236 C. 27. Anno quinto Georgii Regis* A. D. 17-18, CAP. XXVII. An Act to prevent the Inconveniencies arifing from reducing Artificers in the Manufactures of Great Britain into foreign Parts. ' ,,, „ ' I. "f, Y THEREAS divers ill-difpofed Perfons, as well Foreigners, as Subjects of this Kingdom by Gee! z.?. ix. ' W Confederacy with Foreigners, have of late drawn away and tranfported, and have alio made ' divers Attempts to entice, draw away and tranfport feveral Artificers and Manufacturers of and in f Wool, Iron, Steel, Brafs and other Metals, Clock-makers, Watch-makers and divers other Manufac- ' turers of Great Britain, out of his Majefty's Dominions into foreign Countries, by entringinto Contracts ' with them to give them greater Wages and Advantages than they have or can reafonably expect within
- this Kingdom, and by making them large Promifes and ufing other Arts to 'inveigle and draw them away :
' And whereas there is great Danger that, by means of thefe and fuch like Practices, many great and pro- ' fitable Branches of the Trades and Manufactures of this Kingdom may be tranfplanted into foreign
- Countries :' Therefore for the preventing the like Practices for the future, Be it enacted by the King's
moft Excellent Majelty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That if at any Time Id of " S n™"a" a » nerear " ter any Perfon or Perfons {hall contract with, entice, endeavour to perfwade or folicit any Ma- w;t°horen'tlcingf nu ^ a< ^ :urer or Artificer of or in Wool, Iron, Steel, Brafs or any other Metal, Clock-maker, Watch- &-c any Artificer maker or any other Artificer or Manufacturer of Great Britain, to go out of this Kingdom into any fa- in Wool, iron, reign Country out of his Majelty 's Dominions, and fhall be lawfully convicted thereof upon any Indict- &c_tq go into a ment or Information which fhall be preferred or brought againft him or them in any of his Majefty's (halite finednot Courts at Wefiminjier, or at the Affizes or general Gaol-delivery, or Quarter-feffions of the Peace for exceeding iool. the County, Riding or Divifion where fuch Offence fhall be committed, the Perfon and Perfons fo convict for the firft Of- fhall be fined any Sum not exceeding one hundred Pounds for fuch firft Offence, according to the Difcre- fence, and be t ion f the Court in which fuch Conviction fhall be, and fhall be imprifoned for the Space of three Months, th e^M^tiT anc ^ unt '^ ^ uc ^ ^ me ^ la ^ ^ e P a '^ '■ an( ^ ^ an ^ ^ er ^ on or Perfons, having been once convict as aforefaid, fhall offend again, and be fo convict a fecond Time of the like Offence, then and in fuch Cafe the Perfon And for the fe- fo convict a fecond Time fhall be fined at the Difcretion of the Court where fuch Conviction fhall be, ?"V! , 0i l ence . ' and be imprifoned for twelve Months, and until fuch Fine fhall be paid. Jhall be fined dif- r r tretionally and imprifoned for twelve Months. Profecution in II. Provided neverthelefs, That no Perfon or Perfons fhall be profecuted for any of the Offences afore- twelve Months faid, unlets fuch Profecution fhall be begun within the Space of twelve Months next after fuch Offence aftcrtheOffence. fl^n bg comrnitte d. After May r, _ JJL And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any of his Majefiy's Subjects within fclf'o^fn™' this Kingdom, being fuch Arirficer or Manufacturer as aforefaid, fhall, at any Time after the firft Day aVoreig'nCoiin- or " May m trie Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and nineteen, go into any Country out of his try, there to ex- Majelty 's Dominions, there to ufe or exercife, or to teach any of the faid Trades or Manufactures to Fo- crcife his Trade, reigners, or in cafe any of his Majefty's Subjects now being, or who hereafter fhall be in any fuch foreign andnot r " urr '- Country out of his Majefty's Dominions as aforefaid, and there ufing or exercifing any of the faid Trades a%r" Warning or Manufactures herein before-mentioned, fhall not return into this Realm within fix Months next after given him by the Warning fhall be given to him; by the AmbafTador, Envoy, Refident, Minifter or Conful of the Crown of Ambjfiador, &c. Great Britain in the Country in which fuch Artificer fhall be, or by any Perfon authorized by fuch Am- bafTador, Envoy, Reiident, Minifter or Conful, or by one of his Majefty's Secretaries of State for the fhall be incapa- Time being, and from thenceforth continually inhabit and dwell within this Realm; then and in fuch bie of taking £ a f e ever y f ucri p er fon or Perfons fhall be from thenceforth incapable of taking any Legacy that fhall be any Legacy, &c. J ev jf e ^ to hj^ wu -hin this Kingdom, or of being an Executor or Adminiftrator to any Perfon or Perfons ' Forfeit all his within this Kingdom, and fhallbe incapable of taking any Lands, Tenements or Hereditaments within Lands, &c. and this Kingdom by Defcent, Devife or Purchafe, and alfo forfeit all his Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments, b= deemed an Goods and Chattels within this Kingdom, to his Majefty's Ufe, and fhall from thenceforth be and be Alien. deemed and taken to be an Alien, and fhall be out of his Majefty's Protection. Juftices of Peace IV. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That from and after the faid firft Day of May may, on Com- one thoufand feven hundred and nineteen, upon Complaint made upon Oath before any J u ft ice or Juftices plaint of any Q f the p eaC e, that any Perfon or Perfons is or are endeavouring to feduce or draw away any fuch Manu- S^AcV^iJite f a( 3;urer or Artificer as aforefaid out of his Majefty's Dominions, for any the Purpofes aforefaid, or that their Warrant any fuch Manufacturer or Artificer as aforefaid hath contracted, promife'd or is preparing to go out of his for the appre- Majefty's Dominions for any of the Purpofes aforefaid, then and in fuch Cafe it fhall and may be lawful hending of the j anc i f or the Juftice or Juftices of the Peace unto whom fuch Complaint fhall be made, to fend forth Offender, and n j s Wai-rarit to bring the Perfon and Perfons fo complained of before him or them, or fome other of his appearTt the Majefty's Juftices of the Peace for the fame County, Riding, Divifion or City; and if when fuch Perfon Affizes, &c or Perfons fhall be fo brought before fuch Juftice or Juftices, it fhall appear to fuch Juftice or Juftices, by the Oath or Oaths of one or more credible Witnefs or Witneftes, or by the Confeffion of the Party ©r Parties fo brought before him or them, that the Party fo complained of was guilty of any of the faid Offences,
