»3 H. 4 sH. 5 . ,e.7. c. 8. ft. z, c. 9- 8H. 6. c. 14. 9 H. 7. c. 13. H. H. P. C. Vol. 3. 197. Twelve Perfon: or more
- , unlaw
8 C. 5. Anno primo Georgii Regis. Stat. 2. A. D. 17 14. CAP. v. An Aft for preventing Tumults and riotous Aflemblies, and for the more fpeedy arid effec- tual punifhing the Rioters. I.TX WHEREAS of late many rebellious Riots and Tumults have been in divers Parts of this King- VV dom, to the Disturbance of the publick Peace, and the endangering of his Majefty's Perfon and Government, and th; fame are yet continued and fomented by Perfons difaffected to his Majefty, pre- fuming fo to do, for that the Punifhments provided by the Laws now in being are not adequate to fuch heinous Offences ; and by fuch Rioters his Majefty and his Adminiftraticn have been moft malicioully and falfely traduced, with an Intent to raife Divifions, and to alienate the Affections of the People from his Majefty: Therefore for the preventing and fuppreffing of fuch Riots and Tumults, and for the more fpeedy and effectual punifhing the Offenders therein ;' Be it enacted by the King's moft Excellent 2 r i[ aor £ u "J a Y'" Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and of the Commons, after theTaft'of ' n tms P rc f ent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That if any Perfons to the Nura- July 1715, and ber of twelve or more, being unlawfully, riotoufly, and tumultuoufly affembled together, to the Diftur- not difperfing bance of the Publick Peace, at any Time after the laft Day of July in the Year of our Lord one thoufand after command- feven hundred and fifteen, and being required or commanded by any one or more Juftice or Juftices of the &c. y by"procU- e ' : * >eaGe > or h Y the Sheriff of the County, or his Under-fheriff], or by the Mayor, Bailiff or Bailiffs, or other rnation Head-ofHcer, or Juftice of the Peace of any City or Town-corporate, where fuch Affembly fhall be, by Proclamation to be made in the King's Name, in the Form herein after directed, to difperfe themfelves, and peaceably to depart to their Habitations, or to their lawful Bufmefs, {hall, to the Number of twelve or more (notwithftanding fuch Proclamation made) unlawfully, riotoufly, and tumultuoufly remain or con- ftdll be adjudged tinue together by the Space of one Hour after fuch Command or Requeft made by Proclamation, that FeUms without then fuch continuing together to the Number of twelve or more, after fuch Command or Requeft made by BenefitotClergy. p r0C l amat i O n, fhall be adjudged Felony without Benefit of Clergy, and the Offenders therein {hall be ad- judged Felons, and fhall fuffer Death as in cafe of Felony without Benefit of Clergy. Hew the Pro- II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That the Order and Form of the Proclama- clamationHiall tions that fhall be made by the Authority of this Act, fhall be as hereafter followeth (that is to fay) the lie made. Juftice of the Peace, or other Perfon authorized by this Act to make the faid Proclamation fhall, among the faid Rioters, or as near to them as he can fafely come, with a loud Voice command, or caufe to be commanded Silence to be, while Proclamation is making, and after that, fhall openly and with loud Voice make or caufe to be made Proclamation in thefe Words, or like in Effect : The Proclama- 5 /">»UR Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all Perfons, being affembled, immediately tion. ' ^P to difperfe themfelves, and peaceably to depart to their Habitations, or to their lawful Bufmefs, ' upon the Pains contained in the Act made in the firft Year of King George, for preventing Tumults and i riotous Affembiies. ' God favc the King.' Juftices, &c. to And every fuch Juftice and Juftices of the Peace, .Sheriff, Under-fheriff, Mayor, Bailiff, and other rdort tothe Head-ofHcer, aforefaid, within the Limits of their refpective Jurifdictions, are hereby authorized, impow- ered and required, on Notice or Knowledge of any fuch unlawful, riotous and tumultuous Affembly, to refort to the Place where fuch unlawful, riotous, and tumultuous Afferriblies fhall be, of Perfons to the Number of twelve or more, and there to make or caufe to be made Proclamation in Manner aforefaid. Perfons foaf- III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if fuch Perfons fo unlawfully, rio- ferr.bled and not toufly, and tumultuoufly affembled, or twelve or more. of. them after Proclamation made in Manner afore- d,r ^ r Q fi " g """faid, mall continue together and not difperfe themfelves within one Hour, That then it fhall and may be fcized. Jr ' lawful to and for every Juftice of the Peace, Sheriff, or Under-fheriff of the County where fuch Affembly {hall be, and alfo to and for every High or Petty-conftable, and other Peace-officer within fuch County, and alfo to and for every Mayor, Juftice of the Peace, Sheriff, Bailiff, and other Head- officer, High or Petty-conftable, and other Peace-officer of any City or Town-corporate where fuch Affernbiy fhall be, and to and for fuch other Perfon and Perfons as fhall be commanded to be affifting unto any fuch Juftice of the Peace, Sheriff, or Under-fheriff, Mayor, Bailiff, or other Head-officer aforefaid (who are hereby autho- rized and im powered to command all his Majefty's Subjects of Age and Ability to be affifting to them therein) to feize and apprehend, and they are hereby required to feize and apprehend fuch Perfons fo un- lawfully, riotoufly and tumultuoufly continuing together after Proclamation made, as aforefaid, and forth- with to carry the Perfons fo apprehended before one or more of his Majefty's Juftices of the Peace of the County or Place where fuch Perfons fliall be fo apprehended, in order to their being proceeded againft for fuch their Offences according -to Law ; and that if the Perfons fo unlawfully, riotoufly and tumultuoufly And if they affembled, or any of them, fhall happen to be killed, maimed or hurt, in the difperfing, feizing or appre- tfa il< p R 'f ^ ance 'hending, or endeavouring to difperfe, feize or apprehend them, by reafon of their refilling the Perfons {o killing them -difperfing, feizing or apprehending, or endeavouring to difperfe, feize or apprehend them, that then every &c. to be in- fuch Juftke of the Peace, Sheriff, Under-fheriff, Mayor, Bailiff, Head-officer, High or Petty-conftable, iemnified, ©r
