city or town from being removed to an adjoining county of such city or town corporate, pursuant to the provisions of an act passed in the thirty-eighth year of his present majesty's reign, intituled "An Act to regulate the Trial of Causes, Indictments, and other Proceedings, which arise within county to be the Counties of certain Cities and Towns Corporate within this Kingdom;" and 38 G. 3, c. 52. upon such removal, the defendant shall plead, and the trial shall be had according to the provisions of this act, in like manner as if such indictment had been originally found by a grand jury of such next adjoining county." tried. Court may, on shown, allow further time for pleading, &c. In prosecu. VII. Provided also, and be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for the court, at sufficient cause any session of the peace, session of Oyer and Terminer, Great Session, or session of Gaol Delivery respectively, upon sufficient cause shown for that purpose, to allow further time for pleading to any such indictment, or for trial of the same. VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in all cases of prosecutions for misdemeanors, instituted by his majesty's attorney or solicitorgeneral in any of the courts aforesaid, the court shall, if required, make order that a copy of the information or indictment shall be delivered, after appearance, to the party prosecuted, or his clerk in court or attorney, upon application made for the same, free from all expense to the party so applying; provided that such livered to the party, or his clerk in court, or attorney, shall not have previously received a copy thereof. tions by the Attorney or Solicitor-gene. ral, copy of the informa tion or indict. ment to be de Party. In case such prosecution is not brought to trial within twelve calen dar months, court may IX. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That in case any prosecution for a misdemeanor instituted by his majesty's attorney or solicitor-general in any of the courts aforesaid, shall not be brought to trial within twelve calendar months next after the plea of Not Guilty shall have been pleaded therein, it shall be lawful for the court in which such prosecution shall be depending, upon application to be make an order made on the behalf of any defendant in such prosecution, of which application twenty days previous notice shall have been given to his majesty's attorney or solicitor-general, to make an order, if the said court shall see just cause so to do, authorizing such defendant to bring on the trial in such prosecution; and it shall thereupon be lawful for such defendant to bring on such trial accordingly, unless a nolle prosequi shall have been entered in such prosecution. thereon. Not to extend to Quo War X. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this act contained shall extend Fanto Actions, or be construed to extend to any prosecution by information in nature of a Quo Warranto, or for the non-repair of any bridge or highway. &c. No Meeting of more than No. IV.-Copy of the Seditious Meetings Prevention Bill. An Act for more effectually preventing Seditious Meetings and Assemblies; WHEREAS in divers parts of this kingdom, assemblies of large numbers of persons collected from various parishes and districts, under the pretext of deliberating upon public grievances, and of agreeing on petitions, complaints, remon strances, declarations, resolutions, or addresses upon the subject thereof, have of late been held, in disturbance of the public peace, to the great terror and danger of his majesty's loyal and peaceable subjects, and in a manner manifestly tending to produce confusion and calamities in the nation; 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, that no meeting of any description of persons, exceeding the number of fifty persons (other than and except any meeting of any county, or division of any county, called by the lord lieutenant, governor, or custos rotulorum, or the sheriff of such county, or any meeting of any riding of any county called by the lord lieutenant or custos rotulorum of such riding, or by the sheriff of the same county; or any meeting called by the sheriff or stewart depute, or substitute, or by the convener of any county or stewartry, or any meeting called by five or more acting justices of the peace of the county, stewartry, or place where such meeting shall be holden; or any meeting of any riding or division of any county having different ridings or divisions, called by five or more justices of such riding householders. or division; or any meeting called by the major part of the grand jury of the county where such meeting shall be holden, at the assizes for the said county; or any meeting of any city, borough, or town corporate, called by the mayor, or other 50 persons holden, unless in separate parishes or townships, and with no tice to a jus tice of the peace by seven head officer of such city, borough, or town corporate, or any meeting of any ward or division of any city, called by the alderman or other head officer of such ward or division, or any meeting of any corporate body), shall be holden for the purpose or on the pretext of deliberating upon any public grievance, or upon any matter or thing relating to any trade manufacture, business, or profession, or upon any matter in church or state; or of considering, proposing, or