Offenders may the justices of the peace and other magistrates and peace officers and constables aforesaid respectably have, by virtue of this act, within and for other parts of the united kingdom. IV. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That nothing in this act contained be indicted, if shall extend to prevent any prosecution, by indictment or otherwise, for any thing not prosecnted under this act. which shall be an offence within the intent and meaning of this act, and which might have been so prosecuted if this act had not been made, unless the offender shall have been prosecuted for such offence under this act, and convicted or acquitted of such offence. Limitation of actions. General issue may be pleaded. V. And be it further enacted, That any action or suit which shall be brought or commenced against any justice or justices of the peace, constable, peace officer, or other person or persons, in that part of Great Britain called England or in Ireland, for any thing done or acted in pursuance of this act, shall be commenced within six calendar months next after the fact committed, and not afterwards; and the Venue in every such action or suit shall be laid in the proper county where the fact was committed, and not elsewhere; and the defendant or defendants in every such action or suit may plead the general issue, and give this act and the special matter in evidence at any trial to be had thereupon; and if such action or suit shall be brought or commenced after the time limited for bringing the same, or the Venue shall be laid in any other place than as aforesaid, then the jury shall find a verdict for the defendant or defendants; and in such case, or if the jury shall find a verdict for the defendant or defendants upon the merits, or if the plaintiff or plaintiffs shall become nonsuit, or discontinue his, her, or their actions after appearance, or if upon demurrer judgment shall be given against the plaintiff or Double costs. plaintiffs, the defendant or defendants shall have double costs, which he or they shall and may recover in such and the same manner as any defendant can by law in other cases. Limitation of actions, &c. in Scotland. VI. And be it further enacted, That every action or suit which shall be brought or commenced against any person or persons in Scotland, for any thing done or acted in pursuance of this act, shall in like manner be commenced within six calendar months after the fact committed, and not afterwards, and shall be brought in the court of session in Scotland; and the defender or defenders may plead that the matter complained of was done in pursuance of this act, and may give this act and the special matter in evidence; and if such action or suit shall be brought or commenced after the time limited for bringing the same, then the same shall be dismissed; and in such case, or if the defender or defenders shall be assoilzied, or the pursuer or pursuers shall suffer the action or suit to fall asleep, or a decision shall be pronounced against the pursuer or pursuers upon the relevancy, the deTreble costs. fender or defenders shall have treble costs or expences, which he or they shall and may receive in such and the same manner as any defender can by law recover costs or expences in other cases. Prosecutions be com. VII. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That no person shall be protoned within secuted by virtue of this act for any thing done or committed contrary to the prosix months visions herein-before contained, unless such prosecution shall be commenced after offences. within six calendar months after the offence committed. Act may be repealed.or altered this session. VIII. And be it further enacted, That this act may be repealed in the whole or in any part thereof, or in any manner altered or amended, during the present session of parliament. No. II.-Copy of the Seizure of Arms Act. 60 Geo. III. Chap. 2. An Act to authorize Justices of the Peace, in certain disturbed Counties, to seize and detain Arms collected or kept for Purposes dangerous to the Public Peace; to continue in force until the 25th of March 1822. WHEREAS arms and weapons of various sorts have in many parts of this kingdom been collected, and are kept for purposes dangerous to the public peace; and it is expedient that justices of the peace should be authorized and empowered to seize and detain such arms and weapons: be it therefore enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the Justices may authority of the same, that it shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, upon issue warrants the information upon oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses, that he ተ for searching for and selz the public or they believe that any pike, pike-head, or spear is in the possession of any person or persons, or in any house or place, or that any dirk, dagger, pistol, gun, or ing weapons, other weapon is, for any purpose dangerous to the public peace, in the possession dangerous to of any person, or in any house or place, to issue his warrant to any constable or peace. other peace officer to search for and seize such pike; pikehead, spear, dirk, dagger, pistol, gun, or other weapon in the possession of any such person, or in any such house or place; and that it shall be lawful for such constable or other peace officer acting under any such warrant, or any other person or persons in his or their aid or assistance, to search for and seize any such pike, pike-head, spear, dirk, dagger, pistol, gun, or other weapon, being in the possession of any such person, or in any such house or place as aforesaid; and in case admission into such house or place shall be refused or not obtained within a reasonable time after it shall have been first demanded, to enter by force, by day or by night, into every such house or place whatsoever, and to detain or cause to be detained in safe custody, in such place as the said justice of the peace shall appoint and direct, the arms or weapons so found and seized as aforesaid, unless the owner thereof shall prove to the satisfaction of such justice, that such arms or weapons were not kept for any purpose dangerous to the public peace. Parly may appeal to II. Provided always, and be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for any person from whom any such arms or weapons shall be so taken as last aforesaid, quarter sesin case the justice of the peace upon whose warrant the same shall have been sions. taken shall upon application made for that purpose refuse to restore the same, to apply to the next general or quarter sessions of the peace of the county, or riding, or division, upon giving ten days previous notice of such application to such justice, for the restitution of such arms or weapons, or any part thereof; and the justices assembled at such general or quarter sessions of the peace shall make such order for the restitution or safe custody of such arms or weapons, or any part thereof, as upon such application shall appear to them to be proper. be detained, and III. