are

and that I am not an inmate or lodger with any other person in said borough, nor have I been so at any time within these twelve months last past, but have paid the usual and customary taxes and cesses in said borough, as an householder, which have been legally demanded of me, and that I did not divide my house or outhouses, or suffer my house or outhouses to be divided, in order to multiply votes at this election, and that I did not come to reside in said borough since the present vacancy happened, nor in order to give my vote at this election; and that my said house, exclusive of my land an nexed to, or let with it, except that whereon it stands, with its offices and back and othery ard, is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, worth the sum of five pounds yearly rent, and that I believe the same may be let for said sum of five pounds yearly, to a responsible tenant.

ficer to admi

'So help me God.' And if any candidate or any person having a right to vote Addition to at such election shall require it, these words shall be added oath, if required. to said oath, videlicet, and that I am of the age of twentyone years, as I verily believe.' Which oath or affirmation the seneschal or returning officer of such borough, or his or Seneschal, or their deputy or deputies appointed as aforesaid, is, and returning of are hereby empowered and directed to administer to such nister said voter, at the request of any elector, and on such voter so oath; taking the said oath, or if a quaker, the said affirmation, then, and not before, such seneschal, or returning officer, shall admit such votes; and said oath, or affirmation, if a oath concluquaker, shall be absolutely final and conclusive evidence sive evidence to said seneschal, or returning officer of such borough, or of qualificahis deputy, that the person so taking said oath, or making said affirmation, is qualified to vote at such election, and ⚫ no such voter shall be liable to any further scrutiny or examination whatsoever, before such seneschal, or returning officer, or his deputy, at such election :

tion;

64. PROVIDED always, That in all and every such borough or boroughs in this kingdom, where the right of voting is vested in the inhabitants in general, or inhabitants and others, which are situated in two different counties, every inhabitant of such borough qualified to vote at elections for any member or members to serve in parliament for such borough, may, if he thinks proper, in the oath or affirmation required by the said act to be by him taken at the time of his being registered, and likewise in the oath or affirmation which he may be called upon to take pursuant to said act, at any election for a member or members to serve in parliament for such borough, instead of the Alteration in words,' resident inhabitant of the borough of in the county of

oath where borough situated

ent counties.

,' substitute the words, in two differ' resident inhabitant of that part of the borough of which lieth in the county of

Inhabitants

of peace for

65. AND be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That may recover if any such inhabitant of such borough shall find that the 207. from clerk acting clerk of the peace has wilfully or negligently acted every neglect in disobedience hereto, by not registering his residence in or disobedi

ence as herein.

process to be

served 12 days inclusive, before first day of assizes.

tificate as

the manner hereby directed, having been thereunto duly required, and by not giving to the churchwardens of said borough a copy of the registry-book, in the manner and at the time herein-before mentioned, or by erasing, tearing out, or designedly making the same or any part thereof. illegible, or designedly, or through neglect, suffering any person to do so, the said inhabitant shall be entitled to recover from the said acting clerk of the peace, by civil bill, the sum of twenty pounds for every such offence, process being served twelve days inclusive before the first day of the assizes.

66. AND in order that the said inhabitant or inhabitants may the more easily recover the aforesaid sum or sums, in the manner herein before mentioned, be it enacted, by the Clerk of peace authority aforesaid, That the said acting clerk of the peace, being paid 6d. to deliver cer- upon the receipt of sixpence as aforesaid, shall deliver to the inhabitants a certificate signed by the court, and countersigned by himself, who are hereby required to sign the same, of his having been duly registered on that day, which certificate, although no part of the registry, shall, when proved, be sufficient evidence upon any civil bill brought for the penalty aforesaid.

herein.

R. book is lost

Certificates, 67. AND be it enacted, That if the registry-book to be when proved, sufficient evi-' kept by the clerk of the peace, and the copy thereof to be dence where kept by the churchwardens, shall both be proved upon or defaced, &c. oath, before the returning officer of the said borough, who is hereby authorized to administer the same, to have been lost, destroyed, or withheld, or so defaced that the affidavits shall be illegible, either previous to, or during the election, in such case, any of the said certificates, when proved, shall be sufficient evidence upon the election, that the inhabitant producing the same has been duly registered.

