A. D. 1707* Anno fexto Ann iE Reginse. C. 31. 325 in any of her Majefty's Courts of Juftice within any of the faid Plantations, or in any of the Courts of Juftice of the Charter or Proprietary Governments where fuch Offence (hall be committed. III. Provided neverthelefs, and it is hereby declared, That nothing in the before recited Proclamation provifo. or in this Ail contained (hall extend, or be conftrued to compel any Perfon to receive any of the faid Spe- cies of foreign Silver Coins, at the refpeftive Rates in the faid Proclamation mentioned. IV. Provided alfo, and it is hereby further declared, That nothing in this AA contained (hall extend, Queen may rc- or be conftrued to reftrain her Maje(ty from regulating and fettling the feveral Rates of the faid Species S'^'^te the feve-^ of foreign Silver Coins within any of the faid Colonies or Plantations, in fuch other Manner, and accord- after ^in'fuch'^o- ing to fuch other Rates and Proportions, as her Majefty by her Royal Proclamation for that Purpofe to ther Manner as be iffued, (hall from Time to Time judge proper and neceflary, or from giving her Royal AfTent to any (he (hall judge Law hereafter to be made in any of the faid Colonies or Plantations, for fettling and afcertaining the cur- "ecedaiy. rent Rates of fuch Coins within the faid Colonies or Plantations; but that fuch further Regulations '"^y ^^^"5J"'^£ ^^^^ be made, and fuch Aflent given, in as full and ample Manner, to all Intents and Purpofes, as the fame thel"i'Am!c.i. might have been done in cafe this A£l had not been made, and no ©therwife ; any thing herein before ^Am. c. 17 & contained to the contrary hereof in any wife notwithftanding. 27. 10 Ann. f 22 G? t6. ^Geo. I. c, II. 8 G«. I. c. 11 & 15. 13 Geo. 1. c. 5. 3 Geo. 2. c. II & 28. 4 Geo. 2. c. 15. 5 Geo. 2. c. 7 fefg. 6 Geo. 2. c, 13. 8 Geo. 2. c. 19. 12 C?«. 2. c. 30. 15 Cm. 2. f. 31 ©■ 33. 24 Gm, 2, c, 51 £f 53. 29GW. 2. c. 5 (S" 35. 30 G«, 2. c. 9. CAP. XXXI. An Aft for the better preventing Mifchiefs that may happen by Fire. WHEREAS many Fires have lately broke out in feveral Places in and about the Cities oi Lon- don and IVeftminJier, and other Parities and Places comprifed within the weekly Bills of Morta- ' lity, and many Houfes have frequently been burnt and confumed before fuch Fires could be extinguifh- ' ed, to the Impoverifhing and utter Ruin of many of her Majefty's Subje<Ss, the Rage and Violence ' whereof might have been in great Part prevented, if a fufiicient Qiiantity of Water had been provided ' in the Pipes lying in the Streets, and if Party Walls of Brick had been built between Houfe and Houfe,
- from the Foundation to the Top of the Roofs, and lefs Timber in the Front of Houfes :' For the pre-
venting therefore the like Mifchiefs for the future. Be it enafted by the Qiieen's moll Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this pre- fent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That from and after the five and twentieth From 25 March Day oi March which (hall be in the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and eight, it fliall and 170S, Church- may be lawful to and for the Churchwarders of each and every Parifh within the faid Cities and Liberti s wardens of each ol London and Wejiminfter, and other Pari (hes and Places within the faid weekly Bills of Mortality, and pfiVs of^Momli- they are hereby required at any Time or Times before the firft Day of May in the faid Year of our Lord jy to fix on ihe one thoufand feven hundred and eight, or as foon after as may be, and fo for ever after, to make, place. Mains and Pipes and fix (at the Charge of fuch refpeftive Parifh) upon the Mains and Pipes belongir.g to any Water-work of ^ny Water- whatfoever within the Places aforefaid, fuch and fo many Stop-blocks of Wood, with a two Inch Plug, J'"|°' k' ^"^fy or fuch and fo many Fire Cocks to go into each Main or Pipe, and to be placed at fuch Diftances, in or°Fire Cucks" ' each or any Street or Place where fuch Churchwardens for the Time being (hall direft, and the Top of &c. fuch Stop-blocks to lie even with the Pavement of each Street or Place ; to the Intent fuch Plugs or Fire Cocks may always, upon Occafion of any Fire, be opened, and let out the Water without lofs of Time Inftrument in each Houfe where the Mark is, to open the Plug or Fire Cock, fuch Stop-blocks and Fire where Fire Cock Cocks to be kept in Repair at the Charge of each Parifh where the fame (hall be placed, and the Plugs 'i^^- by the Owners of the Mains and Pipes where the fame fhall be fixed ; ai:d that each and every PariTh Every Parift to within the Cities of Zi5«(5?i« and 7/^m//7/?«/-, and weekly Bills of Mortality, (hall from Time to Time, keep one large and at all Times, have and keep in good Order and Repair in fome known and publick Place within each Engine and one Parifh, a large Engine, and dfo a Hand Engine, to throw up Water for the extinguifhing of Fires, and ^^"^ Engme, alfo fhall provide, keep, and maintain one Leather Pipe and Socket of the fame Size as the Plug or Fire i"p„°"^ ^^ " Cock, to the Intent the Socket may be put into the Pipe to convey the Water clean and without Lofs, 7Ann3e, c. 17. or help of Bucket, into the Engine; and in Default of making, placing, fixing, and conti;uiing fuch §. i. Stop-blocks ot Fire Cocks on the feveral Mains and Pipes, as alfo in Default of having and keeping in I'enalty on good Repair fuch large Engine, Hand Engine, and Leather Pipe and Socket, the Churchwardens of fuch '^*'"':'^"^'^,'^' Parifh fo making Default, and being convicted thereof, before two of her Majefty's Juftices of the Peace, ^ '"^ ^ ■*" " ftiall forfeit and pay the Sum often Pounds ; one Moiety thereof to the Informer, and the other Moiety to the Overfeers of the Poor of the Parifh where fuch Default (hall be made, for the Ufe of the Poor of fuch Parifli, to be recovered by Warrant from two of her Majefty's Juftices of the Peace, by Difl-refs and Sale of fuch Churchv/ardens Goods ; the Overplus, if any be, to be returned to the Owner thereof; and G"f«es to that the Turn-cock belonging to fuch Water-work, whofe Water fhall be found on, or firft come ijito ^Jj-Jj" 1""" the Main or, Pipe where the firft Plug fliall be opened at any Fire, fliall be paid ten Shillings by the Keepers, &c'. bv Churchwardens of fuch refpeftive Parifh where fuch Fire (hall happen; and that the firil Engine Kt;eper churchwarden-, which brings in a Parifh Engine, to help to extinguifh any Fire, if in good Order and complete, with a «.-c. where a-^y Socket, Hofe, and Leather Pipe, (hall be paid thirty Shillings; the Keeper of the fecond PariiTi Engine P'f'""'^'"fP==- that to be
