No. II. c. 159. or enjoyed, by any body corporate or politic, or by any lord or lords, lady or ladies of any manor or manors, or any person or persons whatsoever, in, 54 Geo. III. to, upon, or over any of the ports, harbours, havens, roads, roadsteads, sounds, channels, creeks, bays, or navigable rivers of the united kingdom, or to the banks, shores, or sides thereof; or to repeal any of the provisions contained in any Act or Acts of Parliament which may have been passed, for the regulation of any river, port, or harbour in the united kingdom, or the shipping frequenting the same, except such acts and provisions as are expressly repealed by this present Act; but that such respective rights of property, privileges, jurisdictions, and powers of conservancy, shall be respectively and exclusively enjoyed, in as full, ample, and beneficial a manner in every respect, to all intents and purposes, as if this Act had never been made, any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, [No. III.] 58 Geo. III. c. 35.-An Act to provide for the maintaining of the Royal Canal from the River Liffey to the River Shannon, in Ireland.-[23rd May 1818.] PART VI.-CLASS XXX. SEDITIOUS MEETINGS, &c. [No. I.] 39 Geo. III. c. 79.-An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Societies established for Seditious and Treasonable Purposes; and for better preventing Treasonable and Seditious Practices.-[12th July 1799.] [Inserted Part V. Cl. II. No. 55.] [No. II.] 60 Geo. III. and 1 Geo. IV. c. 1.-An Act to prevent the Training of Persons to the Use of Arms, and to the Practice of Military Evolutions and Exercise.[11th December 1819.] WHEREAS, in some parts of the United Kingdom, men clandestinely of No. II. c. 1. and unlawfully assembled have practised military training and exer- 60 Geo. III. cise, to the great terror and alarm of his Majesty's peaceable and loyal & 1 Geo. IV. subjects, and the imminent danger of the public peace; 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 authority of the same, That all meetings Meetings and and assemblies of persons for the purpose of training or drilling themselves, assemblies of or of being trained or drilled to the use of arms, or for the purpose persons for practising military exercise, movements, or evolutions, without any lawful the purpose of authority from his Majesty, or the lieutenant, or two justices of the peace being trained, of any county or riding, or of any stewartry, by commission or otherwise, for or of practising so doing, shall be and the same are hereby prohibited, as dangerous to the military exerpeace and security of his Majesty's liege subjects and of his government; and cise, prohibited. every person who shall be present at or attend any such meeting or assembly, for the purpose of training and drilling any other person or persons to the use of arms, or the practice of military exercise, movements, or evolutions, or who shall train or drill any other person or persons to the use of arms, No. II. 60 Geo. III. & 1 Geo. IV. c. 1. Punishment. Persons so assembled may be detained and required to give bail, and prosecuted. Sheriffs Scot' and to have the same powers as or the practice of military exercise, movements, or evolutions, or who shall aid or assist therein, being legally convicted thereof, shall be liable to be transported for any term not exceeding seven years, or to be punished by imprisonment not exceeding two years, at the discretion of the court in which such conviction shall be had; and every person who shall attend or be present at any such meeting or assembly as aforesaid, for the purpose of being, or who shall at any such meeting or assembly be trained or drilled to the use of arms, or the practice of military exercise, movements, or evolutions, being legally convicted thereof, shall be liable to be punished by fine and imprisonment not exceeding two years, at the discretion of the court in which such conviction shall be had. II. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, or for any constable or peace officer, or for any other person acting in their aid or assistance, to disperse any such unlawful meeting or assembly as aforesaid, and to arrest and detain any person present at, or aiding, assisting, or abetting any such assembly or meeting as aforesaid; and it shall be lawful for the justice of the peace who shall arrest any such person, or before whom any person so arrested shall be brought, to commit such person for trial for such offence, under the provisions of this Act, unless such person can and shall give sufficient bail for his appearance at the next assizes or general or quarter sessions of the peace, to answer to any indictment which may be preferred against him for any such offence against this Act, in England and Ireland; 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. III. And be it further enacted, That the sheriffs depute and their subdepute, &c. in stitutes, stewards depute and their substitutes, justices of the peace, magistrates of royal burghs, and all other inferior judges and magistrates, and also all high and petty constables, or other peace officers of any county, stewartry, city, or town within that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, shall Magistrates in have such and the same powers and authorities for putting this present Act England. 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 other parts of the United Kingdom. Offenders may IV. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That nothing in this Act be indicted, if contained shall extend to prevent any prosecution, by indictment or othernot prosecuted wise, for any thing which shall be an offence within the intent and meaning under this Act 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 com mitted, 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 plaintiffs, the defendant or defendants Double costs. 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 No. II. 60 Geo. III. c. 1. 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 & 1 Geo. IV. 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 defender or defenders shall have treble costs or ex- Treble costs. pences, 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. VII. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That no person shall be prosecuted by virtue of this Act for any thing done or committed contrary to the provisions hereinbefore contained, unless such prosecution shall be commenced within six calendar months after the offence committed. 