Clerk of peace, churchwar

68. AND be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if dens, or others, any person, not excepting the clerk of the peace and the stealing, des churchwardens, shall steal, or destroy, or maliciously alter troying, or al said registry-books, or either of them, whether in the body tering R. book to be imprison- of the said books or their index, or negligently or wilfully ed three years; suffer the same to be done, the person who shall be con

victed of so offending, shall suffer three years imprisonment; and lest any doubts should arise at the election, with respect to voters, and in order the better to prevent perjury and occasional votes, be it hereby declared, by the authority aforesaid, to be the true intent and meaning of this act, no inhabitant That no person whatsoever shall be suffered to vote at any to vote except such election in right of being an inhabitant, without havregistered 12 months before ing been first registered as aforesaid twelve calendar months at the least before the test of the writ for holding such election, but that the returning officer or his deputy, is hereby required to refuse such vote, any thing in this or any other act of parliament to the contrary notwithstanding.

test of writ;

returning officer to refuse such.

69. AND whereas churchwardens of such parishes to whom such books shall be delivered, may refuse to deliver over one of such books so delivered to them, to the clerks

to clerk of

of the peace, after the holding of elections, and may refuse to deliver over the other of said books to their successors in the office of churchwardens, after the expiration of the time of their holding said office; be it therefore enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That such person or c. warden to persons in the office of churchwarden, as shall receive such deliver R book registry-book from the clerk of the peace upon the holding peace on being of any election, shall return and deliver over the same to required; the said clerk of the peace or his order, immediately upon being thereunto required; and that such person or persons to deliver the in the office of churchwarden, who shall have the other of the other R. book said books in his or their possession at the time of the expira- within 10 days tion of his said office, shall deliver over the same to the per- after expirason or persons who shall succeed him in the office, immedi- tion of office, ately upon being thereunto required by such successor or successors, or within ten days after the expiration of his said office of churchwarden, if not thereunto sooner required.

to successor

70. AND be it further enacted, by the authority afore- Refusing to said, That if any person shall, from and after the passing ing R. books, give,or detainof this act, unlawfully detain, or refuse to deliver up said penalty 107. books, or either of them, in manner and at the times herein and one month's imdirected, such person so offending shall forfeit the sum of prisonment for ten pounds sterling for every day he shall so unlawfully every day;. detain the same, to be recovered by civil bill, before the judges of assize in any county where such offence shall be committed, and shall also, upon conviction of such offence before the judges of assize in any county where such offence shall be committed, suffer one month's imprisonment for every day he shall so unlawfully detain the same.

on church

71. AND be it further enacted, by the authority afore. 1007. penalty said, That the churchwardens in such parishes as aforesaid, warden refus from and after the passing of this act, in case of any neg- ing to comply with requisilect or refusal to comply with the several matters and tions of firstthings required of them by said first-mentioned act, shall mentioned forfeit, for every such offence, the sum of one hundred pounds sterling, to be recovered by any person who shall sue for the same in any of his majesty's courts of record.

acts.

victed of per

persons con

rupt perjury;

72. AND be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, Persons conThat all and every person and persons who shall falsely jury to suffer and wilfully swear or affirm, contrary to the true intent and penalties of meaning of this act, being thereof indicted and convicted, victed of wilshall suffer such pains, penalties, and disabilities, as per- ful and corsons convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury ought by law to suffer, and that any person claiming to be a voter as an inhabitant of such borough, who shall be guilty of perjury in registering his inhabitancy and right of voting, or pretended right in such borough, without being really and bona fide a resident inhabitant thereof, according to the form of the oath aforesaid prescribed, and shall be thereof convicted and condemned, and suffer the pains and pe- perjurer incanalties aforesaid, shall for ever be incapable of giving any vote at any pacitated to vote at any election of a member to serve in parliament. election. 73. And be it further enacted, That any mayor, bailiff,

porations to

admit candi

date, &c. at times herein

to inspect the

books;

and to take copies, fee 25 6d.

Officers of cor- town-clerk, or other officer of any corporation, having a right to return members to parliament, shall, upon the demand of any candidate for such corporation, on payment of two shillings and sixpence, permit such candidate, agent, or freeman, between the hours of twelve at noon and three in the afternoon, at any time before, and within one month after any such election of members to serve in parliament, to inspect the books and papers, wherein the admission of freemen shall be entered, and to have copies or minutes of the admission of so many freemen as such candidate, agent, or freemen shall think fit, upon payment to such mayor, or other officer, of two shillings and sixpence for every such admission, and such books and papers shall, if demanded by such candidate, or his agent, or freeman, be produced by such mayor or other officer; and if such mayor or other officer shall refuse or deny such candidate, agent, or freeman, the inspection of such books and papers, at any election, if demanded, and paid for in the manner hereinbefore set forth, such mayor or other officer shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of fifty pounds to him, her, or them, who shall inform and sue for the same, to be recovered in manner hereinafter mentioned.

if, after fee paid, mayor

or officer refuse inspec

tion, penalty

501.

