A. D. 1661. Anno decimo tertio Caroli II. Stat. II. C. i. 213 be drawn to 7j Legacies. Pro chier. EXP. be drawn to Tyburn as Perfons executed for Trcafon, Provifo for Executors of the faid Perfdns and Legacies. Provifo for Sir IVilliam Lewes. Provifo for Rachel Powre. Provifo for Barrington Bour- S T A T. II. ACTS made at the fecond Meeting in this prefent Parliament begun at We/l- minjier the eighth Day of May^ Anno Dom. one thoufand fix hundred fixty- I one, and there continued until the twentieth of December^ and from that I Day adjourned unto the feventh of January next enfuing, as foUoweth. CAP. I. I An Aft for the well-governifig and regulating of Corporations. ' TXT" H E R E A S Queftions are likely to arife concerning the Validity of Eleftions of Magiftrates, and 19 W. ?• »• 7«
- VV other Officers and Members in Corporations, as well in Refpe<5t of removing feme, as placing
' others, during the late Troubles, contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of their Charters and Liber- ' ties : (2) And to the End that the Succeffion in fuch Corporations may be moft probably perpetuated
- in the Hands of Perfons well-affedled to his Ma^efty and the eftablithed Government, it being too well
' known, that notwithftanding all his Majefty's Endeavours, and unparalleled Indulgence in pardoning ' all that is paft, neverthelefs many evil Spirits are ftill working ;' II. Wherefore, for Prevention of the like Mifchief for the Time to come, and for Prefervation of the publick Peace both in Church and State, Be it enabled by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and Commiffionrto with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Cortimons, aflembled in Parlia- j^j ^w^M»nd meat, and by the Authority of the fame. That Commiffions Ihall before the twentieth Day of February Berwick, next, be iflued forth under the Great Seal oi England y unto fuch Perfons as his Majefty ftiall appoint foir the executing of the Powers and Authorities herein after exprefled : And that all and every the Perfons to be named Commiffioners in the faid Commiflions refpetftively, (hall by Virtue of this A<ft be Com- miflioners refpeftively, for and within the ieveral Cities, Corporations and Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, and their Members, and other Port-Towns within the Kingdom of England^ Dominion of IVales, and Town oi Berwick upon Tweed, for which they (hall be refpe^ively nominated and appointed. III. And be it further enaciled by the Authority aforefaid. That no Charter of any Corporation, Ci- Corpontion ties. Towns, Boroughs, Cinque Ports, and their Members, and other Port- Towns in England or TVales, '"*" "^* ' or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, (liall at any Time hereafter be avoided, for or by Reafon of any Adt or Thing done, or omitted to be done, before the firft Day of tliis prefent Parliament. IV. And be it further enaded by the Authority aforefaid. That all Perfons who upon the four and Magiftrate« to twentieth Day of December one thoufand (ix hundred fixty and one, fliall be Mayors, Aldermen, Re- fcrib'toctruin i corders, Baililfs, Town Clerks, Common Council-men, and other Perfons then bearing any Office or Oaths. I Offices of Magiftracy, or Places, or Trufts, or other Imployment relating to or concerning the Govem- I ment of the faid refpeiftive Cities, Corporations and Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, and tneir Members j and other Port-Towns, (hall at any Time before the (ive and twentieth Day of March one thoufand fix I hundred (ixty and three, when they (hall be thereunto required by the faid refpedive Commi(fioners or Osthsof Aiie- any Three or more of them, take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and this Oath followine : giarce and su- I premaey.
- Y.'t A. B. do declare and believe. That it is not lawful, upon any Pretence whatfoever, to take Arms The Oath to be
' X againft the King ; and that I do abhor that traiterous Pofition of taking Arms by his Authority taken. ' againft his Perfon, or againft thofe that are commilfioned by him : So help me God. j VI. And alfo at the fame Time (hall publickly fubfcribe, before the faid CommilTioners or any three Rmealed by
- of them, this following Declaration
- sOea. i.s. fi.
' T A.B. do declare. That I hold that there lies no Obligation upon me or any other Perfon, from the The Dedafation ' X Oath commonly called. The Solemn League and Covenant ; and that the fame was in it felf an unlaw- tob« fubfcribed. ' fill Oath, and impofed upon the Subjects of this Realm againft the known Laws and Liberties of the
- Kingdom.'
VII. And that all fuch of the faid Mayors and other the Perfons aforefaid, by whom the faid Oaths Thofe whore- are to be taken, and Declaration fubfcribed as aforefaid, who (hall refufe to take and fubfcribe the fame fufe the Oaths within the Time and in Manner aforefaid, (hall, from and immediately after fuch Refufal, be by Au' "'"o^s thority of this Aift {ipfo fa£f'o) removed and difplaced of and from the faid Offices and Places refpe<5live- ly ; {2) and the faid Offices and Places from and immediately after fuch Refufal, fliall be and are hereby declared and adjudged to be void to all Intents and Purpoles, as if the faid refpe»5iive Perfons fo re- fufing were naturally dead. VIH. And
