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oath.

ed and directed to examine every fuch mafter and commander, and examine or owner or owners, upon oath (which oath fuch collectors and them upon receivers, and every of them refpectively, are hereby impowered and required to adminifter) as to the truth of the copy of fuch book or mufter-roll, and as, to the number and times of service of all and every person and perfons belonging to, or employed in, fuch fhip or veffel, who are liable to, or chargeable with, the faid fum of fix pence per month; and if such mafters Mafters, &c. or commanders, or (in their abfence) fuch owners, or any of not appearing, them, fhall refufe or neglect, when fo fummoned, to appear before the faid refpective perfons hereby impowered to examine them in manner as aforefaid; or if they appear, and obftinately refuse to make full and true discovery of the matters aforefaid, upon their feveral oaths; then, and in every such case, all and every fuch offender or offenders, for every fuch refufal, shall forfeit the fum of twenty pounds of lawful money of Great forfeit 201. Britain.

XXII. And, for the more eafy and effectual collecting the faid fix pence per month of and from the mafters, commanders, and owners of merchant ships or vessels that are or shall be hired or employed by the commiffioners, or other officers of the navy, victualling, ordnance, customs, poft-office, or other publick of fices, for or in the service of his Majefty, his heirs or fucceffors;

&c.

vice, to deliver

collector.

be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the fecre- Clerks of the taries or chief clerks of the aforefaid offices, or any other pub- offices hiring lick offices of the crown, ufually hiring or employing fhips or hips for his veffels for or in the fervice of his Majefty, his heirs or fuccef- Majefty's ferfors, fhall, and they are hereby respectively required to deliver duplicates of a duplicate of the lift or account of the number and names of the ships and fuch fhips fo hired or employed, and of the names of the ma- crews to the fters, commanders, and owners of every fuch fhip or veffel refpectively, and of the numbers of feamen, or other perfons employed in fuch fhip or veffel, to the receiver or collector of the faid duty of fix pence per month at the port of London, or any of the out-ports to which fuch fhip or veffel does respectively belong, granted by this act, as is by virtue of an act made in the fecond year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, to be deli-2 Geo. 2. c. 7. vered to the receiver or collector at the faid port of London, of the duty of fix pence per month given towards the fupport of the faid royal hofpital at Greenwich; and the faid fecretaries, chief clerks, and alfo all and every other officers of or belonging to the faid offices, and the mafters, commanders, and owners of any ships or veffels hired and employed, or to be hired or employed by them, or any of them, are hereby alfo required to do every other act, matter, or thing, for the due and effectual payment of the faid fix pence per month hereby granted, as is directed and required to be done by the faid act of the second year of the reign of his present Majesty, for the effectual payment of the duty of fix pence per month granted to the faid royal hospital; and the faid fecretaries, chief clerks, or other officers, or any of them, and the faid mafters, commanders, VOL. XIX.

H

and

under the penalties of the

faid act.

Masters to pay
the 6d. per
month to the

collector of the
port where
the fhip be-
longs.

Vessel not to

and owners of any fhips or veffels hired and employed by them, or any of them, fhall be subject and liable to the like penalties and forfeitures for any default, neglect, or omiffion, that thall be made in any of the acts, matters, or things, hereby required to be by them refpectively done and performed, or for acting contrary to the directions of this act, as they are subject and liable to by virtue of the faid act of the fecond year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, for any default, neglect, or omiffion, in any of the acts, matters, or things required to be done and performed by, or for acting contrary to, the directions of the faid act.

XXIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That all and every the mafters, commanders, and owners of all merchant fhips, and other private fhips and veffels whatsoever, by this act made liable to the payment of the faid duty of fix pence per month, fhall pay all fuch monies as fhall from time to time be due from them, and every of them respectively, to the collectors and receivers to be appointed in pursuance of this act, for or on account of the faid duty, at the ports only to which fuch ships or veffels do respectively belong, and before any fuch fhips or veffels fhall be cleared inwards, by the officers of the customs of his Majefty, his heirs or fucceffors, in any of the ports of that part of Great Britain called England; and that be cleared till no cuftomer, collector, comptroller, receiver, furveyor, fearcher, the duty paid. waiter, or other officer whatfoever, of or belonging to the cuf toms of his Majefty, his heirs or fucceffors, fhall at any time hereafter clear inwards any merchant ship, or other private ship or vessel whatsoever, by this act made or declared liable to the payment of the said duty of fix pence per month, or grant any warrant, or give or grant out any cockets, tranfires, returns, or discharges, unto or for any fuch fhip or veffel whatsoever, or fhall permit or fuffer any fuch ship or veffel to go out of any of the ports before mentioned, until the faid mafter, commander, or owner or owners of every fuch fhip or veffel respectively, fhall and do produce and fhew forth, unto fuch officer or officers, an acquittance or certificate figned by the faid receiver or receivers, collector or collectors of the faid duties, whereby it shall that fuch master, commander, or owner or owners, have duly and fully paid and discharged the said duty, and that he or they is or are not more than three months in arrear for the fame, or that they are exempted from the payment of the faid duty by virtue of the exceptions herein contained; and every mafter, commander, and owner of any fuch fhip or veffel, who fhall refufe or neglect to pay the faid duty of fix pence per month, in the manner, and within the time herein before mentioned, limited, and appointed, for payment thereof, and alfo every customer, collector, comptroller, receiver, furveyor, fearcher, waiter, and other officers of the customs, who fhall make default in any of the premiffes enjoined them refpectively by this: act, or fhall in any wife act contrary to the directions herein before mentioned, fhall, for every fuch refufal, neglect, default,