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. Prosecutions to be commenced within six months af ter offences.' Act may be repealed or altered this session. No. III. c. 2. [No. III.] 60 George III. & 1 George IV. c. 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 twenty-fifth Day of March one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two.-[18th December 1819.] 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 au- 60 Geo. III. thorized and empowered to seize and detain such arms and weapons: Be & 1 Geo. IV. 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 authority of the same, That it shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, upon the information upon oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses, that he or they be lieve 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 other weapon is, for any purpose dangerous to the public peace, in the possession of any person, or in any house or place, to issue his warrant to any constable or 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. for Justices may issue warrants for searching for and seizing weapons, dangerous to the public peace. II. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful Party may ap any person from whom any such arms or weapons shall be so taken as peal to quarter last aforesaid, in 'case the justice of the peace upon whose warrant the same sessions. shall have been 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 No. III. 60 Geo. III. & 1 Geo. IV. c. 2. Persons found carrying arms under suspicious circum. stances may be detained, and required. to give bail, and prosecuted. Justices of detached and adjoining counties to have concurrent jurisdiction in such counties. Sheriffs depute in Scotland to have the same powers as justices in England. Limitation of .actions. '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. III. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, or for any constable, peace officer, or other person acting under the warrant of any justice of the peace, or for any person acting with or in aid of any justice of the peace, or of any constable or other peace officer having such warrant as aforesaid, to arrest and detain any person found carrying arms in such manner and at such times as, in the judgment of such justice of the peace, to afford just grounds of suspicion that the same are carried for purposes dangerous to the public peace; and it shall be lawful for the justices 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. IV. And be it further enacted, That all justices of the peace acting in and for the several counties specified in this Act, or in any proclamation to be issued under this Act, or any counties next adjoining thereto, shall have concurrent jurisdiction as justices of the peace, in all cases as to the carrying into execution the provisions of this Act, and as to all matters and things relating to the preservation 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 been duly qualified by law to act therein. V. And be it further enacted, That the sheriffs depute and their substitutes, stewards depute and their substitutes, justices of the peace, magistrates of royal burghs, and all other inferior judges and magistrates, and also all high and petty constables or other peace officers of any county, stewartry, city, or town within 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. VI. 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, 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 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 plaintiff's shall become nonsuit, or discontinue his, her, or their action after appearance, or if upon demurrer judgment shall be given against the Double costs. plaintiff or 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. Scotland. Limitation of VII. And be it further enacted, That every action or suit which shall be actions, &c. in 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 No. III. 60 Geo. III. c. 2. 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 & 1 Geo. IV. 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 defender or defenders shall have double costs or expences, Double costs. 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. VIII. And be it further enacted, That this Act and all the provisions Act to extend thereof, shall extend to the several counties of Lancaster and Chester, and to certain to the west riding of the county of York, and to the counties of Warwick, counties, and Stafford, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Cumberland, Westmorland, Northum- others by proberland, Durham, Renfrew, and Lanark, the counties of the towns of New- clamation. castle-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 council, 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 His Majesty in for his Majesty, by and with the advice of his privy council, by proclama council may tion, to declare that this Act shall be no longer in force in any counties or restrict or exriding specified in this Act, or in any county or riding to which the provi- tend the opesions of this Act shall have been extended by proclamation as aforesaid; ration of the and from and after the period specified in any such proclamation, the Act. 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. X. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That this Act shall be Duration of and continue in force until the twenty-fifth day of March one thousand this Act. eight hundred and twenty-two. XI. And be it further enacted, That this Act may be repealed in the Act may be whole or in any part thereof, or in any manner altered or amended, during repealed or the present Session of Parliament. [No. IV.] 60 George III. & 1 George IV. c. 6.-An Act for more effectually preventing Seditious Meetings and Assemblies; to continue in force until the End of the Sessesion of Parliament next after five Years from the passing of the Act.-[24th December 1819.] WHEREAS in divers parts of this kingdom, assemblies of large numbers altered this Session. No. IV. c. 6. of persons collected from various parishes and districts, under the pretext of deliberating upon public grievances, and of agreeing on petitions, 60 Geo. III. complaints, remonstrances, declarations, resolutions, or addresses upon the & 1 Geo. IV. 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 No meeting of fifty persons (other than and except any meeting of any county, or division more than 50 of any county, called by the lord lieutenant, governor, or custos rotu- persons ( |