A. D. 1719* Anno fexto Georgii Regis. C. 4. 269 be and are hereby exempted from all Taxes, Rates and Impositions whatfocver by Act of Parliament Tic whole or otherwife ; any Law or Statute made or to be made to the contrary notwithstanding ; and that no Perfon, ^ ck f ' *; c- in rcfpeCt of his being Governor or ub-governor, Deputy-governor, Director, Manager or a .Member v'V'hWi, for of the fame Corporation, or for having any Stock or Share therein, or by reafon of his being named or acting as a Manager, Director or ptheivvife, for taking the faid Subscriptions, or for taking in Orders and to this a Tickets, or for any other Mailer or Thing to be by him done or performed by or in purfuanee of this Act • 1bll - ,d / ro "' k:- siiilv. fhall be now or at any Time hereafter difablcd from being or continuine, or from being elected or v "' i'crvmg as a Member of Parliament, nor be liable or lubject to any Penalty, forfeiture or L)jlabjllty pre- scribed by any other Aft or Acts of Parliament, for not qualifying himfelf to execute his Trult i p.on or in for m purfuanee of this Act, as Perfons who lhall take or execute any Office, or Place of Profit or Truft, are »g himfci fuhject and liable unto by any of the Laws now in Force; and that every Proprietor of any the Annuities Every] or Debts above-mentioned may, notwithstanding his being in any of the faid Offices or TruSts, contract l" 04 *' for the Price of his Annuity or fubferibe fuch Annuity or Debt in any of the Books to be opened and kept ttuftedVi as aforefaid, and receive his Payment for the fame, as if he were not in fuch Office or Trult, fo as fuchrubjeribe his Contract: with him for the Price of his Annuity be made by the other Perfons intrufted on Behalf of the Annuity, etc, i'aid Corporation, and fo as the faid Subfcription (in cafe he be a Manager) be taken by two or more of the other Managers for taking the fame Subfcriptions ; and that no Member of the fame Corporation, in Not fob; { to refpedt of his Share or Shares in the faid capital or increafed capital Stock, fhall be or be adjudged liable to 1 * 5 . : " ,L ; be a Bankrupt,, within the Intent and Meaning of a'l or any of the Statutes made againft or concerning ,' ' Proprietor thiland- his bong in- Eankrup'ts, and that no Stock in the faid Company fhall be fubject and liable to any foreign Attachment m . by the CuStom of the City of London or otherwife ; any Law, Statute, Ufage or Cuitom to the contrary notwithstanding. _ . LVI. And it is hereby enacted, That the Transfers or Affignments of the prefent capital Stock or in- • ,.T?'* :i '"- creafed Stock, in the Books of the faid Company, fhall not hereafter be or be made liable to any higher or hfju.cr^tamps'^ greater Stamp or other Duties than are now payable for the fame ; and that if any Perfon or Perfons fhall than now pay- forge or counterfeit the common Seal of the fame Company, or lhall forge, counterfeit or alter any Bond able. or Obligation under the common Seal of the fame Company, or fhall otter to difpofe of or pay away any fuch forged, counterfeit or altered Bond, knowing the fame to be fuch, or fhall demand the Money Counterfeiting therein contained, or pretended to be due thereon, or any Part thereof, of the fame Company or any °f seal C0I B t, '"d' = their Officers, knowing fuch Bond or Obligation to be forged, counterfeited or altered, with Intent to dc- F e i ony . ^ ' fraud the fame Company or their SuccelTors, or any other Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, every fuch Perfon or Perfons fo offending, and being convicted thereof in due Form of Law, fhall be guilty of Felony, and fhall fttffer Death as a Felon, -without Benefit of Clergy. LVII. And it is hereby declared and enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That the faid Governor and Corporation (hall Company of Merchants of Great Britain, and their SucceiTbrs for ever, fhall remain, continue and be one continue lorever. Body Corporate and Politick, by the Name of the Governor and Company of Merchants of Great Britain t n Vir increafed trading to the South-Seas and other Parts of America, and for encouraging the Filhery, and fhall have, j.- U nds till the hold, receive and enjoy the faid Annuity or yearly Fund of five hundred eighty-feven thoufand three hundred Redemption forty-two Pounds four Shillings and five Pence, and the faid Annuities or yearly Funds which, purfuant to thereof, this Act:, fhall or ought to be added thereunto by way of Increafe as aforefaid, and the faid yearly Sum of nine thoufand three hundred ninety-feven Pounds nine Shillings and fix Pence, and the faid yearly Sums to be added thereunto (by way of Increafe for Management) purfuant to this Act, until the faid Annuities and yearly Funds, and the faid yearly Sums refpe£tively fhall be redeemed according to this Ait, and fhall have, hold and enjoy for ever all their Forts, Factories, Acquisitions, Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments, a . nd tIieir rafl °- fole Bemfit of Trade in and to the Soutb-Seas and elfewhere, with a perpetual Succeffion, and all Abilities, 'ac'J/c^ ^ Capacities, Powers, Authorities, Franchifes, Exemptions, Privileges, Profits and Advantages whatfoever, whereunto the fame Governor and Company are or before the making of this A£t were entitled by any AtSt or Acts of Parliament, Grant or Charter now in Force (all which are by this Act: ratified, confirmed and made effectual to them and their Succeflbrs) freed and discharged of and from all former Provifoes, Powers, Acts, Matters and Things whatfoever, for redeeming, determining or making void the fame, or any of them ; Subject: neverthtlefs to the Provifoes and Powers herein after contained for redeeming the faid prefent Annuity and yearly Fund of the fame Governor and Company, and all Additions to be made thereunto, and the faid yearly Sum of nine thoufand three hundred ninety-feven Pounds" nine Shillings and fix Pence for Charges of Management, and all Additions to be made thereunto, at fuch Time or Times, and in fuch Manner and Form, as are herein after fpecified in that Behalf. LVIII. Provided always, and it is hereby enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That at any Time after After 2 4 J"n« the faid Feaft of the Nativity of Saint John BaptijJ which fhall be in the Year of our Lord one thoufand l7%7 ' on ^ e 7 feven hundred twenty-feven, upon Repayment by Parliament to the faid Governor and Company of Mer- whole "capital chants of Great Britain, or their Succeilors, of the whole Sum whereof their faid capital Stock, with all the Stock, &c yearly Additions which (for taking in the faid Annui.ies, Debts and Incumbrances) are to be made thereunto by Fund, &c, to way of Increafe as aforefaid, fhall then confift, according to this Act, without any Deduction, Defalca- ceafc< tion or Abatement whatfoever to be made out of the fame, or any Part thereof, and upon Payment of all Arrears which fhall be then due at the refpective Rates aforefaid, or either of them, for or upon the then Annuity or yearly Fund of the fame Governor and Company to be increafed as aforefaid, and upon P'.yment of all Arrears of the faid yearly Sums for Chtrges of Management; all which Arrears (if any fuch be) fhall be computed and paid to the quarterly Feaft-day then next preceding, and from thence fhall be computed and paid by the Day, till the Time of fuch full Payment made of the capital Stock to be- increafed