agreeing to any petition, complaint, remonstrance, declaration, resolution, or address upon the subject thereof; unless in the parish, or when any parish shall be divided into townships, having separate and distinct overseers of the poor, then in the township within which the persons calling any such meeting shall usually inhabit or dwell; nor unless notice in writing of the intention to hold such meeting, and of the time and place when and where, and of the purpose for which the same shall be proposed to be holden, shall be delivered personally to some justice of the peace residing in or near to such parish or township, and usually acting for the district or division within which such parish or township shall be situate, six days at the least before such meeting shall be proposed to be holden as aforesaid; nor unless such notice shall be subscribed by seven persons at the least, being householders usually resident within the parish or township (as the case may be), where such meeting shall be proposed to be holden; nor unless the respective places of abode and descriptions of such persons be inserted in such notice. ing. II. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Justice may justice of the peace to whom any such notice as aforesaid shall be delivered, to alter time and alter the time and place, or either of them, mentioned in such notice for holding place of meet. any such proposed meeting, and to fix any other convenient time, being not more than four days from and after the day proposed in the notice, or any other convenient place within the parish or township for which such meeting is intended to be held as aforesaid; and in every such case the said justice of the peace shall notify in writing every such alteration, and either give such notification to the person who shall deliver the notice, or leave such notification at any time within two days after the delivery to the said justice of such notice as aforesaid, at the place of abode specified in such notice, of any one of the seven persons subscribing the same; and the said meeting, if held, shall not in any such case be held on any other time, or at any other place, than shall be so fixed by the said justice of the peace. &c. III. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful to adjourn any Respecting mecting that shall be holden at any time or place mentioned in any such notice, adjournments or so altered as aforesaid to any subsequent time, or to any other place than shall of meetings, have been so mentioned in such notice, or so altered as aforesaid; and that every meeting which shall be holden by way of or under pretence of being an adjourned meeting, at any other time or place than the time or place mentioned in such notice, or so altered as aforesaid, for the purpose or on the pretext of deliberating upon any public grievance, or upon any matter or thing relating to any trade, manufacture, business or profession, or upon any matter in church or state, or of considering, proposing, or agreeing to any petition, complaint, remonstrance, declaration, resolution or address, upon the subject thereof, shall be deemed and taken to be an unlawful assembly. freeholders of the corpora. &c. for which IV. And be it further enacted, That no person (other than and except justices No persons to of the peace, sheriffs, under sheriffs, constables or other peace officers, or other attend meetpersons acting under their authority, or in their aid or assistance) shall attend any ings, unless meeting whatever exceeding the number of fifty persons, which shall be holden the county, or for the purpose or on the pretext of deliberating upon any public grievance, or upon members of any matter or thing relating to any trade, manufacture, business or profession, or tion, or inhaupon any matter in church or state, or of considering, proposing, or agreeing to bitant of the any petition, complaint, remonstrance, declaration, resolution, or address, upon city or parish, the subject thereof, unless such person, when the meeting shall be holden for any the meeting county, riding, division or stewartry, shall be a freeholder, copyholder, heritor, or shall be held; householder of, or an inhabitant usually residing in the county or riding, or division of the county or stewartry, within and for which the meeting shall be holden, or a freeman or member of the corporation, if the meeting be of any corporate body, or a householder of, or an inhabitant usually residing, or a freeholder or copyholder having an estate in lands of the annual value of fifty pounds, of which he shall have been in possession twelve months, in the city, borough or town corporate, parish or township (as the case may be), within and for which any such meeting shall be holden: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall or members extend, or be construed to extend, to any member of the Commons House of Par- of parlianicut, liament, attending any such meeting as aforesaid, in any county, city, borough, or voters. town, or place for which he shall be serving in parliament; nor to any person hav Punishing persons attending meet ings contrary to the provi sions of this act. Allowing jus to assemblies. ing a right to vote for a member to serve in parliament for any city, borough, town or place, attending any meeting of such city, borough, town or place, which may be called by the mayor or other head officer. V. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall knowingly and wilfully attend any meeting holden for the purpose or on the pretext of deliberating upon any public grievance, or upon any matter or thing relating to any trade, manu facture, business, or profession, or upon any matter in church or state, or of considering, proposing, or agreeing to any petition, complaint, remonstrance, declaration, resolution, or address, upon the subject thereof, not being a freeholder, copyholder, heritor, or householder of or inhabitant usually residing in the county or riding, or division of the county, or the stewartry, within and for which the meeting shall be holden, when such meeting shall be holden for any county, riding, division or stewartry, or not being a freeman or member of the corporation, if the meeting be of any corporate body, or a householder of or inhabitant usually residing, or freeholder or copyholder having such estate as aforesaid, in the city, borough, or town corporate, parish or township (as the case may be), within and for which any such meeting shall be holden, and not being such member of the Commons House of Parliament, attending as aforesaid, such person being convicted thereof, shall be liable to be punished by fine and imprisonment, not exceeding twelve calendar months, at the discretion of the Court in which the conviction shall be had. VI. And be it further enacted, That all justices of the peace, sheriffs and tices to resort under sheriffs, mayors, and other head officers aforesaid, are hereby respectively authorized and empowered, within their respective jurisdictions, where any meeting or assembly shall be holden, or be proposed to be holden, for the purpose or on the pretext of deliberating upon any public grievance, or upon any matter or thing relating to any trade, manufacture, business, or profession, or upon any matter in church or state, or of considering, proposing, or agreeing to any petition, complaint, remonstrance, declaration, resolution or address, upon the subject thereof, to proceed to the place where such meeting or assembly shall be holden, or shall be proposed to be holden, and there to do or order or cause to be done all such acts, matters, and things, as the case may require, which they are hereby enabled to do, or to order to be done, or which they are otherwise by law enabled or entitled to do, or to order to be done; and it shall be lawful for all justices of the peace, sheriffs, under sheriffs, mayors, and other head officers respectively as aforesaid, to require and take the assistance of any number of constables, or other officers of the peace, within the district or place wherein such meeting as hereinbefore mentioned shall be holden, or any other persons in their aid or assistance, when they shall deem such aid or assistance to be necessary and requisite. Cases where lawful. VII. And be it further enacted, That in case any meeting shall be holden in meetings shall pursuance of any such notice as aforesaid, and such notice shall express or purport be deemed un- that any matter or thing by law established may be altered otherwise than by the authority of the King, Lords, and Commons, in Parliament assembled; or shall tend to incite or stir up the people to hatred or contempt of the person of his majesty, his heirs or successors, or of the government and constitution of this realin, as by law established; every such meeting shall be deemed and taken to be an unlawful assembly. Persons at ings contrary VIII. And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall attend tending meet any meeting whatever, holden for the purpose or on the pretext of deliberating to this Act, to upon any public grievance, or upon any matter or thing relating to any trade, mabe required by nufacture, business, or profession, or upon any matter in church or state, or of proclamation considering, proposing, or agreeing to any petition, complaint, remonstrance, deto depart. claration, resolution or address, upon the subject thereof, contrary to the provisions of this act, it shall be lawful for any one or more justice or justices of the peace in and for any county, or the sheriff or under sheriff of any county, or the mayor or other head officer, or any justice of the peace of any city or town corporate, within which any such meeting shall be held, to make or cause to be made proclamation in the king's name, in the form directed in this act, commanding every person so unlawfully attending any such meeting immediately and peaceably to depart therefrom; and if any person or persons so ordered to depart as aforesaid, shall not, upon such proclamation, depart from any such meeting within the space of a quarter of an hour after such proclamation made, that then and in every such case, every such person so continuing and not departing as aforesaid, shall, upon being thereof lawfully convicted, be adjudged to be guilty of felony, and shall be liable to be transported for any period not exceeding seven years. IX. And be it further enacted, That the order and form of the proclamation to be made as aforesaid, shall be as hereafter followeth (that is to say), the justice of the peace or other person, or one of the justices of peace, or one of the other persons authorized by this act to make the said proclamation, shall, among the said persons assembled, or as near