videlicet, 400%. to each poifne judge In the King's bench and common pieas; 500%. to the chief baron, and 400. to each of the other barons of the exchequer. Preamble. enacted by the King's most excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That, from and after the fifth day of July one thousand seven hundred and feventy-nine, there fhall be yearly, and every year, iffued, paid, and applied, out of the faid fum, of fifteen thousand two hundred and ninety-feven pounds, ten hillings, and five-pence farthing, of the furpluffes of the faid feveral stamp-duties fo remaining in the receipt of the exchequer as aforefaid; and out of all or any of the furpluffes which have arifen or thall arife upon the faid feveral ftamp-duties granted by the acts aforefaid, (after the payments already charged thereupon fhall from time to time have been fatisfied,) and out of the furpluffes now remaining in the receipt of the exchequer, and which thall hereafter arise, upon the faid deductions of fixpence in the pound out of all falaries, penfions, annuities, and other payments as aforefaid, after fatisfying the faid feveral annuities already charged on the fame the fums of money follow. ing, to the feveral judges herein-after mentioned, as an addition to and in further augmentation of their respective falaries; that is to say, the fum of four hundred pounds to each of the puifne juftices for the time being in the courts of King's bench and common pleas at Westminster; the fum of five hundred pounds to the chief baron for the time being in the court of exchequer at Westminster; and the fum of four hundred pounds to each of the other barons of the coif for the time being in the faid court of exchequer; which said several and refpective fums of money fhall be and are hereby charged upon the faid fum of fifteen thousand two hundred and ninety-feven pounds, ten fhillings, and five-pence farthing, and alfo upon the feveral furpluffes aforefaid; and fhall be paid thereout in every year at fuch time and times, and in fuch manner, as the falaries of the faid judges now are or have been accuftomarily paid. CA P. LXVI. An act for granting to his Majesty feveral additional duties on famped vellum, parchment, and paper; and for better fecuring the ftamp-duties upon indentures, leafes, deeds, and other inftru ments. Moft gracious Sovereign, WE, E, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the commons of Great Britain, in parliament affembled, towards raifing the neceffary fupplies which we have freely granted to your Majefty in this feffion of parliament, have refolved to give and grant to your Majesty the feveral additional rates and duties herein-after mentioned; and do therefore most humbly beseech your Majefty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's moft excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal, and com mons, 345 mons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That, from and after the fecond day of August, After Aug. 2, one thousand seven hundred and feventy-nine, there fhall be 3779, the folraised, levied, collected, and paid, throughout the kingdom of lowing additional stamp Great Britain, unto and for the use of his Majefty, his heirs and duties to be fucceffors, the feveral rates and duties following; (that is to fay,) paid; videlicet, For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or theet or For every skin piece of paper, upon which any probate of a will, or letters of of parchment, administration for any estate of or above the value of one hun- or sheet of pa dred pounds, fhall be ingroffed, written, or printed, an additio- per, ufed in the probate of nal stamp-duty of twenty fhillings; and a further additional a will, or adftamp-duty of twenty fhillings where the eftate is of, or above, miniftering to the value of three hundred pounds, over and above all other an estate of duties now charged thereon: 100/ value, 203. &c. skin, &c. used I For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper, upon which is ingroffed or written the copy of any will, an additional ftamp-duty of one penny: For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment,or fheet or piece a will. 1 d. of paper, upon which is ingroffed or written any libel, allegation, For ditto used in any libel, depofition, or inventory, exhibited in any ecclefiaftical court, the &c. in any eccourts of admiralty, and cinque ports, and all copies thereof, an clefiaftical additional ftamp-duty of 'fixpence : court, &c. 6d. For every piece of vellum or parchment, upon which any For every writ of covenant for levying fines fhall be ingroffed or written, piece, &c. ufed an additional stamp-duty of five fhillings: in writs of 55. For ditto ufed For every piece of vellum or parchment, upon which any writ levying fines, of entry for fuffering a common recovery fhall be ingroffed or written, an additional ftamp-duty of five fhillings: For every skin of vellum, upon which is ingroffed or written any exemplification, of what nature foever, that fhall pafs the feal of any court whatfoever, an additional ftamp-duty of five fhillings; in writs of 55. For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or fheet or For every piece of paper, upon which any presentation or donation which skin of velfhall pass the great feal, or upon which any collation to be lum, ufed in any exemplimade by any archbishop or other bishop, or any prefentation or fication that donation to be made by any patron whatfoever, of or to any be- fhall pass the nefice, dignity, or fpiritual or ecclefiaftical promotion whatfo- feal of any ever, fhall be ingroffed or written, an