62 C. 2r» Anno triccfimo Georgii II. A. E). 1757
- pany, for the Time being ; and were required to meet and aflcmble together, from time to time, on the
tirft Tticfhy in every Calendar Month in the Year, in the Hall of the f.id Company, in order to form the faid Court of AlTillrants, and keep the fame for regulating and reforming Abufes committed in the faid Fi(hery ; and for the due ordering and Governance of th:: faid Company: And whereas in purfu- ance of the faid A6t of P-.rli/.ment, ceriaip. By-laws and Ordinances were made for regulating the faid Fifliery, and reforming Abufcs committed therein, but the faid Company having ceafed to aiit from about the Year one thoul'and feven hundred and twenty-feven, and moft of the Members thereof being dead, the Regulations in the faid Filhery intended by the faid Acl have not taken Place, and the feveral Laws now in Force for the Prefervation of the faid Fifhery, have hitherto proved inertectual, and by the un^- warrantable Practices ufed by Fiiherraen and others, the Brood and Fry of P'ifli in the faid River and Waters oi Medvjay have been greatly hurt and dellroyed : For Remedy whereof, and for the better pre- ferving the Spawn, Fry and young Brood of Fifli in the faid River o^ Thajnes^ and alfo in the Waters Medway, fo far as the fam.e are within the Jurifdi6tion of the Mayor of the City oi London^ as Confer- vator of the River oi Thames., and Wateis oi' Medivay^ and for preventing the Pifhing therein with un- lawful and unfizeablc Nets, Engines or other Devices ; and for the afcertaining the Times, Seafons, and Manner of fifhing in^ the faid River and Waters, and the Size and Kind of Nets and Engines to be ufed in Fifhing in the faid River and Waters ; and for regulating the faid Filhery, and reforming The Court of * Abufes therein ; and for the more fpeedy and eftectual apprehending and punifhing the Offenders ;' Be Mayor and AU jj enaded by the King's moil: Excellent Majelty, by and with the Advice and Confcnt of the Lords Spi- dyn^trnpowTild ritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affeaibied, and by the Authority of the tomakeRules fame, That the Court of the Mayor and Aldermen of the faid City ox London for the Time being, fhall for regulating 'he have full Power and Authority, and they are hereby required on or before the twenty-ninth Day of Sep- Fiihermcu and ieniher in the Year of our Lord cne thoufand feven hundred and fifty-feven, to make, frame and fet down Drudgeimen m jj^ Writing, fuch reafonable Rules, Orders or Ordinances, for the governing and regulating all Perfons MeJwjy'^"*" who ihall hfli or drudge in the faid River oi Thames, and alfo in the faid Waters of Mcdivay (within the faid Jurifdicfion of the laid Mayor, as Conforvator as aforcfaid) as Common Filhermcn or Drudgermen, or otherwife ; and for Declaration in what Manner they (hall demean themfelves in Filliing, and with what Manner of Nets and Engines, and at what Times and Seafons they ftiall ufe Fifhing in the faid River and Waters of Mediuay^ within the Jurifdiftion aforefaid, zvA for afcertaining the Affize of the feveral Fi(h to be there taken ; and for the prefervation irom time to time of the Spawn and Fry of Firti in the faid River and Waters, within the Jurifdiiftion.aforefaid'; and for obliging every Common Fifhermaa or Drudgerman, or other fuch Perfon who fhall iifh wjrh- a Boat, Veflel or Craft, from and after the faid twenty-ninth Day of 5^/)/w/^^r one thoufand feven hundred.' and fifty-feven, in the faid River of Thames^ and in the faid Waters of Medway-^ within the Jurifdi^Sfion aforefaiJ, >to^have in his Boat, Veflel or Craft, both his Chriftian and Surname., and alfo the Name of the Parifn or Place in which he dwelleth, painted in legible and large Characters, in fome convenient Place where any one may (c:: and read the fame; and for preventing fuch Name or Mark of Diftindion from being changed, altered or defaced ; and to annex reafonable Penalties and Forfeitures for the Breach of fuch Rules, Orders or Ordinances, not exceeding the Sum of five Pounds for any one Offence ; and fuch Rules, Orders and Ordinances, or any of them, from time to time, to alter and amend, and fuch neit and otlier Rules, Orders and Ordi- nances, touching the Matters aforefaid, with fuch rcafonable Penalties and Forfei:ures (not exceeding five Pounds for any one Offence) from time to time to make, as to the faid Court in their Difcretion the Rules to be fhall feem meet, for the better putting this i£t in Execution ; fo as after the making thereof the fame be approved of by allowed and approved of, from time to time, by the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, the Lord Keeper x^o of the ^j. Lords CommifTionejs of the Great Seal, for the Time being, the Lord Chief Juftice of the Court of ju ges. King's Bench, ^he Lord Chief Juftice of the Court of Common Pleas, the Lord Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer, or any two of them, who are hereby required, on Requeft from Time to Time to them, or any two or more of thtm, made by or on the Behalf of the faid Court of Mayor and Aldermen, to pcrufe and examine all fuch Rules, Orders or Ordinances, as fhall, from time to time, be made by the faid Court of Mayor and Aldermen, in purfuance of this A6f, and laid before the Lord High Chancellor, Lord Keeper, or Lords Commiflioners of the Great Seal, for the Time being, the faid Lord Chief Juftice of the Court of King's Bench, the faid Lord Chief Juftice of the Court of Common Pleas, the faid Lord Chief Baron, or any two of them, for their Allowance and Approbation ; and they, or any two of them, are to allow thereof, or alter the fame, before they allow thereof, as they or any two of them, fhall from time to time think fit ; and for the doing thereof, no Fee or Reward fhall be paid or taken. TVe Penalties IL And be it further enabled by the Authority aforefaid. That no Perfon or Perfons whatfoever fhalj, annexed to the vvithin the faid JurifdiiStion of the faid Mayor, from and after the firft Day of November one thoufand fe- fiid Rules, con- ^,^.^ hundred and fifty-fevcn, wilfully take, deftroy, fpoil, kill, or expofe to Sale, or exchange for any ■firmed. Goods, Matter or Thing whatfoever, any Spawn, Fry or Brood of Fift^, or Spatt of Oyfters, or any un- fizeablc or unwholfonie Fifh, or Fifli out of Scafon, or bring fuch Fi(h on Shore for Sale, or ufe or keep any Net, Engine or other Device whatfoever, which fhall be prohibited or declared unlawful in and by fuch Rules, Orders, and Ordinances of the faid Court of Mayor and Aldermen of the faid City, allowed and approved of as aforefaid ; upon Pain of forfeiting and paying, for every Oftence, fuch Sum and Sunjs of Money as in and by fuch Rules, Orders or Ordinances, fhall be refpedively appointed, and to be re- covered in fuch Manner as is herein after mentioned. TV e Rule' to be III. Provided nevcrthelci^, and be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That fuch Rules, Orders and primed »»d fub- Oidiiianccs, fo to be from time to time made by the faid Court of the Mayor and Aldermen, fhall, within lifted. thirty
