A. D. 1697. Anno nono & declmo Gulielmi III. C. 7* 6g^ c A p. VII. An AiSt to prevent the Throwing or Firing of Squibbs, Serpents, and other Fire Works. HERE AS much Mifchief hath lately happened by throwing-, cafting, and firing of Squibbs,. Seriients, Rockets, and other Fire Works, fome Perfons having thereby loft their Lives, others ' their Eyes, others have had their Lives in great Danger, and feveral other Damages have been fuftained by
- many Perfons, and much more may thereby happen, if not fpeedily prevented :' For Remedy wrhereof for
the future be it enafted by the King's nioft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confcnt of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament afiembled, and by the Authority qf the- fame. That from and after the five and twentieth Day oi MarcJi one thoufand fix hundred ninety- _ , tf j, eight, it Oiall not be lawful for any Perfon or Perfons of what Age, Sex, Degree, or Quality foever, to iCoT/noPcT'oni make or caufe to be made, or to fell or utter, or offer or expofe to Sale, any Squibbs, Rockets, Serpents, wliatioevcr ihAl or other P'ire Works, or any Cafes, Moulds, or other Implements for the making any fuch Squibbs, Ser- make, fdl, S:c. pents, Rockets, or other Fire Works, or for any Perfon or Perfons to permit or fufFer any Squibbs, Serpents, SquiLbs, Rock- Rockets, or other Fire Works, to be caft, thrown, or fired from, out of, or in his, her, or their Houfe or "^' ^"^^P"^""' Houfes, Lodgings or Habitations, or from, out oj, or in any Part or Place thereto belonging or adjoining, mJu]Js ^^'for. into any publick Street, Highway, Road, or Paflage, or for any Perfon or Perfons, of what Degree, Qita- makins'oitich lity, or Age foever, to throw, calf, or fire, or to be aiding or affiflingin the throwing, cafting, or firing of Squibbs. any Squibbs, Serpents, Rockets, or other Fire Works, in or into any publick Street, Houfe, Shop, Ri- ver, Highway, Road, or Paflage, and that every fuch Offence fhall be, and is hereby adjudged to be, a common Njufance., n. And be it further enadled by the Authority aforefaid. That if any Perfon or Perfons, of what Age, Sex, Degree, or Quality foever, from and after the faid five and twentieth Day oi March, ftiall make or Penalty on Per- caufe to be made, or fhall fell, give, or utter, or oft'er or expofe to Sale, any Squibbs, Rockets, Serpents, ^'"] throwing or or other Fire Works, or any Cafes, Moulds, or other Implements for the making of any fuch Squibbs, """sSyiibbsj Rockets, Serpents, or other Fire Works, that then every fuch Perfon or Perfons fo offending, and being thereof convi£led before one -or more Juftice or Juftices of the Peace of the County, Limit, Divifion, Cor- poration, Liberty, or Chief Magiftrate of the Place, where fuch Oftence fhall be committed, either by the Confeffion of the Party or Parties fo offending, or the Oath of two Witnefles (which, Oath the faid Juftice ©r Juftices of Pea,ce, or Chief Magiftrate, is and are hereby impowered and required to adminifter) fhall for every fuch Offence forfeit the Sum of five Pounds: And if any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, fi-pm and after the faid five and twentieth Day of yJ'/tf?V/>, fnall permit or fufFer any Squibbs, Serpents, Rockets, or or fuffering other Fire Works to be caft, thrown or fired from, out of, or in his, her or their Houfe or Houfes, Shops, 'hem, &c. tote.- Dwelling, Lodging or Habitation, or from, out of, or in any Part thereof, or Place thereto belonging or 'hrown or fiiei adjoining, into any publick Street, Highway, Road or Paflage, or any other Houfe or Place whatfoever, ho^Cj.