additional stamp-duty of court, 55. forty fhillings; provided fuch benefice, dignity, or promotion, skin, &c. ufed fhall be of the yearly value of ten pounds, or above, in the in any preKing's books: For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or fheet or piece of paper, upon which any difpenfation to hold two ecclefiaftical dignities or benefices, or both a dignity and a benefice, or any other difpenfation or faculty from the lord archbishop of Canterbury, or the mafter of the faculties for the time being, fhall be ingroffed or written, an additional stamp-duty of forty hillings: skin, &c, used in any difpenfation to hold two benefices, &c. 40 s. For every fentation or donation un der the great to collation, &c. a certain va lue, 40 s. For For every For every skin, &c. ufed in any drawback of cuf toms, &c. 8 For every piece, &c. d. ufed in any bill of lading for exportation, 4 d. Probates of the wills, &c. of common feamen or fol diers not chargeable by this act. The aforefaid duties to be under the management of the commif fioners of the tamp-office. Commiffioners may pro vide one new ftamp to denote the leve. ral duties different acts, granted by For every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or fheet or piece of paper, upon which fhall be ingroffed, written, or printed, any certificate or debenture for drawing back any cuftoms or duties, or any part of any customs or duties, for or in refpect of the refhipping or exporting of any goods or merchandizes, which fhall be exported or fhipped to be exported from Great Britain, for any parts beyond the feas, an additional ftamp-duty of eightpence: For every piece of vellum or parchment, or fheet or piece of paper, upon which fhall be ingroffed, written, or printed, any note or bill of lading, which fhall be figned for any goods or merchandizes to be exported, an additional ftamp-duty of fourpence. II. Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall extend to charge the probate of any will, or letters of administration, of any common feaman or foldier who fhall be flain or die in his Majesty's fervice, a certificate being produced from the captain of the hip or veffel, or captain of the troop or company, under whom fuch feamen or foldier ferved at the time of his death, and oath made of the truth thereof before the proper judge or officer by whom fuch probate or adminiftration ought to be granted, which oath fuch judge or officer is hereby authorifed and required to adminifter, and for which no fee or reward fhall be taken. III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That for the better and more effectual levying, collecting, and paying, all the faid additional duties herein-before granted, the fame Thall be under the government, care, and management, of the commiffioners for the time being appointed to manage the duties charged on ftamped vellum, parchment, and paper, who, or the major part of them, are hereby required and impowered to employ the neceffary officers under them for that purpofe, and to use and provide fuch ftamps to denote the faid feveral duties as fhall be requifite in that behalf, and to do all other things neceffary to be done for putting this act in execution with relation to the faid feveral rates and duties herein-before granted, in the like and in as full and ample manner as they, or the major part of them, are authorised to put in execution any former law concerning stamped vellum, parchment, and paper. IV. Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That, to prevent the multiplication of ftamps upon fuch pieces of vellum or parchment, or fheets or pieces of paper, on which feveral duties are by feveral acts of parliament imposed, it shall and may be lawful for the faid commiffioners, inftead of the diftinct ftamps directed to be provided to denote the feveral duties on the vellum, parchment, or paper, charged therewith, to caufe, if they hall fee occafion, one new ftamp to be provided to denote the faid feveral duties, and the duty granted by this act, on every piece of vellum or parchment, or Theet or piece of paper, charged with the faid feveral duties. V. And V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, All vellum. That all vellum, parchment, and paper, liable to the duties &c. liable to hereby charged, fhall, before the fame (hall be ingroffed, print- the new duties, fhall, beed, or written upon, be brought to the head office for ftamping fore it is in or marking vellum, parchment, or paper; and the faid commif- groffed, &c. fioners, by themselves, or by their officers employed under them, be brought to fhall forthwith, upon demand to them made, by any perfon or the flampperfons, from time to time, ftamp or mark, as this act directs, ftamped. any quantities or parcels of vellum, parchment, or paper, as fhall be brought to them for that purpose, the perfon fo bringing the fame paying to the receiver general of the ftamp-duties for the time being, or his deputy or clerk, the feveral duties payable for the fame by virtue of this act. office to be made for pre VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, Ufual allowThat the fame allowance fhall be made on prefent payment of ance to be the several duties granted by this act, in fuch manner as by any fent payment, former law relating to ftamped vellum, parchment, and paper, is directed and allowed. VII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, Stamps may That such stamps, as the faid commiffioners are hereby directed be altered and and authorised to provide and ufe, fhall and may be altered and renewed, &c. renewed in fuch manner as