Juftices may declare Licence forfeited. Provifo for Lectures at the Univerfities, Inns of Court, Grefham College, &c. and for Payments to School masters for Lectures. Limitation of Commencement Act as to all the Regulating the Place of Public Meetings in Weftminster. artry, Riding, Divifion, City, Town or Place, upon Evidence on Oath that any Houfe, Room or Place, fo licensed and opened as aforefaid, is commonly used for the Purpose of delivering there Lectures or Discourses of a feditious or immoral Tendency, to adjudge and declare the Licence for opening the fame to have been forfeited, and fuch Licence fhall thereupon ceafe and determine, and shall thenceforth be utterly void and of no Effect. XX. Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing in this Act contained fhall extend or be conftrued to extend to any Lecture or Difcourfes to be delivered in any of the Univerfities of these Kingdoms by any Member thereof, or any Perfon authorized by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, or other proper Officers of fuch Universities refpectively; or to any Lecture or Difcourfe to be delivered in the Public Hall of any of the Inns of Court of Chancery, by any Perfon authorized by the Benchers of the Inns of Court, or by the Profeffors in Gresham College, or to the Profeffors in the College established for the Education of the Civil Servants of the East India Company, or the Seminaries established for the Education of their Military Service, or to any Society or Body of Men incorporated or established by Royal Charter, or by Authority of Parliament; and that no Payment made to any Schoolmaster or other Perfon by Law allowed to teach and inftruct Youth, in refpect of any Lectures or Difcourfes delivered by fuch Schoolmater or other Person for the Instruction only of fuch Youth as fhall be committed to his Inftruction, fhall be deemed a Payment of Money for Admiffion to fuch Lectures or Difcourfes within the Intent and Meaning of this Act. XXI. Provided always, That no Perfon fhall be profecuted by virtue of this A&t for any thing done or committed contrary to the Provifions hereinbefore contained, unless fuch Prosecution shall be commenced within Six Calendar Months after the Offence committed. XXII. Provided always, That all the Claufes and Provifions herein before contained fhall commence and have effect within the City of London, and within Twenty Miles thereof, from the Day next after the Day of paffing this Act; and fhall commence and have effect, within all other Parts of the Kingdom, from the Expiration of Seven Days next after the Day of paffing this A&t; and fhall be and continue in force until the Twenty-fourth day of July One thousand eight hundred and eighteen. 'XXIII. And Whereas it is highly inexpedient that Public Meetings or Affemblies fhould be held near the Houfes of Parliament, or near His Majefty's Courts of Juftice in Westminster • Hall, on fuch Days as are hereinafter mentioned;' Be it therefore enacted, and it is hereby enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any Person or Persons to convene or call together, or to give any Notice for convening or calling together, any Meeting of Perfons confifting of more than Fifty Perfons, or for any Number of Perfons exceeding Fifty to meet in any Street, Square, or open Place in the City or Liberties of Westminster, or County of Middlefex, within the Distance of One Mile from the Gate of Westminster Hall, fave and except fuch Parts of the Parish of Saint Paul's Covent Garden as are within the faid Diftance, for the Purpose or on the Pretext of confidering of or preparing any Petition, Complaint, Remonftrance, Declaration, Declaration, or other Addrefs to The King, or to His Royal Highnefs The Prince Regent, or to both Houles or either House of Parliament, for Alteration of Matters in Church or State, on any Day on which the Two Houfes or either House of Parliament fhall meet and fit, or shall be fummoned or adjourned or prorogued to meet or fit, nor on any Day on which His Majesty's Courts of Chancery, King's Bench, Common Pleas and Exchequer, or any of them, or any Judge of any of them, fhall fit in Westminfler Hall, any thing hereinbefore contained to the contrary notwithtanding; and that if any Meeting or Affembly, for the Purposes or on the Pretexts aforefaid, of any Perfons, fhall be affembled or holden on any fuch Day, contrary to the Intent and Meaning of this Enactment, fuch Meeting or Affembly fhall be deemed and taken to be an unlawful Affembly, by whomfoever or in confequence of