Mafters and other officers making default,

appear

or

or act, forfeit the fum of twenty pounds of lawful money of forfeit 20 1. Great Britain.

XXIV. And to prevent unneceffary delays in clearing such Masters not fhips and veffels, be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, That producing acin cafe the mafter, commander, or owner of any thip or vessel, Tide waiters quittance, fhall not produce fuch acquittance or certificate as aforefaid, to to be continuthe tide-furveyor when he shall come on board in order to clear ed on board at fuch fhip or veffel, the tide-waiters on board fuch fhip or vef- their expence. fel fhall be continued, until fuch acquittance or certificate is produced, at the expence of fuch owner, mafter, or commander, and not at the expence of the crown.

XXV. Provided, and be it further enacted by the authority Affirmation of aforefaid, That in all cafes wherein by this act an oath is re- Quakers. quired or appointed to be taken, the folemn affirmation and declaration of the people called Quakers thall be accepted instead of fuch oath, in fuch manner and form, as by the laws and

ftatutes of this kingdom is directed and appointed; and if any Penalty on fuch Quaker fhall refufe to make fuch folemn affirmation and their refufing, declaration, in any cafe wherein any other perfon is hereby required to take an oath, every fuch Quaker fo refufing, fhall, for every fuch offence, be fubject to the like forfeitures and penalties, as any other perfon refufing to take an oath is made liable

to by this act; and in cafe any such Quaker fhall, upon his fo- and on false lemn affirmation or declaration, affirm or declare any matter affirming, and which shall be false; or if any other perfon, before any fuch fwearing. collector, receiver, or other perfon, hereby authorized to adminifter oaths, fhall wilfully make a falfe oath, every fuch Quaker, or other perfon, being thereof lawfully convicted, fhall, for every fuch offence, fuffer and be liable to the like fines, pains, penalties, and punishments, as perfons convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury are fubject and liable to by the laws of that part of Great Britain called England.

XXVI. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority Charges of aforefaid, That the charges, cofts, and expences, in and about this act. procuring and obtaining this act of parliament, fhall be paid out of the first monies to be raised and contributed by virtue hereof, at the port of London.

XXVII. And whereas the mafters, commanders, and other officers and feamen, employed in fhips or veffels belonging to perfons refiding at fome of the out-ports of this kingdom, may be defirous of having the fix pence per month to be allowed and paid by them out of their wages, by virtue of and for the purposes of this act, to be under the direction and management of perfons refiding in or near to fuch outports refpectively; therefore be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That from and after the twenty fourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and forty feven, it shall and may be lawful to and for the owners of, and the mafters and com- Owners and manders employed on board the fhips and veffels belonging to masters of perfons refiding at any of the faid out-ports, to affemble and hips of outmeet, at any proper time and place within the limits of the faid ports, to meet, out-ports, that shall be by any five or more of them appointed,

and appoint trustees for the duties;

who are to continue till 26 December.

New trustees to be chofen yearly.