to them as he can safely come, with a loud voice, command or cause to be commanded silence to be, while proclamation is making; and after that shall openly, and with loud voice, make or cause to be made proclamation in these words, or to the like effect: "OUR sovereign lord the king chargeth and commandeth every person here assembled, who is not a [freeholder, heritor of Member of freeman of householder of or inhabitant usually residing, or freeholder in, or "copyholder in naming the county, riding, division, stewartry, "city, borough, town, body corporate, parish, or township, as the case may be], or "who is not entitled to attend this meeting, immediately to depart from this meeting to his lawful business. GOD save the King." entitled to X. And be it further enacted, that when any such proclamation as aforesaid shall persons not have been made at any meeting, it shall be lawful for any person lawfully attend- attend meeting such meeting, to scize and apprehend any person not entitled to attend such ings, and not meeting, who shall not upon the making of such proclamation forthwith depart, departing and to carry such person before any justice of the peace of the county, riding, divi- mation, may sion, stewartry, city, or town corporate, within which such meeting shall be held, be carried before a justo be dealt with according to law. upon procla tice. sembled con trary to this being re clamation XI. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any one or more, Punishing justice or justices of the peace in and for any county, or for the sheriff or under persons assheriff of any county, or for the mayor or other head officer, or any justice of the peace of any city or town corporate, within which any meeting shall act, not disbe held, or persons shall assemble for the purpose of holding any meeting persing after contrary to the provisions of this act, or where any person or persons not en- quired so to titled to attend any meeting or assembly as aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect do, by proto depart therefrom for the space of a quarter of an hour after such proclamation made as aforesaid, to make or cause to be made proclamation in the king's name, in the manner and form hereinafter directed, to command all persons there assembled to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business; and if any such persons so assembled as aforesaid shall, to the number of twelve or more, notwithstanding such proclamation made, continue to gether by the space of half an hour after such proclamation made, that then and in every such case every person so continuing, being thereof legally convicted, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and be liable to be transported for any term not exceeding seven years. clamation. XII. And be it further enacted, That the order and form of the proclamation Form of pro to be made as aforesaid, shall be as hereafter followeth (that is to say); the justice or justices of the peace, or other person authorized by this act to make such proclamation, shall, among the said persons assembled, or as near to them as he can safely come, with a loud voice, command or cause to be commanded silence to be, while proclamation is making, and after that shall openly, and with loud voice, make or cause to be made proclamation in these words, or to the like effect: "OUR Sovereign lord the king chargeth and commandeth all persons here "assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to "their habitations, or to their lawful business. GOD save the King." notice may or maintaining law establish. XIII. And be it further enacted, That if one or more justice or justices of Justices at the peace present at any meeting requiring such notice as aforesaid, shall think fit meetings on to order any person or persons who shall attend such meeting in any manner con- order persons trary to the provisions of this act, or who shall at such meeting proceed to pro- propounding pound or maintain any proposition for altering any thing by law established, other- propositions wise than by the authority of the King, Lords, and Commons, in Parliament as- for altering sembled, or shall wilfully and advisedly make any proposition, or hold any dis- any thing by course for the purpose of inciting and stirring up the people to hatred or contempt ed, except by of the person of his majesty, his heirs or successors, or the government and con- authority of stitution of this realm as by law established, to be taken into custody, to be dealt Lords, and with according to law; and in case the said justice or justices, or any of them, or Commons, any peace officer acting under his or their or any of their orders, shall be forcibly &c. to be obstructed in taking into custody any person or persons so ordered to be taken into custody, &c. custody, then and in such case it shall be lawful for any such justice or justices thereupon to make or cause to be made such proclamation as last aforesaid, in manner aforesaid; and if any persons, to the number of twelve or more, being Punishment required or commanded by such proclamation to disperse themselves, and peace- of persons not departing after the King, taken into made. proclamation ably to depart as last aforesaid, shall, to the number of twelve or more, notwithstanding such proclamation made, remain or continue together by the space of half