what Notice foever fuch Meeting or Affembly fhall have been holden: Provided that nothing in this Enactment contained fhall by any Construction whatever be deemed or taken to apply to or affect any Meeting convened, called or holden for the Election of Members of Parliament, or any Perfons attending fuch Meeting, or to any Perfons attending upon the Business of either Houfe of Parliament or any of the faid Courts. XXIV. And Whereas divers Societies or Clubs have been in<ftituted, in the Metropolis and in various Parts of this Kingdom, of a dangerous Nature and Tendency, inconfiftent with the Pub. lic Tranquillity, and the Existence of the established Government, Laws and Conftitution of the Kingdom; and the Members of 6 many of fuch Societies or Clubs have taken unlawful Oaths and Engagements of Fidelity and Secrecy, and have taken or fubfcribed, or affented to, illegal Tefts and Declarations; and many of the faid Societies or Clubs elect, appoint or employ Committees, Delegates, Reprefentatives or Miffionaries of fuch Societies or Clubs, to meet, confer, communicate or correfpond with • other Societies or Clubs, or with Delegates, Representatives or • Miffionaries of fuch other Societies or Clubs, and to induce and • perfuade other Persons to become Members thereof, and by fuch means maintain an Influence over large Bodies of Men, and delude many ignorant and unwary Perfons into the Commiffion of Acts highly criminal: And Whereas certain Societies or Clubs calling themselves Spenceans or Spencean Philanthropists, hold and profefs for their Object the Confifcation and Divifion of the Land, and the Extinction of the Funded Property of the Kingdom: • And Whereas it is expedient and neceffary that all fuch Societies • and Clubs as aforefaid fhould be utterly fuppreffed and prohi•bited as unlawful Combinations and Confederacies, highly dangerous to the Peace and Tranquillity of this Kingdom, and to the • Constitution of the Government thereof, as by Law eftablished ;' Be it enacted, That from and after the paffing of this Act, all Societies or Clubs calling themselves Spenceans or Spencean Philanthropifts, and all other Societies or Clubs, by whatever Name or Defcription the fame are called or known, who hold and profefs, or who fhall hold and profefs, the fame Objects and Doctrines, fhall be and the fame are hereby utterly fuppreffed and prohibited, as being unlawful Combinations and Confederacies against the Government of our Provifo for Meetings convened for Elecof Parliament. tion of Members Spencean Socie- Societies taking unlawful Oaths, &c. within or requiring, &c. Tefts or Declarations not required by Law, or electing Com mittees, Delegates, &c. deemed guilty of unlawful Com our Sovereign Lord the King, and against the Peace and Security of His Majesty's liege Subjects. XXV. And be it further enacted, That from and after the paffing of this A&t, all and every the faid Societies or Clubs, and also all and every other Society or Club now established or hereafter to be established, the Members whereof fhall be required or admitted to take any Oath or Engagement which shall be an unlawful Engagement within the Meaning of an Act paffed in the Thirty feventh 37 G. 3. c. 123. Year of His Majesty's Reign, intituled An A&t for more effectually preventing the adminiftering and taking of unlawful Oaths, or within the Meaning of an Act passed in the Fifty fecond Year of His pre52 G. 3. c. 104. fent Majefty's Reign, intituled An Ad to render more effectual an A&t, paffed in the Thirty Seventh Year of His prefent Majefty, for preventing the adminiftering and taking of unlawful Oaths, or to take any Oath not required or authorized by Law; and every Society or Club, the Members whereof or any of them fhall take or in any manner bind themfelves by any fuch Oath or Engagement, on becoming, or in order to become, or in confequence of being a Member or Members of fuch Society or Club; and every Society or Club, the Members or any Member whereof fhall be required or admitted to take, fubfcribe or affent to, or fhall take, fubfcribe or affent to any Teft or Declaration not required or authorized by Law, in whatever manner or Form fuch taking or affenting shall be performed, whether by Words, Signs, or otherwife; either on becoming or in order to become, or in confequence of being a Member or Members of any fuch Society or Club; and every So. ciety or Club that shall elect, appoint, nominate or employ any Committee, Delegate or Delegates, Reprefentative or Reprefentatives, Miffionary or Miffionaries, to