Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 6.djvu/415

A. D. 1739^ Anno duodecimo Georgii II. C. 26. 353 «/"York, Exeter, Briftol, Chefter and Norwich, it was amongft other Things enacted, That the Goldfmiths, Silverfmiths and Plate-workers, who then were, or fhould be free of, and inhabiting in, any of thofe Cities, and having ferved Apprenticefhips thereto, fhould be and were thereby refpec- tively incorporated a Company of and belonging to fuch City, and fhould be called and known by the Name of the Company of Goldfmiths of fuch City refpectively, and were thereby authorized to elect two wardens yearly, and to elect an AfTayer in each of the faid Cities ; and that it fhould be ■ ^ m -P- '•£9' lawful for fuch Allayer to detain eight Grains from every Pound Troy of Silver he fhould allay ; and l?^"' 2 ' that fuch AfTayer fhould be paid towards his Charge and Trouble in the afTaying the Plate of Perfons 6G'«. i. c. u. inhabiting any Town or Place where no AfTayer was or fhould be appointed, a Sum not exceeding fix Pence in every Pound Troy; and the Goldfmiths of the Town of Niwcajlle upon Tyne have, by an Act pafTed in the firft Year of the Reign of her late Majefty Queen Anne, been incorporat d with the like Powers: And whereas the Wardens and Commonalty of the Myftery of Goldfmiths of the City of London are and have been a Guild or Corporation Time out of Mind, with divers Privileges, confirmed and enlarged from time to time by feveral Charters from his Majefty's Royal Predi^ceflbrs, Kings and Queens of this Realm (amongft other Things) for the' fearchirig, affayinp;, fupcrvifing, marking and regulating Wrought Plate, in order to afcertain the Standard thereof, for the Good and Safety of the Publick : And whereas his late Majefty King Charles the Second, by his Letters Pa- tent under his Great Seal of England, bearing Date the fourth Day of January in the eighteenth Year of his Reign, reciting, That the Wardens of the faid Company, in punifhmg Defaults in the faid Trade, had been at great Charges, and at the Peril of their Bodies, as well as the Lofs of their Goods, fo that the Wardens then late, on account of the Menaces and Aflaults from the Workers, could not put into Execution the Authorities given to them by former Charters, and many Frauds had been committed; therefore his faid Majefty King Charles the Second, by his faid Letters Patent, impowered the Watdens of the faid Company of Goldjmiths of London, and their Succeffors, to com- mit Offenders to Prifon, and to let Pines upon them, and to feize and break deceitful Wares : And whereas the Standards of the Plate of th's Kingdom are both for the Honour and Riches of the Realm, and fo highly concern his Majefty's Subjects, that the fame ought to be moft carefully obferved, and all Deceits therein to be prevented as much as poffible; but notwithstanding the aforefaid feveral Acts of Parliament and Charters, great Frauds are daily committed in the manufacturing of Gold and Sil- ver Wares, for want of fuffieient Power effectually to prevent the fame ;' Now for remedying fuch Abufes for the future, may it pleafe your Majefty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and 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 from and Finenefs of after the twenty- eighth Day of May one| thoufand feven hundred and thirty-nine, no Goldfmith, Sil- war^UmUed"* verfmith, or other Perfon whatfoever making, trading or dealing in Gold or Silver Wares, within that Part of Great Britain called England, fhall work or make, or caufe or procure to be wrought or made any Gold VefTel, Plate, or Manufacture of Gold whatfoever, lefs in Finenefs than twenty-two Carracts of fine Gold in every Pound Weight Troy ; nor work or make, or caufe or procure to be wrought or made, any Silver VeiTel, Plate, or Manufacture of Silver whatfoever, lefs in Finenefs than eleven Ounces two penny Weight of fine Silver in every Pound Weight Troy ; nor fell, exchange or expofe to Sale, or export out of this Kingdom, any Gold VefTel, Plate, or Manufacture of Gold whatfoever, made' after the faid twenty-eighth Day of May one thoufand feven hundred and th rty-n : ne, lefs in Finenefs than tWenty-two Carracts of fine Gold in every Pound Weight Troy ; nor fell, exchange or expofe to Sale, or export out of this Kingdom, any Silver VefTel, Plate or Manufacture of Silver what- foever, made after the faid twenty-eighth Day of May one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-nine, lefs in Finenefs than eleven Ounces two penny Weight of fine Silver in every Pound Weight Troy; upon Pain that every fuch Goldfmith, Silverfmith, or other Perfon for every fuch Offence fhall forfeit and pay the Sum of ten Pounds, to be recovered and difpofed of as herein after is mentioned ; and for Default of Payment the Offender (hail be committed by the Court, in which Judgment fhall be given thereon, to the Houfe of Correction for the County, City or Liberty where convicted ; there to remain, and be kept to hard Labour, for any Time not exceeding the Space of fix Months, or until Payment be made of the faid Forfeiture. II. Provided always, and it is hereby declared, That nothing in this Act (hall extend toany jfwel-™^™' lers Works, that is to fay, any Gold or Silver wherein any Jewels or o*her Stones are or fhall be : jewellers fet (other than Mourning Rings) nor to any jointed Night Ear-rings of Gold, or Gold Springs of works (except Lockets. _ R i ° u I ) nirs III. Provided alfo, and it is hereby enacted, That if any Shopkeeper, or other Perfon trading or " 1S ^' dealing in Gold or Silver Wares (not being the Maker or Worker thereof) (Tall happen to exp rt, fell " r °^° p £ e e£ or expofe to Sale any Gold or Silver Wares worfe than the re pective Standards, and fhall within e mpted from fourteen Days next after Notice of the Coarfenef, thereof to him or her p- ; en, discover and make known 1'rofeci.uons. to the Party aggrieved, or to the Mafter, Wardens or Clerk of any j. the Companies of Goldfmiths belonging to the Place or Diftrict wi;hin which iuch Shopkeeper, or other Per. "on trading cr dealing in Gold or Silver Wares as aforeia d, fhall relide, the Na e and Place of Abode of the Maker or Work; r thereof, or of the Perfon or Pe fons of whom fuch Shopkeeper, or other Perfon trading or dealing in Gold or Silver Wares as aforefaid, really bought fuch coarfe Gold or Silver W?res; and fhall produce him, her or them, if living, io that he, fhe or they may be fued or profecuted for the fame; and if fuch Shopkeeper or other Perfon trading or dealing in Gold or Silver Wares, who fold, expofed to Sale, or exported the fame, fhall, at any Trial to be had againft fuch Maker or Worker, or fuch other Per- fon or Perfons of whom the fame were bought as aforefaid, for fuch Offence, give or produce material 'Vol. VI. Z z Evident