266 C. 30. Anno vicefimo tertio Georgii II. A. D. 1750^ rmlcrs the jn.ige VIII. Provided always, and be it enailed by the Authority aforefaid, That where the Plaintiff {hall upon ceriiry thcic was any Ac'lioji brought in any of the King's Courts at JFefljniiijhr, or in any of the Courts of Great Seflion of n if,.rcinabl= Ji/ales, or Counties Palatine, obtain a Verdict for Icfs than forty Shillings, if the Judge or Judges, who CaufeotAaion; ^^jj ^^^ ^j^^ j-^jj Caufe, fliall certify, that there was a probable or reafonable Caufe of Action for forty Shil- thenthePlaintiff lings or more, in every fuch Cafe, the Plaintifr Ihall not be liable to pay Cofts, but {hall recover his Co{ls to have Cofls. of Suit, as if this Act had not been made. Method of Pro- IX. And, for the more eftcdtual eftablifhing of the faid Court of Requeft?, and the better enforcing the icciiing wlien Orders and Decrees which fhall be made by the faid Commiflioners ; and that the faid Commifiioners may any ftiali iiifult be invefted with proper Power and Authority, and be free and exempt from any Infults or Abufes ; Be it the Court. further enadlcd by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Perfon or Perfons fhall contemptuoufiy affront, in- fult or abufe all or any of the Commiflioners of the faid Court, during their Sitting in the faid Court, it fliall and may be lawful to and for the faid Beadles, or one of them, by Order of the faid Commiflioners then iitting, or the major Part of them, being three or more, to take fuch Perfon or Perfons fo offending as afore- faid, into Cuftody, and carry him, her or them before one or more of his Majefty's Juflice or Juflices of the Peace for the County of Middlefex, if the faid Offence be committed within the faid County; or before one or more Juflice or Jultices of the Peace for the Liberty of his Majefty's Tower of London, if the Offence be committed within that Liberty, to anfwer fuch AfiVont, Infult or Abufe ; and upon the Fact alledged being duly proved, u]5on the Oath or Oaths of one or more credible Witnefs or Witneffes, againfl him, her or them, then, and in fuch Cafe, the faid Juflice or Juflices fhall proceed to punifli fuch Perfon or Perfons fo offending as aforefaid, by Fine not exceeding twenty Shillings, which Fine fhall be immediately paid into tee"d 2o°L*° "" ^^^^ Hands of the faid Juflice or Juflices, before whom fuch Offender or Offenders fhall be carried ; and if fuch Offender or Offenders fhall not fo pay the faid Fine in Manner as aforefaid, it fhall and may be law- ful for the faid Juflice or Juflices for the faid County of Middkfex, or the Liberty of the Tovjcr aforefaid, by Warrant under his or their Hand and Seal, or Hands and Seals, to commit fuch Offender or Offenders to the common Gaol, or Houfe of Corretftion for the faid County oi Middle/ex^ or to the faid Gaol for the faid Liberty, where the faid Offence fhall happen refpectively to be committed, there to remain for any Time nnrthelmpri- not exceeding the Space of One Calendar Month, or until he, ihe or they (hall have paid the faid Fine; fonment one and fuch Fine, when received by the faid Juflice or Juflices, fhall be immediately paid oer into the Hands Month. pf [Ujg Churchwardens or Overfeers of the Poor of the Parifh, Liberty, H^amlct, Precinft or Place where Application of fuch Offence fliall be committed, or v/here the Party fhall refide at the Time of committing fuch Oflence, the Fine. to be applied towards the Relief of the Poor of fuch Parifh, Liberty, Precindl, Hamlet or Place. Copyof the pre- X. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid. That the Clerks of the faid Court, or one of ceding Claufe to them., fliall fix, or caufe to be fixed or fluck up, in the moft publick Part of the Court-Houfe aforefaid, be hung up in fQ^ (j^g fajj 'J'ower Hamlcts, or other Place where the faid Commifiioners fnall fit to do Bufinefs as aforefaid, the Court. ^ ^^.