meet, confer or communicate with any other Society or Club, or with any Committee, Delegate or Delegates, Reprefentative or Reprefentatives, Miffionary or Miffionaries, of fuch other Society or Club, or to induce or persuade any Perfon or Perfons to become Members thereof, hall be deemed and taken to be unlawful Combinations and Confederacies, within the Meaning of an A&t paffed in the Thirty ninth Year of the Reign of His prefent Majefty, intituled An Act for the more effectual Suppreffion of Societies established for feditious and treasonable Purposes; and for better preventing treasonable and feditious Practices, and fhall and may be profecuted, proceeded against and punished, according to the Provifions of the faid Act; and every Person who, from and after the paffing of this A&t, fhall become a Member of any fuch Society or Club, or who, after the paffing of this Act, shall act as a Member thereof, and every Person who, from and after the paffing of this Act, shall directly or indirectly maintain Correfpondence or Intercourfe with any fach Society or Club, or with any Committee or Delegate, Representative or Miffionary, or with any Officer or Member thereof, as fuch, or who fhall, by Contribution of Money or otherwise, aid, abet or support fuch Society or Club, or any Members or Officers deemed guilty of thereof, as fuch, shall be deemed guilty of an unlawful Combination and Confederacy within the Intent and Meaning of the faid A&t paffed in the Thirty ninth Year of His Majefty's Reign, for the more effectual Suppreffion of Societies eftablished for feditiousand trea bination within 39 G. 3. c. 79. Perfons becom ing Members fuch Societies, &c. unlawful Com binations within 39 G. 3. c. 79. and proceeded Sonable fonable Purposes; and for better preventing treasonable and feditious against acPractices; and fhall and may be proceeded againft, profecuted and cordingly. punished, according to the Provifions of the faid Act, with regard to the Profecution and Punishment of unlawful Combinations and Confederacies. XXVI. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That nothing Provifo for Freein this Act contained fhall extend, or be construed to extend, to any mafons' Lodges, Society or Societies holden under the Denomination of Lodges of and for Declaration approved by Freemasons, in conformity to the Rules prevailing in fuch Societies Two Juftices, of Freemasons, provided fuch Lodges fhall comply with the Rules pursuant to and Regulations contained in the said Act of the Thirty ninth Year 39 G. 3. c. 79. of His prefent Majefty, relating to fuch Lodges of Freemafons; and for Meetnor to any Declaration to be taken, fubfcribed or affented to by the ings or Societies of Quakers or Members of any Society, the Form of which Declaration fhall have for Charitable been first approved and fubfcribed by two or more Justices of the Purposes. Peace, and confirmed by the major Part of the Juftices present at a General Seffion, or at a General Quarter Seffions of the Peace, pursuant to the Rules and Regulations contained in the said A& of the Thirty ninth Year of His prefent Majefty; nor fhall extend or be conftrued to extend to any Meeting or Society of the People commonly called Quakers; or to any Meeting or Society formed or affembled for Purposes of a Religious or Charitable Nature only, and in which no other Matter or Business whatfoever fhall be treated of or difcuffed. • XXVII. And Whereas in the faid Act of the Thirty ninth Year of the Reign of His prefent Majefty, it is amongst other • Things enacted, That every Society which fhall be compofed of different Divifions or Branches, or of different Parts acting in any manner separately or diftinct from each other, or of which any Part fhall have any feparate or diftinct Prefident, Secretary, Treasurer, Delegate or other Officer elected or appointed by or for fuch Part, or to act as an Officer for fuch Part, fhall be • deemed and taken to be unlawful Combinations and Confederacies;" Be it enacted, That the faid Enactment fhall not extend or be conftrued to extend to any Meeting or Society of the People commonly called Quakers, or to any Meeting or Society formed or affembled for Purposes of a Religious or Charitable Nature only, and in which no other Matter or Business whatsoever fhall be treated of or difcuffed. 