Commiffioners may borrow 3,000l. at intereft, or raife it by fale of annuities: no one annuity to exceed 200l. Commisioners order to entitle the contributor to the payment of his intereft and annuity: which shall be charged upon the rates. Annuities deemed indefeasible eftates: but not liable to the land tax. Annuities, etc. may be affigned tuies quoties. Affignments to be entered. As annuitants die, the rates to be lowered. Monies may be raised by fale of other annuities in the place of those that have cealed, for the payment of the intereft money. Expences of paffing this act to be firft paid. Certain parts of the pavement to be done by the parish furveyors: but if they neglect, the commiffioners are to do it. Claufe to impower the commiffioners to pave the footways of any adjuning ftreet, etc. in cafe two thirds of the inhabitants shall request it. The accounts for paving such streets, etc. to be kept feparate. Penalties may be mitigated. How far they may be mitigated. Commiffioners who are justices may act as fuch; and administer oaths. Actions may be instituted in the name of the treasurer. Perfons aggrieved may appeal to the feffions, whofe determination fhall be final. Penalties and forfeitures how to be recovered and applied. Commiffioners may reward informers. Diftrefs not to be deemed unlawful for want of form. Plaintiff not to recover if tender of amends hath been made. Writings to be without ftamps. Proceedings to be entered in a book, which may be read in evidence. Proceedings not to be quashed for want of form, nor removed by Certiorari. Limitation of actions. General iffue. Treble cofts. Publick act.

An act for railing a certain fum of money by loans or exchequer bills, for the service of the year one thousand feven hundred and seventyeight.

An act to indemnify fuch perfons as have omitted to qualify themfelves for offices and employments; and to indemnify juftices of the peace, or others, who have omitted to register or deliver in their qualifications within the time limited by law, and for giving further time for those purposes; and to indemnify members and officers, in cities, corporations, and borough towns, whofe admissions have been omitted to be flamped according to law, or, having been stamped, have been loft or mislaid; and for allowing them time to provide admiffions duly ftamped; and to give further time to such persons as have omitted to make and file affidavits of the execution of indentures of clerks to attornies and folicitors.

W

HEREAS divers perfons, who, on account of their offices, Preamble. places, employments, or profeffions, or any other caufe or occafion, ought to have taken and subscribed the oaths, or the affurance reSpectively, appointed to be by fuch perfons taken and subscribed, in and Perfons who by an act made in the first year of the reign of his late majesty King have omitted George the First, of glorious memory, (intituled, An act for the themselves to qualify further fecurity of his Majefty's perfon and government, and the agreeable to fucceffion of the crown in the heirs of the late princess Sophia, act 1 Geo. 1. being proteftants; and for extinguishing the hopes of the pretended prince of Wales, and his open and fecret abettors;) or to have qualified themfelves according to an act, made in the thirteenth

year of the reign of King Charles the Second, (intituled, An act for Act 13 Car. 2. the well-governing and regulating corporations;) or to have qua

lified themselves according to another act, made in the twenty-fifth year Act 25 Car. 2. of the reign of King Charles the Second, (intituled, An act for preventing the dangers which may happen from popifh recufants, by receiving the facrament of the Lord's fupper, according to the ulage of the church of England, and making and subscribing the declaration against tranfubftantiation therein mentioned ;) or according to another act, made in the thirtieth year of the reign of King A&t 30 Car. 2. Charks the Second, (intituled, An act for the more effectual preferving the King's perfon and government, by disabling papifts from fitting in either houfe of parliament;) or according to another act, made in the eighth year of the reign of his late majefly King Act 8 Geo 1. George the First, (intituled, An act for granting the people called Quakers fuch forms of affirmation or declaration as may remove the difficulties which many of them lie under;) or according to another act, made in the ninth year of the reign of his late majefly A& 9 Geo. 2. King George the Second, (intituled, An act for indemnifying perfons who have omitted to qualify themselves for offices within the time limited by law, and for allowing further time for that purpose; and for amending fo much of an act, paffed in the fecond year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, as requires perfons to qualify themselves for offices before the end of the next term, or quarter feffions; and also for enlarging the time limited by law for making and fubfcribing the declaration against tranfubftantiation; and for allowing a further time for inrolment of deeds and wills made by papists; and for relief of protestant purchasers, devifees, and leffees;) or according to another act, made in the eighteenth year of the reign of his late majesty King A&t 18 Geo.2. George the Second, (intituled, An act to amend and render more effectual an act, paffed in the fifth year of his prefent Majefty's reign, intituled, An act for the further qualification of juftices of the peace ;) or according to another act, made in the fixth year of the reign and act 6 Geo. of his prefent Majefty, (intituled, An act for altering the oath of

