of freehold lands, tenements, or hereditaments, belonging to C. D. of situate, lying, and being in the parish, township, or place, or in the parishes, townships, or places of E. in the county of

without

any trust, agreement, matter, or thing, to the contrary notwithstanding; and I, or the person or persons under whom I claim, was or were seised of the said annuity or rent-charge, before the first day of June, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three.

No. XXXVII.

The Oath to be taken by Persons appointed under the stat. 42 G. 3. c. 62. s. 1. to administer Oaths to Electors. I Do swear, That I will faithfully and impartially admi

nister the oaths, and take the declarations and affirmations, now required by law to be taken or made by voters at elections for members to serve in Parliament, to and from such persons as shall lawfully apply to me in that behalf, in order to qualify themselves to vote at this election: And that I will, on being thereunto requested, fairly and truly give to every such person, or any of them, who shall take such oaths, or make such declarations or affirmations respectively, or any of them, before me, a certificate thereof; and that I will not give such certificate to any person before he shall have taken such oath or oaths, or make such declaration or declarations, affirmation or affirmations respectively, as shall be mentioned in such certificate, before me, and in my presence.

So help me God.

No. XXXVIII.

Indenture of Return for a County.

THIS indenture, made in the full county of York, holden at the castle of York, in and for the said county,

on Wednesday, the

day of

in

the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, &c.; and in the year of our Lord between A. B. esq. sheriff of the said county, of the one part; and C. D. E. F. &c., and many other persons of the county aforesaid, and electors of knights to Parliament for the said county, of the other part; witnesseth, that proclamation being made by the said sheriff, by virtue of and according to a writ of our Sovereign Lord the King, directed to the said sheriff, and hereunto annexed, for the electing of two knights, of the most fit and discreet of the said county, girt with swords, to serve in a certain Parliament, to be holden at the city of Westminster, on the

of

day

next ensuing: The said parties to these presents, together with the major part of the electors for the county aforesaid, present, in the full county of York, at the castle of York aforesaid, on the day of the date hereof, by virtue of the said writ, and according to the force and effect of divers statutes in that case made and provided, have, in the said full county of York, by unanimous assent and consent, freely and indifferently elected and chosen, two knights of the most fit and discreet of the said county, girt with swords, to wit, Sir G. S. baronet, and H. D. of &c. esq. to be knights to the said Parliament, so to be holden at the day and place in that behalf hereinbefore mentioned, for the commonalty of the county of York; giving and granting to the aforesaid knights full and sufficient power for themselves and the commonalty of the same county, to do and consent to those things which, in the said Parliament, by the Common Council of the kingdom of our said Lord the King (by the blessing of God,) shall happen to be ordained upon the affairs in the said writ, specified. In witness whereof, the parties to these presents have interchangeably put their hands and seals, the day, year, and place first above written.

A. B.

C. D.

E. F. &c.

No. XXXIX.

The Writ for the County Palatine of Lancaster, upon its return by the Sheriff to the Chancellor of the County Palatine, is thus indorsed by him.*

"The answer of the right honorable S. P. chancellor of the county palatine of L. to this writ."

BY virtue of this writ to me directed and delivered, by another writ under the county palatine of L. within mentioned, and directed to the sheriff of the said county, I commanded the said sheriff, as within I am commanded, which said sheriff, to wit, R. L. esq. in answer to the said writ saith, that the execution of the said writ appears in certain indentures hereunto annexed.

By the same Chancellor.

No. XL.

Indenture of Election or the return of one Citizen for the City of Westminster.

day of

THIS indenture, made in the liberty of W. in the county of M. the in the year of the reign, &c.; between Sir C. A. knight, and Sir M. B. knight, sheriff of the county of M. aforesaid, of the one part; and J. C. esq. bailiff of the liberty of the dean and chapter of the collegiate church of St. Peter's, W. in the county aforesaid, [Sir J. C. baronet, Sir R. G. baronet, Sir C. D. knight of the most honorable order of the bath, the Honorable W.L. G.S.F.R. baronet, the Right Honorable F. H. commonly called Lord Viscount D.E.F. and

The writs for the cinque ports, are indorsed to the same effect, by the officers to whom they are directed in the first instance, and who ultimately rerurn them with the indenture into the crown office.

N.H. esqrs., F. F. esq., Sir W.J. baronet, C.B. esq. I.G. esq. and many other citizens, burgesses, and inhabitants of the city, town and borough of W.] of the other part, witnesseth, that by virtue of a certain precept directed from the said sheriff to the bailiff, and sewed to this indenture, proclamation of the premises in said precept first mentioned, and of the day and place, as in the said precept is directed first being made, the citizens who were present at the said proclamation, have freely and indifferently, according to the form of the statute in that case made and provided, and according to the tenor and effect of the aforesaid precept, and of the writ in the said precept recited, chosen one citizen of the most discreet and sufficient of the city and liberty aforesaid, that is to say the Honorable E. C. esq. to which said E. C. so elected, the aforesaid citizens have given and granted full and sufficient power for themselves and the commonalty of the city, town, borough, and liberty aforesaid, to do and consent to those things, which at the said Parliament by the Common Council of the said kingdom, with God's assistance, shall happen to be ordained upon the affairs in the said precept specified, according to the form and effect of the said precept. In witness whereof, as well the said sheriff as the aforesaid bailiff, [citizens, burgesses, and innabitants] of the city, town, borough, and liberty aforesaid, to these indentures their seals have interchangeably put, the day and the year first above mentioned. *

C. A.

M. B.

J. C.

J. C. &c.

*In some places the indenture of return to the precept has usually been between the sheriff and the returning officer, in others it has been usual for some of the electors also, to join as in that above; where no electors join, those parts of the above form which are within brackets should be omitted.

XLI.

Anno 25° Geo. III. Cap. 84. Sect. 10, 11.

An Act to limit the Duration of Polls and Scrutinies, and for making other Regulations touching the Election of Members to serve in Parliament for Places within England and Wales, and for Berwick-upon-Tweed; and also for removing Difficulties which may arise for want of Returns being made of Members to serve in Parliament.

SECT. X.

1785.

AND whereas an act was passed in the tenth year of his present majesty's reign, intituled, An Act to regulate the Trials of controverted Elections, or returns of Members to serve in Parliament; and another act was passed in the eleventh year of his said majesty's reign, for explaining and amending the said former act: and whereas no provision is made therein for the hearing and determining any petition, unless the same shall complain of an undue election or return of members to serve in parliament; be it therefore enacted, That, from and after the first day of August, one thousand seven hundred and 1st August, eighty-five, if upon any writ or writs to be issued for the election of any member or members to serve in parliament, no return shall be made to the same on or before the day on which such writ is made returnable; or if a writ shall have been issued during any session or prorogation of parliament, and no return shall be made to the same within fifty-two days after the day on which such writ bears date; or if the return made in either of such cases shall not be a return of a member or members, according to the requisition thereof, but contain special matters only concerning such election; it shall and may be lawful for any person or persons, having had, or claiming to have had a right to vote at such election, or claiming to have had a right to be returned as duly elected thereat, who shall think himself or them