39 G. 3. c. 79. tend to Quakers' Meetings, &c. § 2. not to ex Affemblies in his XXVIII. And be it further enacted, That if any Perfon fhall Perfon permitknowingly permit any Meeting of any Society or Club hereby de- ting unlawful clared to be an unlawful Combination or Confederacy, or of any Houfe, &c. Divifion, Branch or Committee of fuch Society or Club, to be held First Offence, in any Houfe or Apartment, Building or other Place, to him or her Penalty 51. belonging, or in his or her Poffeffion or Occupation, fuch Perfon Further Offence, fhall, for the First Offence, forfeit the Sum of Five Pounds, and fhall, for any fuch Offence committed after the Date of his or her Conviction for fuch First Offence, be deemed guilty of an unlawful Combination. Combination and Confederacy, in Breach of this A&t. XXIX. And be it further enacted, That it fhall be lawful for Licences of any two or more Juftices of the Peace, acting for any County, Public Houfes Stewarty, Riding, Divifion, City, Town or Place, upon evidence where unlawful on Oath that any Meeting of any Society or Club hereby declared Clubs are held, to be an unlawful Combination and Confederacy, or any Meeting for to be forfeited, and Penalty. Penaltics ex ceeding 201. how to be recovered. 57 G. 3. c. 19. Penalties not exceeding 201. how to be recovered. Difrefs Limitation of Application of for any feditious Purpofe, hath been held, after the paffing of this A&t, at any House, Room or Place, licensed for the Sale of Ale, Beer, Wine or Spirituous Liquors, with the Knowledge and Consent of the Perfon keeping fuch Houfe, Room or Place, to adjudge and declare the Licence or Licences for felling Ale, Beer, Wine or Spirituous Liquors, granted to the Perfon or Perfons keeping fuch Houfe, Room or Place, to be forfeited; and the Perfon or Perfons fo keeping fuch Houfe, Room or Place, fhall, from and after the Day of the Date of fuch Adjudication and Declaration, and Notice thereof given to him, her or them, be subject and liable to all and every the Penalties and Forfeitures for any A&t done after that Day, which fuch Perfon or Persons would be fubject and liable to, if such Licence or Licences had expired, or otherwise determined on that Day. XXX. And be it further cnacted, That all or any of the Pecuniary Fines, Penalties or Forfeitures, exceeding the Sum of Twenty Pounds, incurred under this A&t, in England, Wales, or Berwick upon Tweed, may be recovered by Action of Debt in any of His Majesty's Courts of Record at Westminster, and in Scotland in the Court of Seffion there; and it shall be fufficient to declare in England or conclude in Scotland, that the Defendant or Defender is indebted to the Plaintiff or Purfuer in the Sum of (being the Sum demanded by the said Action) being forfeited by an Act made in the Fifty feventh Year of the Reign of His present Majefty, intituled An Act for the more effectually preventing Seditious Meetings and Affemblies; and the Plaintiff or Purfuer, if he fhall recover in fuch Action, shall have his full Cofts or Expences; and any pecuniary Penalty impofed by this Act not exceeding the Sum of Twenty Pounds, and for the Recovery whereof no Provision is hereinbefore contained, shall and may be recovered before any Justice or Juftices of the Peace for the County, Stewartry, Riding, Divifion, City, Town or Place, in which the fame shall be incurred, or the Perfon having incurred the fame fhall happen to be, in a fummary Way; and in cafe fuch last mentioned Penalty fhall not be forthwith paid, fuch Juftice or Juftices fhall, by Warrant under his or their Hand and Seal or Hands and Seals, and directed to any Constable or other Peace Officer, cause the fame to be levied by Diftrefs and Sale of the Offender's Goods and Chattels, together with all Cofts and Charges attending fuch Diftrefs and Sale; and in cafe no fufficient Diftrefs can be had or made, fuch Juftice or Juftices fhall commit the Offender to the Common Gaol or House of Correction for fuch County, Stewartry, Riding, Divifion, City, Borough, Town or Place, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize, for any Time not exceeding Six Calendar Months, nor lefs than Three Calendar Months: Provided always, that no Perfon shall be prosecuted or fued for any pecuniary Penalty impofed by this A&t, unless fuch Profecution fhall be commenced, or fuch Action fhall be brought within Three Calendar Months next after such Penalty shall have been incurred. XXXI. And be it further enacted, That all pecuniary Penalties and Forfeitures imposed by this A&t shall, when recovered, either by Action in any Court, or in a fummary Way before any Juftice, be applied and difpofed of in manner hereinafter mentioned; that is to fay, One Moiety thereof to the Plaintiff in any fuch Action, or to |