CAP. XVI. An Act for raifing the Sum of Eighteen Millions, by Exche- " TREASURY may raise 18,000,000l. by Exchequer Bills, in "recited A&t extended to this Act. § 2. Treafury to apply the "Money raised. 3. Exchequer Bills payable out of Supplies "for next Seffion. 4. Intereft not exceeding 3 d. per Cent. per "Diem. §5. Exchequer Bills to be current at the Exchequer after "April 5, 1818.-6. Bank of England may advance 12,000,000l. on Credit of Act, notwithstanding 5 & 6W. & M. c. 20. — §7. A&t "may be altered, amended or repealed this Seffion. § 8. CAP. XVII. An Act to repeal, during the Continuance of Peace, fo much of an Act of the Ninth Year of His present Majesty as prohibits the Exportation of Pig and Bar Iron, and certain Naval Stores, unless the Preemption thereof be offered to the Commiffioners of His Majefty's Navy. [29th March 1817.1 9 G. 2. c. 35- §3. WHEREAS by an Act paffed in the Ninth Year of the Reign So much of recited Act as relates to Pre of his prefent Majefty, intituled An Ad for discontinuing, • upon the Exportation of Iron imported in Foreign Ships, the Drawback of fuch Part of the Duties payable thereon as exceeds the Duties payable upon Iron imported in British Ships; to prohibit the Exportation of Pig and Bar Iron, and certain Naval Stores, unless the Preemption thereof be offered to the Commiffioners of the Navy; to " repeal fo much of an Act made in the Sixth Year of His prefent Majefty's Reign, as difcontinued the Drawback upon Foreign Rough Hemp exported; for providing a Compenfation to the Clerks in the Offices of the Principal Secretaries of State, for the Advantages fuch • Clerks enjoyed before the Commencement of an A&, made in the • Fourth Year of the Reign of His prefent Majefty, for preventing • Frauds and Abuses in relation to the fending and receiving Letters • and Packets free from the Duty of Poftage; and to explain and amend • the faid A&; it is amongst other Things enacted, that the Preemption or Refusal of all Pig and Bar Iron, Mafts, Yards, Bowfprits, Tar, Pitch, Turpentine, Hemp, rough and undreffed Flax, and Tow, fhall be offered and tendered to the Commiffioners of " His Majesty's Navy; and that fuch Goods fhall not be exported, or entered or laden on board for Exportation, before fuch Tender, • or before a Certificate of such Tender and Refusal, shall be pro• duced and delivered to the Officer of the Customs, under the Penalties and Forfeitures therein mentioned: And Whereas it appears no longer neceffary to provide, in time of Peace, a Supply of Naval Stores for the public Ufe by fuch Reftraint on Exportation;' Be it therefore enacted by The King's Moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That from and after the paffing of this Act, and during the Continuance of Peace, fo much of the faid A& as relates relates to fuch Tender and Refufal of Preemption fhall be and the emption, refame is hereby repealed. CAP. XVIII. An Act to facilitate the hearing and determining of Suits in Equity in His Majefty's Court of Exchequer at Westminster. [29th March 1817.] WHEREAS the Proceedings on the Common Law Side of pealed. The Lord Chief Baron empowered to determine Suits in Equity. King may ap point one other of the Barons. If hindered, the the Court of Exchequer have of late Years greatly increaf• ed, by reason whereof a fufficient Proportion of time cannot be allotted for hearing and determining Suits in Equity in the faid • Court: And Whereas the Business of that Court might be more eafily dispatched if the Lord Chief Baron, or One other of the Barons of the Degree of the Coif, were duly authorized to hear • and determine Suits and Proceedings on the Equity Side thereof, as is hereinafter enacted;' Be it therefore enacted by The King's Moft Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That from and after the paffing of this Act the Lord Chief Baron of the faid Court for the time being fhall have Power to hear and determine all Caufes, Matters and Things which fhall be at any time depending in the faid Court of Exchequer as a Court of Equity; and that if the faid Lord Chief Baron fhall by Sickness, or other unavoidable Caufe, be prevented from fitting for the Purposes aforefaid, then it fhall and may be lawful for His Majesty and His Succeffors to nominate and appoint from time to time, by Warrant under the Royal Sign Manual, revocable at Pleasure, any one other of the Barons of the Degree of the Coif of the faid Court for the time being to hear and determine fuch Causes, Matters and Things. II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That To fit as the the faid Lord Chief Baron, or the Baron fo to be appointed fhall fit at fuch times as the Lord Chief Baron and fuch Baron fhall refpectively, with regard to Matters to be heard before them refpectively, appoint, and whether the rest of the Barons of the said Court fhall be fitting or not; and that all Decrees, Orders, and Acts of the faid Lord Chief Baron, or of fuch Baron fo appointed as aforefaid, fhall be deemed and taken to be refpectively, as the Nature of the Cafe fhall require, Decrees, Orders and Acts of the faid Court of Exchequer, and fhall have Force and Validity and be executed accordingly; fubject only to be reversed, discharged or altered by the Houfe of Lords, upon Appeal thereto, and as hereinafter mentioned. III. Provided that it fhall and may be lawful for the faid Lord Lord Chief Chief Baron, upon Petition by any of the Parties concerned, to re- Baron or Baron hear any Cause or Matter