an hour after such command or request made by proclamation, that then such continuing together to the number of twelve or more, after such command or request made by proclamation, shall be adjudged felony, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, and shall be liable to be transported for any term not exceeding seven years. Punishment of persons ob XIV. And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons do or shall, structing jus. with force and arms, wilfully and knowingly oppose, obstruct, or in any manner tices, &c. wilfully and knowingly let, hinder, or hurt any justice of the peace, or other person authorized as aforesaid, or any person acting in aid or assistance of any justice of the peace who shall attend or disperse any such meeting as aforesaid, or shall be going to attend or to disperse any such meeting, or any justice of the peace or peace officer, or any person or persons acting in aid or assistance of any justice of the peace or other officer who shall begin to proclaim, or be going or endeavouring to make any proclamation authorized or directed to be made under the provisions of this act, whereby such proclamation shall not be made; and also if any persons so being assembled as aforesaid, to whom any such proclamation as aforesaid should or ought to have been made, if the same had not been hindered as aforesaid, shall, to the number of twelve or more, continue together, and not disperse themselves within half an hour after such let or hindrance so made, having knowledge of such let or hindrance so made; and also if any person so being at any such assembly as aforesaid shall, with force and arms, wilfully and knowingly oppose, obstruct, or in any manner wilfully and knowingly let, hinder, or hurt any justice of the peace or other magistrate, or any peace officer or other person acting in their aid or assistance, in the arresting, apprehending, or taking into custody, or detaining, in execution of any of the provisions of this act, any person or persons, or endeavouring so to do, that then and in every such case every person so offending, being thereof legally convicted, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and be liable to be transported for any term not exceeding seven years. Justices, &c. case of killing XV. And be it further enacted, That if the persons assembled at any meeting indemnified in or assembly held contrary to the provisions of this act, or which shall become and or maiming. be an unlawful assembly, under the provisions of this act, or any of them, shall happen to be killed, maimed, or hurt, in the dispersing, or endeavouring to disperse, or arresting or apprehending or detaining them, or any of them, or in the endeavouring so to do, by reason of their resisting the persons so dispersing, seizing, or apprehending, or endeavouring to disperse, seize, or apprehend them, that every such justice of the peace, sheriff, under sheriff, mayor, head officer, magistrate, high or petty constable, or other peace officer, and all and singular persons being aiding and assisting to them, or any of them, shall be free, discharged, and indemnified, as well against the king's majesty, his heirs and successors, as against all and every other person and persons, of, for, or concerning the killing, maiming, or hurting of any such person or persons so continuing together as aforesaid, that shall happen to be so killed, maimed, or hurt as aforesaid. Act not to extend to any meeting held in a private room. Act not to ex ings for re XVI. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That nothing herein-before contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any meeting or assembly which shall be wholly holden in any room or apartment of any house or building; any thing herein-before contained to the contrary notwithstanding. XVII. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That nothing in this act contend to meet tained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any meeting held in any county, turning mem- stewartry, city, borough, town, or place, returning any member to serve in parliabers to parliament, after the issuing and before the return of any writ for the election of any member to serve in parliament for such county, stewartry, city, borough, town, or place. ment. Persons not to attend meetings with arms, weapous, &c. XVIII. And be it further declared and enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any person to attend, proceed to, or be present at any meeting whatsoever, which shall be holden for the purpose or on the pretext of deliberating upon, or proceeding to deliberate upon any public grievance, or upon any matter or thing relating to any trade, manufacture, business, or profession, or upon any matter in church or state, or of considering, proposing, or agreeing to any petition, complaint, remonstrance, declaration, resolution, or address, on the subject thereof, armed with any gun, pistol, sword, dagger, pike, bludgeon, or other offensive weapon; and that every person who shall offend in the premises, shall, upon being convicted thereof, be fined and imprisoned for any term not exceeding two years, at the discretion of the Court before which such conviction shall be had: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any justice of the peace, sheriff, under sheriff, mayor, or other head officer aforesaid, |