Robinson, William Cheesman, George Brown, of age, of 40s. titled to votę. § 2. And be it further enacted, by the au- Freeholders thority aforesaid, that from henceforth it shall above 21 years and may be lawful to and for every freeholder, annually, inbeing above the age of one and twenty years, who shall have within the Rape of Bramber, in the said county of Susser, a freehold of the clear yearly value of forty shillings, to give his vote at every election of a burgess or burgesses to serve in parliament, for the said borough of New Shoreham. 11Geb.3. c. 55. New Shore⚫ham. tion, in whom vested. § 3. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that the right of election of a member or members to serve in parliament, Right of elec- for the said borough of New Shoreham, shall be and is hereby declared to be in such freeholders as aforesaid, and in the persons who by the custom and usage of the said borough have, or shall hereafter have a right to vote at such election, those whose names are mentioned herein, and incapacitated and disabled by this act only excepted; and the constable or other proper officer for the time being, to whom the return of such writ or precept does belong, is hereby required to return the person or persons, to serve in parliament for the said borough, who shall have the major number of votes of such freeholders, and other persons having a right to vote at such election, (except such persons as are herein before excepted) any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. Freeholders, before admit take the following § 4. And be it further enacted, by the auted to poll, to thority aforesaid, that every such freeholder, before he is admitted to poll at any election for the said borough, shall, if required by the candidates, or any of them, or any other person having a right to yote at the said election, first take the oath, (or, being one of the people called Quakers, the solemn affirmation) following, viz. vath. "You shall swear, or, being a Quaker, so'lemnly affirm, that you are a freeholder in the "Rape of Bramber, in the county of Sussex, "and have a freehold estate, consisting of (specifying the "nature thereof, and if it consists in messuages, lands, or tithes, in whose occupation 66 . ham. the same are; and if in rent, the names of 11Geo.3.c. 55. "the owners or possessors of the tenements New Shore"out of which such rent is issuing, or of "some of them), lying or being at "within the Rape of Bramber, in the county "of Susser, of the clear yearly value of forty shillings, over and above all rents and charges payable out of or in respect of the same; and "that you have been in the actual possession or receipt of the rents and profits thereof, for your own use above twelve calendar months; (or that the same came to you within the "time aforesaid, by descent, marriage, mar"riage-settlement, devise, or promotion to a "benefice in a church, or by promotion to an "office) and that such freehold estate has not "been granted or made to you fraudulently, "on purpose to qualify you to give your vote; "and that the place of your abode is at and "that you are twenty-one years of age, as you "believe; and that you have not been polled "before at this election." reeted by Which oath, or solemn affirmation, the con- Persons guilty of perjury, &e. stable, or other proper officer to whom the liable to the return of any writ or precept for such election penalties as dishall belong, is hereby required to administer; and in case any freeholder or other person taking the said oath or affirmation hereby appointed, shall thereby commit wilful perjury, and be thereof convicted; or if any person shall unlawfully and corruptly procure, or suboin any freeholder or other person to take the said oath or affirmation, in order to be polled, whereby he shall commit such wilful perjury, and shall be thereof convicted, he and they, for every such offence respectively, shall incur such penal New Shore ham. 11Geo.3.c. 55. ties as are inflicted on persons guilty of perjury, or subornation of perjury, in and by two acts of parliament, one made in the fifth year of the Act 5 Eliz. c.9. reign of queen Elizabeth, (intituled, An act for punishing such persons as shall procure, or commit wilful perjury, or suborn, or procure any person to commit any wilful or corrupt perjury;) and the other made in the and act 2 Geo. second year of his late majesty's reign, (intituled, An act for the more effectual preventing and further punishment of forgery, perjury, and subornation of perjury, and to make it felony to steal bonds, notes, or other securities for payment of money), contrary to the said acts. 2. c. 25. Constable to § 5. And be it further enacted, by the auback a precept thority aforesaid, that such constable, or other receipt thereof. proper officer, to whom any writ or precept shall be directed for making any election for the said borough, shall, upon the reception of such writ or precept, indorse upon the back thereof the day of his receipt thereof, in the presence of the party from whom he received and forthwith such precept; and shall forthwith cause public to give notice notice to be given within the said borough of New Shoreham, and at the towns of Bramber, and Steyning, in the said county of Sussex, by fixing up a notice thereof in writing on the market houses, or on the doors of the churches of the said towns, of the day of elecelection when tion; and shall proceed to election thereupon, within the space of twelve days, and not less than eight days, next after his receipt of the same precept. of election. to be. The act to be § 6. And be it further enacted, by the auread publicly thority aforesaid, that this act shall be publicly New Shoreham. read at every election for the said borough of 11 Geo.3.c.55. New Shoreham, immediately after the acts directed by any act of parliament to be read thereat, and before the persons present, shall proceed to make such election. The Stat. 21 Geo. 3. c. 54. (Coventry). WHEREAS the right of election of citizens to Preamble. serve in parliament for the city of Coventry, is, by the last determination of the house of commons, of the twentieth day of November, 1722, declared to be in such freemen as have served seven years apprenticeship to one and the same trade in the said city, or the suburbs thereof, and do not receive alms or weekly charity, such freemen being duly sworn and inrolled; and whereas, great frauds and abuses were committed, in clandestinely admitting persons having no such right to the freedom of the city of Coventry, during the last election of members to serve in parliament for the said city, in order to influence the said election, to the great infringement of the rights of the true electors of the said city, and in violation of the freedom of elections; to prevent such practices for the future, Be it enacted, by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, |