^^ Copy of the preceding Claufe of this A£l, to the End that no Perfon or Perfons fhall or may pretend Ignorance in the Premiifes. PensItyofPer- XI. And be it further enatSled by the Authority aforefaid. That in cafe any Perfon or Perfons, fhall make i^O'- Oath, or give Evidence, in any Caufe depending in the faid Court of Requefls, whereby he, flie or they fhall commit any wilful or corrupt Perjury, and thereof be duly conviiSted according to Law, then every fuch Perfon or Perfons fnall incur and fuffer the like Pains and Penalties, as any other Perfon or Perfons coiivjded of wilful Peijury, according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm. Cnmmiflioneis XII. And be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid. That the CommilTioiiers fo nominated, afligned and (umpeton appointed as aforefiiid, fliall and may meet at the faid Court-Houfe, or fome other convenient Place in the I May 3750, j^^jj Tower Hcrddets, on Tucfday the firfl Day of May in the Year one thoufand feven hundred and fifty, or within one Month afterwards, in the Forenoon of the fame Day ; and then and there the faid Commillion- crs, or the greater Number of them then prefent, fliall and may, and they are hereby impowered and rc- and choofe quired by Ballot to choofe Clerks of the faid Court, not exceeding four, nor lefs than two ; and alfo Beadles Clerks and (jf the fame Court, not exceeding four ; who fhall continue Clerks and Beadles of the faid Court, during Beadles. |-^ JQj^g Time as they fliall behave thenifelves well in tlieir refpciTlive OiBces. <>o:iimifficncra XII f. Provided always. That no CommifTioner fliall be capable of holding the Office of Clerk, or any tlbrcfevks^&r ^'^^-S '^'"'^^ ^^ f '?^5 belonging to the faid Court. ciiig ei ,e . xiV. And be it further enatSted by the Authority aforefaid. That it fhall and may be lawful for the faid On iheUeat^^or Con-itYiiffionej-g j^ Court, or the major Part of them then prefent, on the next Court Day after the Death or am of t'heClerks Refignation of the faid Clerks or Beadles, or any or cither of them, or fo foon after as the fame is publickly or Beadles, the known ; and they are hereby required to caufe the whole Number of Com.mifTioners to be fummoned, v.-ho CummiiT.oners next before fuch Death or Refignation were nominated and returned as aforefaid (by giving them four Days to elect others. Notice at leafl) to meet at the Place aforefaid, within twenty Days next after their being fummoned as aforefaid ; and liich Commiffioners at fuch Meeting are hereby authorized, impowered and required by Bal- " lot to choofe another Perfon or Perfons, in the Room of fuch Clerks and Beadles, or any or either of them, 'in dying or refigning as aforefaid, for the Ufcs and Ptn-poies in this Aifl contained ; and fo, from time to time, upon every fuch Vacancy of the faid Office of Clerk or Beadle, for ever. Commiffioncrs XV. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforeiaid. That no Perfon or Perfons fhall be capable
- " *"■' '"'"^'■"- of afling as a Commiffioner or Commiflioners in the Execution of the Powers given by this Adl, until fuch
Time as he and they fliall rcfpedtivcly have taken an Oath, to the EffeiSt following ; The Oaih. ' '^ A. B do fwear. That I will faithfully, impartially and honcflly, according to the bcfl of my Judg- ' A ment, hear and determine fuch Matters and Things as fliall be brought before me, by virtue of an Act ' of Parliament (intituled. An Aci for the more cnfy and fl>ecdy Recovery of Small Debts zcithin the Tower ' Hamlets) without Favour or Affedion to cither Party ; and that I am now feifed of Lands, Tenements ' or Hereditaments, of the Value of twenty Pounds yw v£'/;«,7.', clear of all Incumbrances, or that I am- ' pofllffcd of a Perlbnal Eftate of the Value of five luiiidred Poands, clear of all Licumbranccs whatfoever.' ^Vtiich.