before decided, ordered, adjudged or may on Petition decreed by fuch Lord Chief Baron, or by any other Baron appointed as aforefaid; and alfo for any Baron appointed as aforefaid, upon fuch Petition as aforefaid, to rehear any Caufe or Matter before decided, ordered, adjudged or decreed by him the fame Baron, and refpectively thereupon to make fuch Order as may be juft. Lord Chief Decrees to have rehear Causes, &c. 57 GEO. III. D САР. CA P. XIX. Meetings of more than Fifty Perfons, (except County Meetings, &c. as here in mentioned,) An Act for the more effectually preventing Seditious Meetings and Affemblies. [31st March 1817.] HEREAS Affemblies of divers Perfons, collected for the Purpose or under the Pretext of deliberating on public • Grievances, and of agreeing on Petitions, Complaints, Remon• ftrances, Declarations or other Addreffes to His Royal Highness The Prince Regent, or to both Houfes or either Houfe of Parliament, have of late been made ufe of to ferve the Ends of fac• tious and feditious Perfons, to the great Danger and Disturbance of the Public Peace, have produced Acts of Riot, Tumult and Disorder, and may become the Means of producing Confufion and • Calamities in the Nation;' Be it therefore 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 no Meeting of any Defcription of Perfons exceeding the Number of Fifty Perfons, (other than and except any Meeting of any County, Riding or Divifion, called by the Lord Lieutenant, Cuftos Rotulorum, or Sheriff of fuch County, or a Meeting called by the Convener of any County or Stewartry in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, or any Meeting called by Two or more Juftices of the Peace of the County or Place where fuch Meeting fhall be holden, or any Meeting of any County having different Ridings or Divifions, called by any Two Juftices of any One or more of fuch Ridings or Divifions, or any Meeting called by the major Part of the Grand Jury of the County, or of the Divifion of the County where fuch Meeting fhall be holden, at their General Affizes or General Quarter Seffions of the Peace, or any Meeting of any City or Borough or Town Corporate, called by the Mayor or other Head Officer of fuch City or Borough or Town Corporate, or any Meeting of any Ward or Divifion of any City, called by the Alderman or other Head Officer of fuch Ward or Divifion, or any Meeting of any not to be bolden Corporate Body), fhall be holden for the Purpose or on the Pretext of confidering of or preparing any Petition, Complaint, RemonAtrance or Declaration, or other Address to The King, or to His Royal Highuefs The Prince Regent, or to both Houfes or either House of Parliament, for Alteration of Matters eftablished in Church or State, or for the Purpose or on the Pretext of deliberating upon any Grievance in Church or State, unless Notice of the Intention to hold fuch Meeting, and of the time and Place when and where the fame fhall be propofed to be holden, and of the Purpofe for which the fame fhall be propofed to be holden, fhall be given, in the Names of Seven Perfons at the leaft, being Householders refident within the County, City or Place where fuch Meeting fhall be proposed to be holden, whofe Places of Abode and Defcriptions fhall be inferted in fuch Notice, and which Notice fhall be given by public Advertisement in fome public Newspaper ufually circulated in the County and Divifion where fuch Meeting fhall be holden, Five Days at the leaft before fuch Meeting fhall be holden, or fhall be delivered in manner hereinafter mentioned; and that fuch Notice fhall not be inferted in any fuch Newfpaper unless the Authority to infert fuch Notice without Notice being given in fome Newlpaper fhall Foot of a true Copy of Notice, &c. fhall be figned by Seven Perfons at the leaft, being Householders Such Authority refident within the County, City or Place where fuch Meeting fhall figned to be be proposed to be holden, and named in fuch Notice, and unless written at the fuch Authority fo figned fhall be written at the Foot of a true Copy of fuch Notice, and fhall be delivered to the Perfon required to infert the faine in any fuch Newspaper as aforefaid, which Perfon fhall caufe fuch Notice and Authority to be carefully preferved, and shall alfo at any time after such Notice shall have been inserted in fuch Paper, and within Fourteen Days after the Day on which fuch Meeting fhall be had, produce fuch Notice and Authority, and caufe a true Copy thereof (if required) to be delivered to any Juftice of the Peace for the County, City, Town or Place where fuch Perfon shall refide, or where such Newspaper shall be printed, and who fhall require the fame; and in cafe any Perfon fhall infert any fuch Notice in any Newspaper without fuch Authority as aforefaid, or in cafe any Perfon to whom any fuch Notice and Authority fhall have been delivered for the Purpose of inferting fuch Notice in any fuch Newspaper as aforesaid shall refuse to produce fuch Notice and Authority, or to deliver a true Copy thereof, being thereunto required as aforefaid, within Three Days after fuch Production and Copy or either of them shall have been fo required, every such Perfon, for every fuch Offence, fhall forfeit the Sum of Fifty Pounds to any Perfon who fhall fue for the fame. II. Provided always neverthelefs, and be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful to deliver any fuch Notice as aforefaid, figned by the Seven Perfons in whofe Names fuch Notice shall be given, with their Places of Abode