A. D. 1745. Anno decimo o&avo Georgii II. C. 18. 607 Secretaries of State for the Time being, the Speaker of the Honourable Houfc of Commons for the Time being, the Chancellor and under Treafurcr of his Majefty's Exchequer for the Time 1 eing, the firft Commiffioner for Trade and Plantations for the Time being, the Trcafurer of his Majefty's Navy for the Time being, the Admirals of the Red, White, and Blue Squadrons for the Time being, be, and they are hereby appointed Commiflioners for the faid Difcovery ; and arc hereby authorized ;md impowcrcd to ex- imfowrred r© amine upon Oath any Perfon or Perfons produced by the Claimant or Claimants to fuch Reward (which '*»«■■• ** Oath the faid Commiflioners, or any three or more of them, are hereby impowered and required to ad- ^n" »■?• minifter) and the faid Commiflioners, or the major Part of them, of which the Lord High Admiral, or ' the Firft Commiflioner for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain for the Time be- ing, fhall be one, being fully fatisfied, upon Examination and Proof, that fuch Paffage by Sea is effec- tually difcovcred, and failed through as aforefaid, are hereby authorized and required to grant a Certifi- cate under their Hands and Seals, to fuch Perfon or Perfons as they fhall judge are intitled to the fame ; which Certificate fhall be produced to the Lord High Treafurer, or any three or more of the Commif- ** A E""' » 0e»« fioncrs of the Treafury for the Time being ; and the faid Sum of twenty thoufand Pounds fhall be paid Jj fic f " e t0 ! h .';, to fuch Perfon or Perfons as are named in the faid Certificate, his or their Executors, Adminiftrators, or eroneB,ltlcd ' Afligns, out of any of the Aids or Supplies which fhall be granted in Parliament to his Majefty, his Heirs and Succellors, after the faid Difcovery fhall be compleated, and the faid Certificate thereof pro- duced as aforefaid. III. And, as a further Encouragement, and to promote the profecuting of and finding out fuch Adventurers to Paffage; Be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That all Perfons whatfoever, being Sub- ^ affiftea in jects of his Majefty, and refiding in any Place where the faid Adventurers may come, in the Pro- D '" rcfs - fecution of the faid Difcovery, fhall give the faid Adventurers all Aid and afliftance requifite ; and that the faid Perfons, being Subjects as aforefaid, fhall no ways obftruct, moleft, or refufe the faid Adventurers reafonable Succour, in any Diftrefs they may fall into, in the profecuting fuch Difcovery as aforefaid. IV. Provided always, That nothing in this Act fhall any ways extend, or be conftrued to take This Aft not to away or prejudice any of the Eftate, Rights, or Privileges of or belonging to the Governor and prejudice the Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudfon's Bay. ve°mure"s °L M ' Hudfon's Bay. CAP. XVIII. -!A.n Aft to explain and amend the Laws touching the Elections of Knights of the Shire to ferve Fcr f o ™ r Lamt in Parliament for that Part of Great Britain called England. £, "f 3 eJ°" c. 5. 7 H. 4. t. 15. II H. 4. e. 1. 1 H. 5. e. 1. 8 H, 6. c. 7. 10 H. 6. c. 2. 23 H. 6. c. 14. 7 W. 3. c. 4, 7 & 8 W. 3. c. 7 & 25. 10 & 11 W. 3. c. 7, 9 Ann. c. 5. 10 Arm. c. 33. 2 Geo. 2. c. 24. 8 Geo. 2. c. 30. 13 Geo. 2. c. 20.
- IT THEREAS feveral Delays and Inconveniencies have arifen in Elections of Knights of Shires to
' ferve in Parliament, to the Great Trouble and Expence of the Candidates and Electors;' For Remedy thereof, Be it enacted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Con- fent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That from and after the twenty-fourth Day of June one thoufand feven hun- dred and forty-five, upon every Election to be made within that Part of Great Britain called England, or Dominion of Wales., of any Knight or Knights of the Shire to ferve in Parliament, every Freeholder, in- ftead of the Oath or Affirmation prefcribed to be taken by an Act of Parliament made in the tenth Year of the Reign of her late Majefty Queen Anne, intituled, An Act for the more ejfeRnal preventing fradulent Inffead of the Conveyances, in order to multiply Votes for eleiling Knights of Shires to ferve in Parliament, before he is admit- °athby 10 Arm.' ted to poll at the faid Election, fhall (if required by the Candidates, or any of them, or any other Perfon '• 2 J ■ ,*""„ " having a Right to vote at the faid Election) firft take the Oath (or being one of the People called Quakers, F^e^o'ldei" the folemn Affirmation) following ; videlicet,
- ~T OU fhall fwear (or being one of the People called Quakers, you Jhall folemnly affirm) that you are a The Oath,
' jl Freeholder in the County of and have a Freehold Eftate, coafifting of
- (JP ec 'fy' n 8 ^ e Mature of fuch Freehold Eftate, whether Meffuage, Layid, Rent, Tythe, or what elfe ; and if fuch
' Freehohl Ejlate confifts in Mejfuages, Lands, or Tythes, then Jpecifying in whofe Occupation the fame are ; and
- if in Rent, then fpecifying the Names of the Owners or Poffejfors of the Lands or Tenements, out of which fuch
- Rent is ijfuing, or of fame or one of them) lying or being at in the County of of
- the clear yearly Value of forty Shillings, over and above all Rents and Charges payable out of, or in
- Refpect of the fame ; and that you have been in the actual PofTeflion or Receipt of the Rents and Profits
' thereof, for your own Ufe, above twelve Kalendar Months, or that the fame came to you, within the ' Time aforefaid, by Defcent, Marriage, Marriage Settlement, Devife, or Promotion to a Benefice in a
- Church, or by Promotion to an Office ; and that fuch Freehold Eftate has not been granted or made to
you fraudulently, on purpofe to qualify you to give your Vote; and that the Place of your Abode h - at in and that your are twenty-one Years of Age, as you believe ; and that you have not been polled before at this Election. Which Oath (or folemn Affirmation) the Sheriff by himfelf, his under Sheriff, or fuch fworn Clerk or By whom tole Clerks, as fhall be by him appointed for the taking of the Poll, is hereby required to adminifrei : And in adminiftei'd, cafe