^, '"' tliat then every fuch Perfon or Perfons fo as aforefaid laft offending, andbeing thereof as aforefaid convifted, fhall for every fuch -Offence forfeit- the. Sum of twenty Shillings; the faid feveral Forfeitures to be levied by Forfeitures llov^ Diftrefs- and Sale of the Qoods and Chattels of every- fuch Offender, by Warrant' under the Hand and Seal '» I; '^= ^'^^- of'the faid Juftice or Juftices of the Peace, or Chief Magiftrate, before whom fuch Conviftion or Convic- ^rp':. tions fhall be as aforefaid made ; the one Half of the faid Forfeitures to be to the Ufe of the Poor of the Parifh where every fuch Offence fhall be committed, and the other Half to the Ufe of him or them who ihall profecute, and caufe fuch Offender or Offenders to be as aforefaid conviiSted. III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid. That if any Perfon or- Perfons of what Age,. Sex, Degree or Quality foever, from and after the faid five and twentieth Day o( Mm-cb, fhall throw, cail or fire, or be aiding or aiirfting in the throwing, cafting or firing of any Sqnibbs, Rockets, Serpents or other Fire Works, in or into any publick Street, Houfe, Shop, River, Highway, Road or Paffage, that; then every Perfon fo offending, and being thereof as aforefaid convifted, fhall for every fuch Offence for- feit the Sum of twenty Shillings to the Ufes aforefaid ; and if the Perfon or Perfons fo as aforefaid laft of- Offender not fending, fhall not immediately (upon his, her or their being thereof as aforefaid conviiSted) pay to the faid P^y'"sr°=>-- Juftice or Juftices of the Peace, or Chief Magiftrate, before v/hom fuch Conviftion fhall be as aforefaid ^[f"^ ^."™' made, the faid Forfeiture or Forfeitures, for the Ufes aforefaid, that, then every fuch Juftice or Jufl-ices of Houfe of Cor.- the Peace, or Chief Magiftrate, is and are hereby impowered and required, by. Warrant under his or their reaion,. Hands and Seals, to commit every fuch Perfon or Perfons, fo as aforefaid laft offendfng, to the-Houfd of Correftion within the County, Divifion, Limit, Corporation, or Libert5'-, wii'ere fuch Offence- as is laft mentioned fhall be committed, there to remain to be kt and kept to hard Labour, without Bail or M&ini- am! Iceptto harf-. prize, for any Time not exceeding one Month, unlefs fuch Offender a^ is laft mentioned fhall fo'oner pay Latom-. fach Forfeiture or Forfeitures to the faid Juftice or Juftices of the Peace, or Chief Mag^iftrate. IV. Provided always, and be it further enabled by the Authority aforefaid^, That it fl^sall and may be Officers of-th?- lawful to and for the Mafter, Lieutenant, or Commiffioners of His M'ajeft'y's Ordnance 'f6r: the tinae- be'- Ordnance; &e,- ing, or any other Perfon or Perfons to be by them or any of- them authorized, to giveOrders and Directions J^^^;" o'-Fire- for the making any Sorts of' Fire Works, to be ufed and fired according to fnch-OfderS' and DireAions as' y^rhs^^; fhall be from time to time given by the faid Mafter, Lieutenant, or C-ommifKoners-of His M^jefty's: Qrd--. ■ ;■•■■ ~'- nance, or any other Perfon or Perfons to be by thertn far that Purpofe authorized ; any thing herein con- ■ tained to the contrary ther^f iji ^ny w;ife notwithftanding.. . . V. Provided always, and-be -it- enacted. That it fhall and'" may be lawful tO'and for -the -.Artillfeiiy- Com- Artillery Com*- pany of the City of Lvi'don, or any other Artillery- Company or Society of Perfons lawfully met together for ^-^ °f'*-0Q'icD,. the Ufe and Excife of Arms, the Trained Bands, the Militia of this Kingdom refpeftively, to make and sor'tsoTFire^"^' ufe,any Sorts of Fire Works in the Excrcife and Practice of Arms and Warlike Exploints only, in fuch. works in cfce Manner Exeicifc of .