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any justice of the Persons found peace, or for any constable, peace officer, or other person acting under the warrant carrying arms under suspici of any justice of the peace, or for any person acting with or in aid of any justice of ous circumthe peace, or of any constable or other peace officer having such warrant as afore- stances may said, to arrest and detain any person found carrying arms in such manner and and required at such times as, in the judginent of such justice of the peace, to afford just to give bail, grounds of suspicion that the same are carried for purposes dangerous to the prosepublic peace; and it shall be lawful for the justice of the peace who shall arrest any such person, or before whom any person arrested upon any such warrant shall be brought, to commit such person for trial for a misdemeanor, unless such person can and shall give sufficient bail for his appearance at the next assizes, or next general or quarter sessions of the peace, to answer to any indictment which may be preferred against him in that part of Great Britain called England; and in Scotland every such person shall be arrested and dealt with according to the law and practice of that part of the united kingdom in the case of a bailable offence. joining coun IV. And be it further enacted, That all the justices of the peace acting in and Justices of defor the several counties specified in this act, or in any proclamation to be issued tached and adunder this act, or any counties next adjoining thereto, shall have concurrent juris- tiesto havecondiction as justices of the peace, in all cases as to the carrying into execution the current juris. provisions of this act, and as to all matters and things relating to the preservation counties. of the public peace, as fully and effectually as if each of such justices was in the commission of the peace of each of such counties, and had duly qualified by law to act therein. diction in such land to havethe V. And be it further enacted, That the sheriffs depute and their substitutes, Sheriffs destewards depute and their substitutes, justices of the peace, magistrates of royal pute in Scot burghs, and all other inferior judges and magistrates, and also all high and petty same powers constables or other peace officers of any county, stewartry, city, or town within as justices in England. that part of the united kingdom called Scotland, shall have such and the same powers and authorities for putting this present act in execution within Scotland, as the justices of the peace and other magistrates and peace officers and constables aforesaid respectively have, by virtue of this act, within and for that part of Great Britain called England. actions. VI. And be it further enacted, That any action or suit which shall be brought Limitation of or commenced against any justice or justices of the peace, constable, peace officer, or other person or persons in that part of Great Britain called England, for any thing done or acted in pursuance of this Act, shall be commenced within six calendar months next after the fact committed, and not afterwards; and the Venue in every such action or suit shall be laid in the proper county where the fact was committed, and not elsewhere; and the defendant or defendants in every such action (VOL. XLI.) (5 N) or suit may plead the general issue, and give this act and the special matter in evidence at any trial to be had thereupon; and if such action shall be brought or commenced after the time limited for bringing the same, or the venue shall be laid in any other place than as aforesaid, then the jury shall find a verdict for the defendant or defendants; and in such case, or if the jury shall find a verdict for the defendant or defendants upon the merits, or if the plaintiff or plaintiffs shall become nonsuit, or discontinue his, her, or their action after appearance, or if upon demurrer judgment shall be given against the plaintiff or plaintiffs, the defendant Double costs. or defendants shall have double costs, which he or they shall and may recover in such and the same manner as any defendant can by law in other cases. Limitation of Scotland. VII. And be it further enacted, That every action or suit which shall be brought actions, &c. in or commenced against any person or persons in Scotland, for any thing done or acted in pursuance of this act, shall in like manner be commenced within six calendar months after the fact committed, and not afterwards, and shall be brought in the court of session in Scotland; and the defender or defenders may plead that the matter complained of was done in pursuance of this act, and may give this act and the special matter in evidence; and if such action or suit shall be brought or commenced after the time limited for bringing the same, then the same shall be dismissed; and in such case, or if the defender or defenders shall be assoilzied, or the pursuer or pursuers shall suffer the action or suit to fall asleep, or a decision shall be pronounced against the pursuer or pursuers upon the relevancy, the Double costs. defender or defenders shall have double costs or expenses, which he or they shall and may receive in such and the same manner as any defender can by law recover costs or expenses in other cases. Act to extend to certain Counties, and clamation. VIII. And be it further enacted, That this act and all the provisions thereof, shall extend to the several counties of Lancaster and Chester, and to the West others by pro. Riding of the county of York, and to the counties of Warwick, Stafford, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Northumberland, Durham, Renfrew, and Lanark, the counties of the towns of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Nottingham, and of the city of Coventry, and such other counties or ridings of Great Britain as his majesty shall from time to time, upon the representation made by the justices assembled at any quarter or general session of the peace, or by any general meeting of the lieutenancy of any county or riding, in consequence of any disturbance therein, by any proclamation made by and with the advice of his privy counsel, declare to be so disturbed as to make it necessary that the provisions of this act should be enforced therein; and then and in such case this act shall be in full force as to any such county or counties, or ridings, from the day specified in any such proclamation, as if such county or riding had been contained in this act. IX. