Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 6.djvu/300

238 C. 35- Anno nono Georgii II. A. D. 1736. 13 & 14 Car. 2. <-. 11. zc; Car'. 2. c. 6. 2 PV.& M.ft.z. c. 4. ©* 10. f. t.tstie. ■ ~fM. c. ■!■ 5 Geo. I. c II. 6 G«. 1. c si. 7 Geo. l.fi. 1. f. 21. 8 Geo. 1. r. 15, 18, ' 31. 96^0. 1. e. 21. 11 Go, 1. c, 7. G'30. 12 Cm. 1. c. 28. 1 Geo. z, ft, 2. e. 17. Offences, agahft this Arf arc ex- cepted out of the gtneral Pardon, 20 Gee. 2. c. 52. ' Practices, in open Defiance of the Laws, to the great Diminution of the publick Revenue, and to the ' manifeft Prejudice of the fair Traders, and likewife feduced great Numbers of other Perfons to join ' with them in the faid wicked Practices, whereby the evil is become fo general, that it is necelTary that ' fome further Provilion mould be made for effectually preventing the fame ; yet neverthelefs as there ' may be fome Hope that many of the faid Perfons who have been unwarily feduced as aforefaid, may 6 iv. &Jur. c. 1. ' be reclaimed by Grace and Clemency from offending in the like Manner for the future ;' Therefore, for 6 & 7 W. &M. the Quiet and Eafe of his Majefty's Subjects, who may have been guilty of fuch Offences, and that luch of them as are not yet become incorrigible, being freed from their Pears and Apprehenfions, may be in- duced to leave off their illegal Practices, and to return to their lawful Callings and Occupations, and that fuch Perfons as (hall after fuch an Act of Indulgence, and io publick a Warning, prefume to commit any of the faid Offences, may be left without Excufe, and be brought to Juftice, and duly pu- nilhed, as their Crimes (hall delerve, May it pleafe your Majefty that it may be it enacted, and be it en- acted by the King's molt Excellent Majefty, by ?nd with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That all and every His Majefty's Subjects of this his Majefty's Realm of Great Britain, their Heirs, Executors, and Adminiftrators,' and every of them, who before the twenty -feventh Day of April in the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-fix, have incurred any Penalty or For- feiture in, by, or for the clamteftine running, landing, unfhipping, concealing, or receiving any pro- hibited Goods, Wares, or Merchandizes, or any foreign Goods liable to the Payment of the Duties of Cuftoms and Excife, or either of them, and who are or may be fubject to any Information or other Profecution whatfoever for the Duties of fuch Goods, or for the Penalties for the running, landing, un- Perfons having (hipping, concealing, or receiving thereof, or for the making of any falfe Report or Entry of the Load. Penalty by" 7 m S °f an Y Ship or Veffel inwards or outwards, or for making any Report or Entry in a wrong Name ciandeiiine run- or Names, or for not reporting any fuch Ship or Veffel, or for breaking Bulk before making fuch & nS b°f"o Go0clS ' R e P or ^ or Reports, or for altering the Package of any Goods on Board any Ship or Veffel, or for land- Aprii e *73 6 * 7 m ° °^ an y Goods without the Prefence of an Officer, or for ftaving or otherwife deftroying or fpoiling . . any Goods at or after the Seizure thereof by any Officer of the Cuftoms or Excife, or other Perfon du- Eiitriesp/ e ly authorized to make fuch Seizure; and any Perfons who have beat, abufed, obftrucled, or hindered, Goods, any Officer of the Cuftoms or Excife in the due Execution of their Duty, on who have given or offer- or abufing Of- ed a Bribe to any Officer of the Cuftoms or Excife; and all Perfons aiding, aflifting, and abetting in ficers, &c. h>- the committing any of the faid Offences; (hall be and are by the Authority of this prefent Act acquit- demmfied, te( j ? indemnified, releafed, and di. charged, againft the King's Majefty, his Heirs, and Succeflbrs, and againft all and every other Perfon and Perfons, Bodies Politick and Corporate, and any Officer or Of- ficers of the Cuftoms or Excife, and every of them, of and from all the faid Ofiences (not in this pre- fent Act hereafter excepted and foreprized) and of and from all Penalties, Forfeitures, Indictments, Outlawries, Convictions, and Judgments, not herein after excepted, incurred, had, or given, or that may or might arife or accrue for or by Reafon or Means of any of the faid Offences or other Matters or Things herein before-mentioned and expreffed. and may plead II. And be it further enacted, That all and every of his Majefty's Subjects may by him, her or them- thel^Difchar f e ' ves 5 ° r hy his, her or their Deputy or Deputies, Attorney or Attornies, according to the Laws of paying only i 8 *.' this Realm, pkad and infift on this Act of Indemnity for his, her or their Difcharge, of or for any 4 d. for entering Thing that is by virtue of this Act acquitted, releafed, or difcharged, without any Fee or Payment to the Plea, an y p er f on or Perfons for the writing or entring of fuch Plea, or the Judgments thereupon, but only fixteen Pence to the Clerk or Officer, who final] enter fuch Plea or Matter for Judgment or the Party's Difcharge in that Behalf; any Law, Cuftom, or Ufage, to the contrary notwith- standing. Proceedings 8 *" ^- Provided always, and be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That all and every Perfon brought againft and Perfons, who (hall take, receive, or be intitled to any Benefit or Advantage by virtue of this prefent ?Snr"™' r ^ °^ Indemnity, either by pleading or infilling on the fame in any Court of Juftice or otherwife, and who hath, or before he, (he, or they (hall claim the Benefit of this prefent Act, (hall have brought, commenced, or profecuted any Action, Plaint, or Information, Indictment, or other Profecution what- foever, againft any Officer of his Majefty's Cuftoms or Excife, or againft any Perfon or Perfons who (hall or may have been aiding or aflifting to any fuch Officer, for or concerning any Matter, Caufe, or Thing done or committed by fuch Officer, or by any Perfon or Perfons aiding or aflifting him, on Oc- caiion, or for or by Reafon or Means of any of the Offences, Trefpaffes, Frauds, Mifdemeanors, or other Matters or Things by this Act intended to be releafed and difcharged, (hall, before fuch Time as he, (he or they (hall be admitted to make fuch Plea as aforefaid, or to take any Benefit or Advantage of this Act, abfolutely releafe and difcharge fuch Action or Actions, difcontinue and caufe all Proceedings to be ftaid in all and every fuch Informations, Indictments, and other Profecution and Profecutions brought or commenced as aforefaid. IV. And be it further enacted, That if any Perfon or Perfons, who (hall claim the Benefit of this Act, (hall after fuch Claim bring or commence, or caufe to be brought or commenced, any Action, Plaint, Information, or other Profecution whatfoever, againft any Officer of his Majefty's Cuftoms, or Excife, or other Perfon who (hall have aided or aflifted any fuch Officer, for or concerning any Act, of this Aft, and Matter or Thing done or committed by them, or any of them, on Occafion of, or for, or by Reafon afterwards pro- or Means of any of the Offences, Frauds, Mifdemeanors, or other Matters or Things intended to be re- tec u ting them. ] ea f e( j and difcharged by this Act, fuch Claim is and (hall be deemed to be an ablolute Difcharge and Releafe to fuch Officer or other Perfons of and from all and every fuch Actions, Suits, and Profecu- tions ; and fuch Officer or other Perfons may plead the General Iflue, and give the Special Matter in Evidence ; Affiftants con- cerning the fame. Officers dis- charged, and may recover Cofts againft Perfons claim ing the Benefit