Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 9.djvu/651

APPENDIX. 177 VI. Provided always, That all Merchants-Accompts not exceeding one flieet of Paper, and all Bills Provifo for of Exchange, Invoyces, and Bills of Lading, are, and (hall hereby be understood to be allowed without Merchant6 «  Rate in the price of the Letters, and likewife the Covers of Letters, not exceeding one fourth part of a Iheet of Paper, fent to Marfeilles, Venice or Legorne, to be fent forward to Turky, fhall be underftood to be allowed to pafs without rate or payment for the fame; and according to the fame rates and propor- j tions for the Port of Letters, Pacquets and Parcels, to and from any of the parts or places beyond the Seas, where Pofts have not been heretofore fettled, and may hereafter be fettled by the faid Poft-Mafter- General for the time being, his Executors or Affigns : And it (hall and may be lawful to and for fuch Poft-Mafter-General, and his Deputy and Deputies, to ask, demand, take and receive of every perfon that he or they fhall furnifh and provide with Horfes, Furniture and Guide, to ride Port in any of the Poll-roads, as aforefaid, three pence of Englifh-money for each Horfes Hire or Portage for every Eng- lifh-mile, and four pence for the Guide for every Stage. And whereas upon the arrival of Ships from Parts beyond the Seas into feveral Ports within his Majefties Dominions, many Letters directed to feve- ral Merchants and others, have been detained long, to the great damage of the Merchants, in want of that fpeedy advice and intelligence which they might have had if the fame had been forthwith difpatched by the fettled Pofts ; and fometimes fuch Letters have been delivered by the Mafters or Paffengers of fuch Ships to ignorant and loofe hands, that understand not the way and means of fpeedy conveyance and delivery of Letters, whereby great prejudice hath accrued to the affairs of Merchants and others, as well by the mifcarriage of many Letters fo brought, as oftentimes by the opening of the fame, to the difcovery of the Correspondencies and Secrets of the Merchant : VII. Be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That all Letters and Pacquets that by any Ma- iler of any Ship or Veffel, or any of his Company, or any Paffengers therein, fhall or may be brought to any Port-Town within his Maiefties Dominions, or any of the Members thereof, other than fuch . Letters as are before-excepted, or may be fent by common known Carriers in manner aforefaid, or by a Friend, as aforefaid; fhall by fuch Mafter, Paffenger, or other perfon, be forthwith delivered unto the Deputy or Deputies only of the faid Poft-mafter-General for the time being, by him appointed for the faid Port-Town, and by him or them to be fent Poft unto the faid General-Pott- Office, to be delivered according to the feveral and refpective directions of the fame. VIII. And be it further enacted by the aforefaid Authority, That no perfon or perfons whatfoever, or Body-politick or Corporate, other than fuch Poft-mafter-General as fhall from time to time be nominat- ed and appointed by his Majefty, his Heirs or Succeffors, and conftituted by Letters-Patent under the Great Seal- of England, as aforefaid, and his Deputy and Deputies or Affigns, fhall prefume to carry, re-carry, and deliver Letters for Hire, other than as before-excepted, or to fet up or imploy any Foot- Pen . , . ofofi poft, Horfe-poft, Coach-poft, or Pacquet-boat whatfoever, for the conveying, carrying and re-carrying fending againft" of any Letters or Pacquets by Sea or Land within his .Majefties Dominions, or fhall provide and main- this ASt. tain Horfes and Furniture for the horfing of any Through-pofts, or perfons riding in Poft with a Guide and Horn, as ufual for Hire, upon pain of forfeiting the fum of Five pounds of Englifh-money, for every feveral offence againft the tenor of this prefent Act; And alfo for the forfeiture or the fum of one hundred Pounds of like Englifh-money for every weeks time that any offender againft this Act, mall imploy, maintain and continue any fuch Foot-poft, Horfe-poft, Coach-poft, or Pacquet-boat, as afore- faid : Which' faid feveral and refpective forfeitures fhall and may be fued for, and recovered by Action or Actions of Debt, Plaint or Information in any of his Majefties Courts of Record, wherein no Eflbin, Priviledge, Protection or Wager of Law lhali be admitted ; and the faid feveral and refpective forfeitures that fhall happen from time to time to be recovered, fhall be and remain, the one moiety thereof to his Majefty, and his Heirs and Succeffors, and the other moiety thereof to fuch perfon or perfons who fhall or will inform againft the offender or offenders againft this prefent Act, and fhall or will fue for the faid Forfeitures upon the fame. IX. Provided always, That if any Poft-mafter of any refpective Place, doth not, or cannot furnifh Provifo where any perfon or perfons riding in Poft, with fufficient Horfes within the fpace of one half-hour after demand, a "Y ? 0< l" ma " That then fuch perfon or perfons are hereby underftood to be left at liberty to provide themfelves as p ;wiie. n ° C conveniently as they can ; And the perfons who fhall furnifh fuch Horfes fhall not therefore be liable unto any penalties or forfeitures contained in this Act. X. Provided always, That if through default or neglect of the Poft-mafter-General aforefaid, any Provifo touch- perfon or perfons riding in poft fhall fail, "as aforefaid, of being fuffiifhed with a fufficient Horfe or t "J|^^ n ™f u e f? Horfes, for his or their ufe, after demand, as aforefaid ; That in every fuch cafe, the faid Poft-mafter- ficientiy pro- General fhall forfeit the fum of five pounds Sterling, tire one moiety to his Majefty, his Heirs and Sue- vide Horfes, &c, ceffors, and the other moiety to him or them who fliall fue'for the fame in any Court of Record, to be recovered by Bill, Plaint or other Information, wherein no Effoign,. Protection or other Wager in Law fliall be admitted. XL Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing herein contained fhall be underftood to prohi- Provifo, bit the carrying or re-carrying of any Letters or Pacquets, to or from any Town or Place, to or from the next refpe£tive Poft-road, or Stage appointed for that purpofe,; but that every perfon fhall fnve tree liberty to fend and imploy fuch perfons as they fliall think rir, for to carry the faid Letters or Pacquets, as aforefaid, without any forfeiture or penalty therefore ; Any thing contained in this Act to the contrary notwithftanding. XII. Provided always, That if the Pacquet or Mail fliall be carried out of England into any part be- Provifo againft yond the Seas, in any Ship or Veffel which is not of Englifh-built, and Navigated with Engiifli Sea- pYcqu"? o-otof men, That in every fuch cafe the faid Poft-mafter-General fhall forfeit the fum of One hundred pounds England in any APPEND. A a Sterling ^ foreign veirds.