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for his majesty, by and with the advice of his privy council, by proclamation, to declare that this act shall be no longer in force in any counties or ridings specified in this act, or in any county or riding to which the provisions of this act shall have been extended by proclamation as aforesaid; and from and after the period specified in any such proclamation, the powers of this act shall no longer be in force in such county or riding: provided always, that nothing herein contained shall prevent or be construed to extend to prevent his majesty, upon such representation and by such advice as aforesaid, "declaring by proclamation any such county or riding to be again within the powers of this act. His majesty in council may restrict or extend the ope ration of the act. Duration of this act. Act may be repealed or altered this session. X. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That this act shall be and continue in force until the twenty-fifth day of March one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two. XI. And be it further enacted, That this act may be repealed in the whole or in any part thereof, or in any manner altered or amended, during the present session of parliament. No. III.-Copy of the Misdemeanors Bill. 60 Geo. III. Chap. 4. An Act to prevent Delay in the Administration of Justice in Cases of WHEREAS great delays have occurred in the administration of justice, in cases of persons prosecuted for misdemeanors by indictment or information in his majesty's courts of King's-bench at Westminster and Dublin, and by indictment at court of the sessions of the peace, sessions of Oyer and Terminer, Great Sessions, and sessions of Gaol Delivery, in that part of Great Britain called England, and in Ireland respectively, by reason that the defendants in some of the said cases have, according to the present practice of such respective courts, an opportunity of postponing their trials to a distant period, by means of imparlances in the said several courts of King's-bench, and by time being given to try in such respective courts of session; for remedy thereof be it enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act, where any person shall be prosecuted Persons proin his majesty's court of King's-bench at Westminster, or in his majesty's court of secuted in the King's-bench in Dublin respectively, for any misdemeanor, either by information King's-bench or by indictment there found or removed into the same respective courts, and shall for misdeappear in term time in either of the said courts respectively in person, to answer meanors, appearing in to such indictment or information, such defendant upon being charged therewith court, not pershall not be permitted to imparle to a following term, but shall be required to mitted to 'implead or demur thereto within four days from the time of his or her appearance; and in default of his or her pleading or demurring within four days as aforesaid, judgment may be entered against the defendant for want of a plea; and in case Judgment such defendant shall appear to such indictment or information by his or her clerk may be enteror attorney in court, it shall not be lawful for such defendant to imparle to a following term, but a rule requiring such defendant to plead may forthwith be given, and a plea or demurrer to such indictment or information enforced, or judgment by default entered thereupon, in the same manner as might have been done before the passing of this act, in cases where the defendant had appeared to such indictment or information by his or her clerk in court or attorney in a previous term. parle. ed for want of plea. II. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Court may said respective courts, or for any judge of the same respectively, upon sufficient low further time to plead cause shown for that purpose, to allow further time for such defendant to plead or demur to such indictment or information. misdemean. ors, or held to the sessions, III. And be it further enacted, That from and after the passing of this act, Persons in where any person shall be prosecuted for any misdemeanor by indictment at any custody for session of the peace, session of Oyer and Terminer, Great Session, or session of Gaol Delivery within that part of Great Britain called England, or in Ireland, bail, within 20 having been committed to custody or held to bail to appear to answer for such days before offence twenty days at the least before the session at which such indictinent shall shall plead to be found, he or she shall plead to such indictment, and trial shall proceed there- indictment, upon at such same session of the peace, session of Oyer and Terminer, Great unless a writ Session, or session of Gaol Delivery respectively, unless a writ of Certiorari for be delivered. removing such indictment into his majesty's courts of King's-bench at Westminster or in Dublin respectively, shall be delivered at such session before the jury shall be sworn for such trial. of certiorari IV. And it is hereby declared and enacted, That such writ of Certiorari may Certiorari be applied for and issued before such indictment has been found, in the like cases, may be issued in the same manner, and upon the same terms and conditious, as if such writ of before or after Certiorari had been applied for after such indictment had been found. Indictment is found. tried at subsequent sessions. V. And be it be further enacted, That from and after the passing of this act, In what cases where any person shall be prosecuted for any misdemeanor by indictment at any such