by giving ten days previous notice to be fixed at the customhouse wharf, key, or any other publick place, at fuch respective out-port; and fuch owners, mafters, and commanders, or the greater part of them, being so assembled as aforesaid, are hereby authorized and impowered, from time to time, to nominate and appoint, by an inftrument in writing under their hands and feals, fifteen perfons to be trustees for fuch out-port, for receiving, collecting, and applying the faid fix pence per month, to be allowed, collected, and received by virtue of this act, at fuch refpective out-port, for relief and fupport of the seamen employed on board the fhips or veffels belonging to fuch perfons refpectively, and their widows and children, as fhall be intitled thereto by virtue of this act; which faid trustees fhall continue to the twenty fixth day of December next after fuch election, and until new trustees are nominated, appointed, and confirmed: and that within ten days after every twenty fixth day of December yearly, the owners, mafters, and commanders at fuch respective out-ports, fhall have power to meet and choose fifteen perfons to be trustees for the year enfuing, by an inftrument in writing under the hands and feals of the owners, mafters, and com'manders, or the majority of them fo affembled, having given previous notice as aforefaid; which faid refpective trustees fhall continue, from time to time, until new trustees are nominated, Inftrument of appointed, and confirmed; which inftrument shall be sent to the election to the faid prefident and affiftants, or committees, who are hereby be sent to the authorized and required to confirm the fame under the common prefident, &c. feal of the faid corporation, without fee or reward, within ten days after the receipt thereof: which faid trustees, when they Five trustees fhall be fo confirmed as aforefaid, whereof five fhall be a quoimpowered to rum, shall be vested with, and have the fame powers and authomake by-laws; and appoint rities to make by-laws, and to revoke or alter the fame, and officers in the for taking, receiving, and applying any fum or fums of money out ports. which fhall be contributed, devised, or bequeathed by any welldisposed persons; and for appointing receivers and other officers; and for collecting, recovering, receiving, paying, and applying the faid fix pence per month, to be allowed and paid by the feamen, or others ferving on board any ship or vessel belonging to fuch perfons refpectively at fuch out-ports, as are given and granted by this act, to the prefident and governors aforesaid, according to fuch rules, orders, and regulations as are or fhall be established by virtue, and in pursuance of this act; and the faid receivers, and other officers, fhall have the same powers and authorities as the other receivers and officers to be appointed in pursuance of this act, and shall be subject and liable to the fame penalties and forfeitures; any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof in any wife notwithstanding.

XXVIII. And whereas by letters patent, bearing date the eighteenth day of December, in the fixth year of the reign of the late King Edward the fixth, certain merchants therein named, and their fucceffors, refiding at the city and port of Bristol, are incorporated by the name of The master, wardens, and commonalty of merchants-ven

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ftees for the

turers of the city of Bristol; which Jaid fociety of merchants are willing, for the benefit of the feamen employed on board ships and vesfels in the fervice of merchants, and other traders belonging to the faid city and port, to undertake the collection and application of the faid fix pence per month, to be paid at the city and port; and also to receive and apply any donations that well-difpofed perfons may give for the relief and fupport of such feamen, as fhall be maimed and difabled, and for the widows aud children of those who shall be killed, flain, or drowned in the fervice of the faid merchants and traders; therefore be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the maf- Merchantster, wardens, affiftants, and treasurer of the faid incorporated venturers of fociety for the time being, fhall be trustees, and shall have, and Bristol, trube vefted with the like powers and authorities for collecting, re- duties recovering, receiving, and applying the faid fix pence per month, ceived there, to be allowed, collected, and received by virtue of this act, at &c. the faid city and port; and for taking, receiving, and applying any fum or fums of money which shall be contributed, devised, and bequeathed by any well-difpofed perfons for relief and fupport of the feamen employed on board the fhips or veffels belonging to the merchants or traders refiding at the said city and port, and their widows and children, as fhall be entitled thereto by virtue of this act; and to appoint receivers, and other officcrs for the purposes aforefaid, as are given and granted by virtue of this act, to the prefident and governors aforefaid, according to fuch rules, orders, and regulations, as are or shall be established by virtue of this act; and fuch receivers, and other officers, fhall have the fame powers and authorities as the other receivers and officers to be appointed by virtue of this act, and shall be subject and liable to the like penalties and forfeitures; and the faid mafter, wardens, affiftants, and treasurer, fhall also have power to take and receive any lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in such manner, and for the like purposes only, as the said prefident and governors are by this act impowered to take and receive lands, tenements, and hereditaments; any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof in any wife notwithstanding.

XXIX. And whereas the guild or brotherhood of mafters and pilots, feamen of the Trinity houfe of the town and port of Kingston upon Hull, are willing, for the benefit of the feamen employed on board fhips and veffels in the fervice of merchants and other traders belonging to the Jaid town and port, to undertake the collection and application of the faid fix pence per month, to be paid at the faid town and port; and also to receive and apply any donations that well-difpofed perfons may give for the relief and fupport of fuch feamen as fhall be maimed and difabled, and of the widows and children of thofe wobo fhall be killed, flain, or drowned in the fervice of the faid merchants and traders; therefore be it further enacted by the autho- Trinity Houfe rity aforesaid, That the guild or brotherhood of mafters and of Hull, trupilots, feamen of the Trinity Houfe of the town and port of tees for the Kingston upon Hull, for the time being, shall be truftees, and duties, &c. fhall have and be vefted with the like powers and authorities for collecting, recovering, receiving, and applying the faid fix pence

received there,

&c.

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