A. D. 1710. Anno noiiD Ann^ Reginaj. C. 26. ^6$ the Peifon or Perfons fo offending, fhall likewife for every fuch Offence incur fuch Forfeitures, Pains', and incur the like Penalties, as afoi^efaid, to be recovered likewife by fuch Means, within fuch Time, and ,to fuch Ufes,_as' F'^f'"'y'es- ■aforefaid. ^_ . ■ ^ . ' IV, And whereas very great Numbers of wild Fowl, of feveral Kinds, are deftroyed by the pernicious ioGeo.3. c. jr. ' Praftice of driving and taking them with Hayes, Tunnels, and other Nets, in the Fens, Lakes, and ' broad Waters, where Fowl refort in the moulting Time, and that at a Seafon of the Year when the Fowl ' are fick, and moulting their Feathers, and the Flefh unfavory and unwholefome, to t;he Prejudice of thofe
- that buy them, and to the great Damage and Decay of the Breed of wild Fowl;' Be it therefore further ^° PerCon ftiall
enaded by the Authority aforefaid. That if any Perfoa or Perfons whatfoever, between the firfl Day of ^j^j"^ 5" * -'"j^j. July and the firft Day of September, as they fhall yearly happen, ftiall by Hayes, Tuimcls, or^otherNets, a^y ^^iid Oucfc, drive and take any Vild Duck, Teal, Widgeon, or any other Fowl, commonly reputed Water Fowl, in any &c. by Hnyts, ' of the Fens, Lakes, Broad Waters, or other Places of P.efort for Wild Fowl in the Moulting Seafon, fuch &=■ Pcrfon or Perfons, who ftiall fo offend, and thereof lliall be convifted before any one or more of her Ma- jefly's Juflices of the Peace for the County where fuch Offence fhall be committed, by the Oath of one ■p.^^f^-^f ^^f or more credible Witnefs, fhall for every Wild Duck, Teal, or other Water Fowl fo taken, as aforefaid, >s.for/achWiia forfeit and pay the Sum of five Shillings; one Moiety thereof to be paid to the Informer, and the other Fowl, &:. Moiety to the Poor of the Parifh where fuch Offence fhall be committed; the fame to be leied by Diftrefs Ofie Moi ty to •and Sale of the Offender's Goods, by Warrant under the Hand and Seal of the Juflice and Jufbices of the 'he informer Peace, before whom the Offender fhall be convlded, rendring the Overplus, if any be, above the Penalty p^*^°' ^^J^" J^_^ and Charge of Diflrefs; and for want of Diftrefs the Offender or Offenders fhall be committed to the Houfe ^.j^j '^y Diftrefs^ -of Correftion for any Time not exceeding one Month, nor lefs than fourteen Days, there to be whipt and for want of kept to hard Labour; and the Juftice or Juftices of the Peace, before whoin fuch Perfon or Perfons fo of- which the Of- fending fhall be convii£l:;d, fnall order fuch Hayes, Nets, or Tunnels, that were ufed in driving and taking fender to be the faid Wild Fowl, as aforefaid, to be feized, and immediately deflroyed, in the Prefence of fuch Juftice ""V"'!'"^ " J n- . J ■■ J S„(.jj Haves, &<r. OrJUitlCeS. to be deftroyed. Farther Provijlt/tis relating to Canic^ 3 Geo. I, f. 1 1. S Geo, 1. c> 19. 10 CVc* 2. e. 3-3. a6 Geo, 2. c, t. and aS Geo, z. c, 12-i C A P. XXVI. An A£t for the better Prefervation and Improvement of the Fifliery within the River of Thames^ lj^j I'.f.li'^l. and for regulating and governing the Company of Fifhermen of the faid River. c i, 2, £=f 3, 31 Ed. i^fiait 3. ' "T7'HEREAS the Prefervation of the Fifhery of the River of Thames, and the good Government of ^' y^^,*'^^, ,, ' W the Company of Fiflrermen of the faid River, are not only highly neceffary for furniftiing her Ma- ^^j ""•'■ ' jefty's Subjefts inhabiting within the Cities ol London and Wejlmhifler, and the Parts adjacent, with good, 17 r. i. ,-. 9. ' wholfome, cheap, and feafonable Fifh, but likewife advantageous to her A4aiefty, and the Trade of this i H. 6. c 15. ' Kingdom, in breeding up able-bodied Sea-faring Men, and preventing Frauds committed in running of -* ^'^•j'- • -■