indictsession of the peace, session of Oyer and Terminer, Great Session, or session of men's may be Gaol Delivery within that part of Great Britain called England, or in Ireland, not having been committed to custody or held to bail to appear to answer for such offence twenty days before the session at which such indictment shall be found, but who shall have been committed to custody or held to bail to appear to answer for such offence at some subsequent session, or shall have received notice of such indictment having been found twenty days before such subsequent session, he or she shall plead to such indictment at such subsequent session, and trial shall proceed thereupon at such same session of the peace, session of Oyer and Terminer, Great Session, or session of Gaol Delivery respectively, unless a writ of Certiorari for removing such indictment into his majesty's courts of King's-bench at Westminster or in Dublin respectively shall be delivered at such last-mentioned session before the jury shall be sworn for such trial, any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. VI. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That nothing in this act con- Not to pretained shall extend or be construed to extend to prevent any indictment, found by veut indict. a grand jury of any city or town or town corporate, from being removed, at the ments found prayer of any defendant, for trial by a jury of the county next adjoining to the jury of any by a grand to an city or town county of such city or town corporate, pursuant to the provisions of an act passed Trombone in the thirty-eighth year of his present majesty's reign, intituled "An Act to reguadjoining late the Trial of Causes, Indictinents, and other Proceedings, which arise within county to be the Counties of certain Cities and Towns Corporate within this Kingdom;" and 38 G. 3, c. 52. upon such removal, the defendant shall plead, and the trial shall be had according to the provisions of this act, in like manner as if such indictment had been originally found by a grand jury of such next adjoining county. tried. Court may, on shown, allow further time for pleading, &c. tions by the VII. Provided also, and be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for the court, at sufficient cause any session of the peace, session of Oyer and Terminer, Great Session, or session of Gaol Delivery respectively, upon sufficient cause shown for that purpose, to allow further time for pleading to any such indictment, or for trial of the same. VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in all cases of prosecutions for misdemeanors, instituted by his majesty's attorney or solicitorgeneral in any of the courts aforesaid, the court shall, if required, make order that a copy of the information or indictment shall be delivered, after appearance, to the party prosecuted, or his clerk in court or attorney, upon application made for tion or indict the same, free from all expense to the party so applying; provided that such livered to the party, or his clerk in court, or attorney, shall not have previously received a copy thereof. Attorney or Solicitor-gene. ral, copy of the informa ment to be de Party. In case such prosecution is not brought to trial within twelve calen dar months, court may IX. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That in case any prosecution for a misdemeanor instituted by his majesty's attorney or solicitor-general in any of the courts aforesaid, shall not be brought to trial within twelve calendar months next after the plea of Not Guilty shall have been pleaded therein, it shall be lawful for the court in which such prosecution shall be depending, upon application to be make an order made on the behalf of any defendant in such prosecution, of which application twenty days previous notice shall have been given to his majesty's attorney or solicitor-general, to make an order, if the said court shall see just cause so to do, authorizing such defendant to bring on the trial in such prosecution; and it shall thereupon be lawful for such defendant to bring on such trial accordingly, unless a nolle prosequi shall have been entered in such prosecution. thereon. Not to extend to Quo War X. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this act contained shall extend ranto Actions, or be construed to extend to any prosecution by information in nature of a Quo Warranto, or for the non-repair of any bridge or highway. &c. No Meeting of more than No. IV.-Copy of the Seditious Meetings Prevention Bill. An Act for more effectually preventing Seditious Meetings and Assemblies; WHEREAS in divers parts of this kingdom, assemblies of large numbers of persons collected from various parishes and districts, under the pretext of deliberating upon public grievances, and of agreeing on petitions, complaints, remonstrances, declarations, resolutions, or addresses upon the subject thereof, have of late been held, in disturbance of the public peace, to the great terror and danger of his majesty's loyal and peaceable subjects, and in a manner manifestly tending to produce confusion and calamities in the nation; be it enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that no meeting of any description of persons, exceeding the number of fifty persons (other than and except any meeting of any county, or division of any county, called by the lord lieutenant, governor, or custos rotulorum, or the sheriff of such county, or any meeting of any riding of any county called by the lord lieutenant or custos rotulorum of such riding, or by the sheriff of the same county; or any meeting called by the sheriff or stewart depute, or substitute, or by the convener of any county or stewartry, or any meeting called by five or more acting justices of the peace of the county, stewartry, or place where such meeting shall be holden; or any meeting of any riding or division. of any county having different ridings or divisions, called by five or more justices of such riding householders. or division; or any meeting called by the major part of the grand jury of the county where such meeting shall be holden, at the assizes for the said county; or any meeting of any city, borough, or town corporate, called by the mayor, or other 50 persons (except county meetings, &c.) to be holden, unless in separate parishes or townships, and with no tice to a jus tice of the peace by seven |