Sheriff,return

swearing

of perjury;

74. AND be it further enacted, That if any person, sheing officer, &c. riff, or other returning officer, his or their deputy or defalsely, guilty puties, who shall take any oath or affirmation in pursuance of this act, or shall wilfully swear or affirm falsely therein, he shall be guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury, or false affirming, and shall and may be prosecuted for the same, by indictment or otherwise, as perjury, in a court of record, may now be prosecuted, and being thereof convicted, on conviction, he shall incur and suffer the pains and penalties which by liable to penal law are or may be inflicted in cases of wilful or corrupt ties of perjury. perjury.

Pecuniary pe

vered, with full costs;

what sufficient set forth;

75. AND be it further enacted, That all pecuniary penalnalties reco- ties inflicted by this act, shall be recovered, with full costs, by action of debt, bill, plaint or information, in any of his majesty's courts of record at Dublin; and that it shall for plaintiff to be sufficient for the plaintiff in any such action of debt or information, to set forth in the declaration, that the defendant is indebted to him in the sum of five hundred pounds, and to allege the particular offence for which such action or information is brought, and that the defendant hath therein acted contrary to this act, without mentioning the writ of summons to parliament, or the return thereof; and that it shall be sufficient, in any indictment for any offence ment for any contrary to this act, to allege the particular offence, and that the defendant is guilty, without mentioning the writ of summons to parliament, or the return thereof; and that plaintiff, &c. upon trial of any issue in any such action, information, or not obliged to indictment, the plaintiff, informer, or prosecutor, shall not be obliged to prove the writ of summons to parliament, of the return thereof, or any warrant to the sheriff, grounded upon such writ of summons.

what sufficient

on an indict

offence;

prove the writ of summons, &c.

76. AND be it further enacted, That in case the plaintiff Treble costs in or informer, in any action or information given by this act, shall discontinue or be nonsuited, or judgment shall be given against him, the defendant shall recover treble costs.

nonsuit.

except return

or treasurer,

77. AND be it further enacted, by the authority afore. Any person, said, That if any person, except a returning officer, clerk ing officer, of the peace, or treasurer, offending against this act, shall, clerk of peace, within the space of twelve calendar months next after such offending offence committed, discover any other person or persons against this guilty of a like offence, so that such person or persons be forming withthereupon convicted, such person so discovering, shall be in 12 months against any indemnified or exempted, and saved harmless from all pe- other person nalties and disabilities which he shall have incurred by guilty of like offence, exany such offence:

act, and in

empted from

be commenced

year after of

fence.

the test for

shall bear date

78. PROVIDED always, That every action, information, penalties. indictment, or prosecution, grounded upon this act, be Action, &c. to commenced within one year after the offence shall be com- within one mitted. 79. PROVIDED always, and be it enacted, That nothing Not to prein this act contained shall extend, or be construed to ex- vent voting at tend, to prevent any person from voting at any election for an election, a member or members to serve in parliament, the test for holding which holding which shall bear date before the first day of Ja- before the 1st nuary, one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven; but Jan. 1797. every person who might, by the laws in force before the persons entipassing of this act, vote at any such election, shall and such, before may vote thereat, as fully and freely, to all intents and this act, may purposes, as if this act had not been made, subject to all the regula and singular the clauses, conditions, oaths, and regulations tions of former prescribed in the said laws; and every returning officer and deputy shall have the like powers with respect to any such person polling, as if this act had not been made.

6

tled to vote at

vote subject to

acts.

oath by former

holder not be

80. PROVIDED always, That at every such election the Addition to words following shall be added to the oath required by the acts, to be laws in force to be taken before the passing of this act, by taken by freeany registered freeholder not being an annuitant, before he ing an annuishall be admitted to vote, either, That the said freehold tant. is of the yearly value of twenty pounds above all charges payable out of the same, [or that] I have been in the actual occupation of the said freehold for six successive months at the least, between the day on which I registered the same, and the day of , [naming the day of the test of the writ for holding the election,] by residing thereon, or by tilling or grazing to the amount of forty shillings yearly value thereof,' or the words which are allowed to be substituted in their place by the provisions of this act, in the oath herein prescribed, as the case may be, if any elector shall desire that one or other of the said form of words shall be added.

81. AND be it further enacted, That no person hereafter Persons under 21 years of age shall be capable of being elected a member to serve in this not eligible to or any future parliament, who is not of the age of one-and- be elected. twenty years; and if any such minor hereafter chosen, shall presume to sit or vote in parliament, he shall incur