any other ftamps on vellum, parchment, or paper, are, by any former law relating to ftamped vellum, parchment, or paper, directed to be altered and renewed; and that all perfons, who fhall have in their cuftody or poffeffion any vellum, parchment, or paper, marked with the ftamp or mark which fhall be fo altered or renewed, or on which, being already ftamped with a ftamp denoting any former duty, a new ftamp is hereby directed to be impreffed, fhall have the like remedy and allowance as by any former law relating to ftamped vellum, parchment, or paper, is in like cafes directed. VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, If any perfon That if any person fhall counterfeit or forge, or procure to be thall countercounterfeited or forged, any feal, ftamp, or mark, directed or feit any feal, allowed to be used by this or any other act of parliament, for with intent ftamp, &c. the purpose of denoting the duties by this or any other act of to defraud his parliament granted, or fhall counterfeit or resemble the impref- Majefty of his fion of the fame, with an intent to defraud his Majefty, his heirs duties, and fucceffors, of any of the faid duties; or fhall privately or fraudulently use any feal, ftamp, or mark, directed or allowed to be used by this or any other act of parliament relating to the ftamp-duties, with intent to defraud his Majefty, his heirs and fucceffors, of any of the faid duties; every perfon fo offending, and being thereof lawfully convicted, fhall be adjudged a felon, and fhall fuffer death as in cafes of felony, without benefit of clergy. IX. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That All powers, all powers, provifions, articles, clauses, distribution of penalties diftribution and forfeitures, and all other matters and things, prefcribed or &c. prefcribof penalties, appointed by any former act or acts of parliament relating to ed by former the ftamp-duties on vellum, parchment, and paper, fhall be of ftamp-acts, full to be applied fuch perfon hall fuffer death as a felon. in execution of this act. Receiver ge duties grant ed by this act, full force and effect with relation to the feveral duties hereby impofed, and fhall be applied and put in execution for the railing, levying, collecting, and fecuring, the faid additional and new duties hereby impofed, according to the true intent and meaning of this act, as fully, to all intents and purposes, as if the fame had feverally and refpectively been hereby enacted with relation to the faid additional and new duties hereby impofed. X. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That neral to keep the feveral duties herein-before granted fhall be paid, from time a feparate account of the to time into the hands of the receiver-general for the time being of the duties on ftamped vellum, parchment, and paper, who fhall keep a feparate and diftinct account of the feveral rates and duties, and pay the fame (the neceffary charges of raifing, paying, and accounting for the fame, being deducted) into the receipt of the exchequer, for the ufes and purposes in this act mentioned, at such time, and in fuch manner, as any former duties on ftamped vellum, parchment, or paper, are directed to be paid. and to pay the fame into the exchequer. Auditor of the exchequer to keep a feparate account of all application thereof. XI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That there shall be provided and kept, in the office of the auditor of the faid receipt of exchequer, a book or books, in which all the monies arifing from the faid feveral rates and duties, and paid into the faid receipt as aforefaid, fhall be entered feparate. and apart from all other monies paid and payable to his Majefty, his heirs and fucceffors, upon any account whatsoever; and the faid money, fo paid into the faid receipt of exchequer as aforefaid, fhall, together with fuch other rates, duties, and revenues, as shall be granted by any act or acts of this feffion of parliament for this purpofe, be a fund for the payment of the feveral annuities, and all fuch other charges and expences as are directed to be paid and payable pursuant to an act of this prefent feffion of parliament, intituled, An act for raifing a certain fum of money by way of annuities, and for establishing a lottery. XII. And whereas, by the feveral laws now in force, in order to reciting that prevent his Majefty his heirs or fucceffors, from being defrauded of any have lately in of the duties charged upon vellum, parchment, and paper, it is enacted, groffed more That all records, writs, pleadings, or other proceedings, in courts of than the usual law and equity, and all deeds, inflruments, and writings whatsoever, quantity in a charged with the flamp-duties, fhall be ingroffed or written in fuch skin of parch- manner as they have been usually accustomed to be written, and diminution of whereas, till the laft ftamp-duties were impofed, it was the ge Preamble; certain perlons ment, to the the stampduties. neral practice to infert in one skin of parchment twelve chancery sheets, containing ninety wards in each sheet, or fifteen common law sheets, containing feventy-two words in each sheet, and the fame has been held a fair and reasonable quantity to be ingroffed and written in and upon each skin of parchment, and that the ufual charge for drawing and ingroffing the fame, might, upon any costs to be taxed, be fairly and equitably allowed: and whereas feveral perfons, in injury to his Majefty's revenue of ftamps, infert in one skin of parchment the contents of a greater quantity of fheets than the quantity of chancery, or com mon |