3:

abjuration,and the affurance; and for amending fo much of an act, made in the feventh year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne,intituled, An act for the improvement of the union of the two kingdoms, as, after the time therein limited, requires the delivery of certain lifts and copies therein mentioned to perfons indicted of high treason, or misprifion of treason;) have, through ignorance of the law, abfence, or fome unavoidable accident, omitted to take and fubfcribe the faid oaths and affurance, and make and subscribe the declaration required by law, or otherwife to qualify themselves as aforefaid, within fuch time, and in fuch manner, as in and by the faid acts refpectively, or by any other act of parliament in that behalf made, is required, whereby they have incurred, or may be in danger of incurring, divers penalties and disabilities: for quieting the minds of his Majesty's fubjects, and for preventing any inconveniences that might otherwise happen by means of fuch omiffions; be it 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 all paffing of this and every perfon or perfons, who, at or before the paffing of this

before the

act,

act,

qualify them.

act, hath or shall have omitted to take and subscribe the faid oaths and declarations, or to receive the facrament of the Lord's fupper, or otherwife to qualify him, her, or themfelves, within fuch time, and in such manner, as in and by the faid acts, or any of them, or by any other act of parliament in that behalf made, is required; and who, after accepting any fuch office, place, or employment, or undertaking any profeffion or thing on account of which fuch qualifications ought to have been had, and is required, before the paffing of this act, hath or have taken and subscribed the said oaths, or made the declarations required by law, and alfo received the facrament of the Lord's fupper, according to the ufage of the church of England, or who, on or before the twenty-fifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and feventy-eight, fhall take and fubfcribe the faid oaths, and who fhall, declarations, and affurance refpectively, in fuch cafes wherein by on or before Dec. 25, 1778, law the faid oaths, declarations, and affurance, ought to have been taken or subscribed, in such manner and form, and at or in felves, fuch place or places, as are appointed in and by the faid act, made in the first year of the reign of his faid late majefty King George the First, or by any other act or acts of parliament in that behalf made and provided, and alfo hath or have received, or fhall, on or before the faid twenty-fifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and feventy-eight, receive the facrament of the Lord's fupper, according to the ufage of the church of England, in fuch cafes wherein the faid facrament ought to have been received, and bath or have made and fubfcribed, or fhall, on or before the faid twenty-fifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and feventy-eight, make and fubfcribe the faid declaration against tranfubftantiation, and alfo hath or have made and fubfcribed, or fhall, on or before the faid twentyfifth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and feventyeight, make and subscribe the said declaration, in the faid statute made in the thirtieth year of King Charles the Second, in fuch cafes wherein the faid declarations ought to have been made and subscribed, and take and subscribe the oath directed by the said act made in the eighteenth year of the reign of his late majesty King George the Second, in fuch cafes wherein the faid oath ought to have been taken and subscribed, in such manner as by the faid act is directed, thall be, and are hereby indemnified, thall be freed, and discharged, from and against all penalties, forfeitures, indemnifi-d incapacities, and difabilities incurred, or to be incurred, for or by against forreason of any neglect or omission previous to the paffing of this act, of taking or subscribing the said oaths or affurance, or receiving the facrament, or making or fubfcribing the faid declarations, or taking or fubfcribing the faid oath, according to the above-mentioned acts, or any of them, or any other act or acts; and such person and perfons is and are, and fhall be, fully and actually recapacitated and reftored to the fame ftate and condition as he, the, or they, were in before such neglect or omiffion, and fhall be deemed and adjudged to have duly qualified him, her, or themselves, according to the above-mentioned acts, and every VOL. XXXII.

F

of

feitures.

Not to indem

nify any perpenalty incur

fon for any

red by neg. lecting to quality himfelt.

of them and that all elections of, and acts done, or to be done, by any fuch perfon or perfons, or by authority derived from him, her, or them, are and fhall be of the fame force and validity as the fame, or any of them', would have been if such person or perfons refpectively had taken the faid oath or affurance, and received the facrament of the Lord's fupper, and made and fubfcribed the faid declarations, and taken and fubfcribed the faid oath, according to the direction of the faid acts, and every or any of them; and that the qualification of fuch perfon or perfons, qualifying themselves in manner, and within the time appointed by this act, thall be, to all intents and purposes, as effectual as if such person or persons had respectively taken the faid oaths and affurance, and received the facrament, and made and fubfcribed the faid declaration, and taken and fubfcr.bed the faid oath, within the time, and in the manner appointed by the feveral acts before-mentioned.

II. Provided. always, That this act, or any thing herein contained, fhall not extend, or be conftrued to extend, to indemnify any perfon against whom final judgement fhall have been given, in any action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of his Majefty's courts of record, for any penalty incurred by having neglected to qualify himfelf within the time limited by law.