- ' Goods and Merchandizes, whereby the Pvcvenues of the Crown have been much leffened;' Be it enadfed I'^/Wr^'
by the Queen's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the A^dvice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and j £/'. 'c, r'.' Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That 3 y^^i-. i/wii. from and after the tenth Day of yunc one thoufand feven hundred and eleven, it fhall and may be lawful to After 10 June and for the Court of Affiftants of the faid Company for the time being, or the major Part of them prefent, 17.11. the Com-t to make fuch By-Laws and Ordinances for the good Rule and Government of the faid Company, as they uf Afliftanrs ut" ftiall think fit, fo as the fame be always firft approved of, or from time to time altered or amended by the [,"^ an'™!"' Court of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, and likewife allowed znA confirmed, ac- niakeB/-L'uv- cording to the Form of the Statute in that Behalf made and provided; and that from and after the faid to be appi^ved' tenth Day of June, there fhall be yearly and every Year eledted and chofen by the next Court of Lord by the Court of Mayor and Aldermen, . to be held after the faid tenth Day of June, out of the fix Wardens of the faid Com- AliJefincn of pany, for the time being, to be nominated by the faid Court of Affiftants, one fit Perfon to be a Mafter of ^j""/ ^""jfj^.j,'?,., the faid Art or Myftery of Fifhermen; and alfo out of twelve Aififtants to be nominated, as aforefaid, fix out of the 6 fit Perfons to be. Wardens of the faid Art or Myftery, (whereof the Water Bailiff of the City of London, V/ardens of the for the Time being, fhall be one) and in like Manner out of fixty of the Commonalty to be nominated, as (■^'"i Company, a aforefaid, thirty fit Perfons to be Affiftants of the faid Company; which faid Mafter, Wardens, and Af- ^f'"c Sifl^^ fiflants, or any fixteen of them, together with three of the faid Wardens, fliall be, and are hereby confti- ,^1^" and'ouL tuted the Court of Affiftants of the faid Com^pany, for the time being, and ftiall meet and aifemble together, of the n Af- from time to time, on the firft Thurfday in every Calendar Month in the Year, in the Hall of the faid Com- UiUMs b v/at- pany, in order to form the faid Court of Affiftants, and keep the fame, for regulating and reforming Abufes "i^"' |,'hf Water committed in the faid Fifiiery, and for the due ordering and Governance of the faid Couipany; to the hold- ■?'"'"^ jj' ^'"V ing of which Court the faid Water Bailiff fliall be always duly fummoned to attend; and the faid Court of an] 3°Afl:™ut5. Affiftants, or the major Part of t-hem prefent, fhall, from time to time, call before them all and every fuch ihc- Maflcr, &o'. Perfon and Perfons as fhall ufj to fifh or drudge within the Liinits of the faid Fifliery as common Fifher- confiitu'ed the men or Drudgermen, and caufe every fuch Perfon and Perfons, being duly qualified, or having ferved on Court otAfiif- board her Majefty 's Navy for the Space of two Years, to have his or their Name or Names' entred and re- n"eet'tlie firit'^^^^ giftred in a Book or Books to be kept by the faid Court of Affiftants for that Purpofe, together with his xhurfda'y in and their refpecSive Places of Abode, and the Name of every Apprentice or Servnnt belonging to him or eve.y Month, to them, in ufing the Trade of fiftiing or drudging within the faid Limits; and fliall likev.'ife caufe fonie R4ark regulate Abufes, of Diftinfiion, by Figure or otherwife, to be placed on every Boat, Veflel, and Craft, which fliall, after ^^■ the fiiid tenth Day of June, be ufed in fifhing or drudging within the Limits aforefaid; which faid Figure „on^th" Fi^rr^ men, and ciufc their Names to be regiftred, &c, ihall caufe Marks to be put on every Boat. Vol. IV. T t t or I