and Description, Five Days at the leaft before the Day on which fuch Meeting fhall be holden, to the Clerk of the Peace of the County, Riding or Divifion, within which such Meeting fhall be propofed to be holden; and fuch Notice fo given by fuch Means as aforefaid fhall be as effectual to all Intents and Purpofes as if the fame had been given by Public Advertisement inferted in any fuch Newspaper as aforefaid; and fuch Clerk of the Peace fhall forthwith and without Delay, fend a true Copy of fuch Notice, with fuch Signatures and Additions as aforefaid, to Three Justices of the Peace at the least, of such County, Riding, or Divifion, or in cafe the Juftices of the Peace of the City, Borough or Town where fuch Meeting fhall be proposed to be holden, shall have exclusive Jurisdiction, then to Three of fuch Justices, if so many fhall then be refident within such Jurifdiction, and if not, then to fo many of fuch Juftices as fhall be refident within fuch exclufive Jurifdiction. III. And be it further enacted, That all Meetings of any Description of Perfons, exceeding the Number of Fifty Perfons, other than and except as aforefaid, which fhall be holden without fuch previous Notice as aforefaid, for the Purpofe or on the Pretext of confidering of or preparing any Petition, Complaint, Remonftrance, Declaration or other Addrefs to The King, or Prince Regent, or both Houfes or either House of Parliament, for Alteration of Matters established in Church or State, or for the Purpofe or on the Pretext of deliberating on any Grievance in Church or State, shall be deemed and taken to be unlawful Affemblies. Inferting fuch Penalty sol. IV. And be it further enacted, That it fhall not be lawful to Respecting Ad adjourn any Meeting that fhall be holden under and by virtue of journments of fuch previous Notice, to any time after the Day specified in fuch Meetings, &c. Notice, D 2 Affembling contrary to Act, not dilpering within one Hour after being required fo to do by Proclamation to the Number of Twelve or more, Deathi. Form of Proclamation. Meetings held in pursuance of Notice, where Notice expreffes certain Particu lars hercin mentioned, to be difperfed by Proclamation. Notice, for holding fuch Meeting, or to any other Place than that at which fuch Meeting fhall first be holden in pursuance of fuch previous Notice; and that any Meeting of any Description of Perfons, exceeding the Number of Fifty Perfons (except as aforefaid), which fhall be holden by way of or under Pretence of being an Adjourned Meeting, for the Purpose of or on the Pretext of confidering of or preparing any Petition, Complaint, Remonftrance, Declaration or other Address to The King, or Prince Regent, or both Houses or either House of Parliament, for Alteration of Matters established in Church or State, or for the Purpose or on the Pretext of deliberating on any Grievance in Church or State, shall be deemed and taken to be an unlawful Affembly. V. And be it further enacted, That if any Perfons exceeding the Number of Fifty fhall be affembled contrary to the Provifions hereinbefore contained, it fhall and may be lawful for any One or more Juftice or Juftices of the Peace, or the Sheriff of the County in which fuch Affembly fhall be, or his Under Sheriff, or the Mayor or other Head Officer or Justice of the Peace or Magistrate of any City or Town Corporate where fuch Affembly fhall be, by Proclamation to be made in The King's Name, in the Form hereinafter directed, and he and they are hereby required to make or caufe to be made Proclamation in the King's Name, to command all Persons there affembled to difperfe themfelves, and peaceably to depart to their Habitations, or to their lawful Bufinefs; and if any fuch Perfons shall, to the Number of Twelve or more, notwithstanding fuch Proclamation made, remain or continue together by the Space of One Hour after such Proclamation made, that then fuch continuing together to the Number of Twelve or more fhall be adjudged Felony without Benefit of Clergy, and the Offenders therein fhall be adjudged Felons, and fhall fuffer Death as in cafes of Felony without Benefit of Clergy. VI. And be it further enacted, That the Order and Form of the Proclamation to be made as aforefaid, fhall be as hereafter followeth; (that is to fay,) the Juftice of the Peace, or other Perfon, or One of the Juftices of Peace, or One of the other Perfons authorized by this Act to make the faid Proclamation, fhall, among the faid Perfons affembled, or as near to them as he can fafely come, with a loud Voice, command or caufe to be commanded Silence to be while Proclamation is making; and after that fhall openly and with loud Voice make or caufe to be made Proclamation in these Words, or like in Effect: "Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth "all Perfons here affembled immediately to disperse them“selves, and peaceably to depart to their Habitations or "to their lawful Bufinefs, upon Pain of Death. "GOD SAVE THE KING!" VII. And be it further enacted, That in cafe any Meeting fhall be holden in pursuance of any fuch Notice as aforefaid, and fuch Notice, or any Matter which fhall be in fuch Notice proposed to be propounded or deliberated upon at fuch Meeting fhall express or purport that any matter or thing by law established may be altered, otherwife than by the Authority of The King, Lords and Commons, in Parliament assembled, or such Notice, or any matter therein contained, shall tend to incite or itir up the People to Hatred or Contempt |