III. And whereas the appointments of divers clerks of the peace, town clerks, and other publick officers, and the admiffions of divers members, and officers of cities, corporations, and borough towns, or the entries of fuch admiffions in the court books, rolls, or records, of fuch cities, corporations, and borough towns, which by feveral acts of parliament are directed and required to be stamped, may not have been provided, or the fame not ftamped, or may have been loft or mislaid, Perfons pro be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That, for the ducing ap. relief of fuch perfons whose appointments and admiffions, or pointments and admiffions the entries of whofe admiffions as aforefaid may not have been beture Dec.25. provided, or not duly ftamped, or where the fame have been 1778, loft or mislaid, it fhall and may be lawful to and for fuch perfons, on or before the twenty-fifth day of December, one thoufand feven hundred and feventy-eight, to provide, or caufe to be provided, appointments and admiffions, or entries of admiffions, as aforefaid, duly ftamped: or, in cafe where fuch appointments, admiflions, or entries of admiffions, as aforefaid, have been made or provided, but have not been duly ftamped, to produce such appointments, admiffions, or entries of admiffions, as aforesaid, to the commiffioners appointed to infpect and manage the revenues of the ftamp-duties, to be duly ftamped; which fuch commiffioners are hereby authorifed, impowered, and required, to duly ftamp, on payment of the duties first payable, or to have been paid on fuch appointments, admiffions, or entries of admiffions, as aforefaid, without any fine or forfeiture thereon; and such persons so providing appointments, admisfions, or entries of admiffions, as aforefaid, duly stamped, or ct as clerk, procuring the fame to be duly ftamped, in manner aforefaid, are and fhall be hereby confirmed and qualified to act as clerk of

hall be confirmed, and

qualified to

officer, or

the

etc.

the peace, town clerk, or other publick officer, or member or member of members, officer or officers, of fuch cities, corporations, and corporations, borough towns refpectively, to all intents and purposes, and fhall may enjoy all and may hold and enjoy, and execute fuch offices, or any other offices into office or offices into which he or they hath or have been elected, which they notwithstanding his or their omiffion, or the omiffion of any of have been their predeceffors, in fuch cities, corporations, or borough towns, and fhall be elected; as aforefaid; and thall be indemnified and difcharged of and indemnified from all incapacities, difabilities, forfeitures, penalties, and da- from all penalmages, by reason of any fuch omiffion; and none of his or their ties and damaacts fhall be questioned or avoided by reafon of the fame.

to restore perfons to any

ges incurred by reason of IV. Provided always, That this act, or any thing herein con- omiffions. tained, fhall not extend, or be conftrued to extend, to restore or intitle any perfon or perfons to any office or employment, bene- Not to extend fice, matter, or thing whatfoever, already actually avoided by judgement of any of his Majefty's courts of record, or already office avoited legally filled up or enjoyed by any other perfon; but that such by judgment. office, employment, benefice, matter, or thing, fo avoided, or legally fi led up and enjoyed, shall be and remain in and to the perfon or persons who is or are now, or fhall, at the paffing of this act, be legally intitled to the fame, as if this act had never been made.

fidavits to be filed before

V. And whereas many perfons have omitted to caufe affidavits to be made, and afterwards to be filed in the proper office, of the actual execution of feveral contracts in writing entered into by them to ferve as clerks to attornies or folicitors, within the time in which the fame ought to have been done, and many infants, and others, may thereby incur certain difabilities; for preventing thereof, and relieving fuch perfons, be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, That every per- Perfons who fon who, at the paffing of this act, fhall have neglected or omitted hall caufe afto cause any fuch affidavit or affidavits as aforefaid to be made and filed, and who, on or before the first day of Michaelmas Michaelmas term, one thousand seven hundred and feventy-eight, thall caufe term 1778, one or more affidavit or affidavits to be made, and afterwards to be filed, in fuch manner as the fame ought to have been made and filed in due time, fhall be, and is hereby indemnified, freed, are indemniand discharged, from and against all penalties, forfeitures, inca. fird, and dif pacities, and difabilities, in or by any act or acts of parliament, penalties. charged from mentioned and incurred, or to be incurred, for or by reason of fuch neglect or omiffion; and every fuch affidavit and affidavits so to be made, and which fhall be duly filed on or before the faid first day of Michaelmas term, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, shall be as effectual, to all intents and purposes, as if the fame had been made and filed within the refpective times the fame ought, by the laws now in being for that purpose, to have been made and filed.

VI. And be it further enacted, That in cafe any action, fuit, Perfons profebill of indictment, or information, hall, from and after the paf- cuted and fing of this act, be brought, carried on, or profecuted, against hereby meant any perfon or perfons hereby meant or intended to be indemni- nified, may fied, recapacitated, or restored, for or on account of any forfei- plead the ge

F 2

ture,

to be indem

neral iffue