I

Elector's oath.

had by myself,

or for my use

A. B. do swear, (or, being one of the people called Quakers, I A. B. do solemnly affirm) I have not received, or or any person whatsoever in trust for me, and benefit, directly or indirectly, any sum, or sums of money, office, place or employment, gift, or reward, or any promise or security for any money, office, employ-> ment, or gift, in order to give my vote at this Election, and that I have not before been polled at this Election.

Presiding officer to ad minister it, on forfeiture

Which Oath or Affirmation the officer or officers presiding, or taking the poll at such Election, is and are hereby impowered and required to administer gratis, of L. 50. if demanded, as aforesaid, upon pain to forfeit the sum of Fifty Pounds, of lawful money of Great Britain, to any person that shall sue for the same, to be recovered, together with full costs of suit, by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of his Majesty's Courts of Record at Westminster, wherein no essoine, protection, wager of law, or more than one emparlance, shall be admitted or allowed; and if the said offence shall be committed in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, then to be recovered, together with full costs of suit, by summary action, or complaint before the Court of Session, or by prosecution before the Court of Justiciary there, for every neglect or refusal so to do: And no person shall be admitted to poll, till he has taken and repeated the said Oath, in a public manner, in case the same shall be demanded, as aforesaid, before the returning officer, or such others as shall be legally deputed by him.

Sheriff, or And be it further enacted, That if any other returnSheriff, Mayor, Bailiff, or other returning ing officers, admitting any officer, shall admit any person to be pollto be polled, ed, without taking such Oath or Affirmabefore sworn, tion, if demanded, as aforesaid, such re

to forfeit

L. 100.

turning officer shall forfeit the sum of One Hundred Pounds, to be recovered in manner aforesaid, together with full costs of suit; and that if any person shall vote or poll at such Election, without having first taken the Oath, or, if a Quaker, having made his AfVoters to firmation, as aforesaid, if demanded, such person shall incur the same penalty which the officer is subject to for the offence above mentioned.

incur the like

penalty.

Returning And be it further enacted by the auofficer, after thority aforesaid, That every Sheriff, reading the writ, to take Mayor, Bailiff, Headborough, or other the following person, being the returning officer of any Member to serve in Parliament, shall, immediately after the reading the writ or precept for the election of such Member, take and subscribe the following Oath, videlicet,

oath.

I

A. B. do solemnly swear, That I have not, directly nor indirectly, received any sum or sums of money, office, place or employment, gratuity, or reward, or any bond, bill, or note, or any promise or gratuity whatsoever, either by myself, or any other person to my use, or benefit, or advantage, for making any return at the present Election of Members to serve in Parliament; and that I will return such person or persons, as shall, to the best of my judgment, appear to me to have the majority of legal

votes.

Which Oath, any Justice or Justices of the Peace of the said County, City, Corporation or Borough, where such Election shall be made, or, in his or their absence, any three of the electors, are hereby required and authorised to administer; and such Oath, so taken, shall be entered among the records of the sessions of such County, City, Corporation, and Borough, as aforesaid.

What votes

And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That such votes shall be deem- shall be deemed to be legal, which have been so de- ed legal.

clared by the last determination in the House of Commons; which last determination concerning any County, Shire, City, Borough, Cinqueport, or place, shall be final to all intents and purposes whatsoever, any usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

And be it further enacted by the au- Penalty of thority aforesaid, That if any returning wilful perjuofficer, elector, or person taking the Oath TY or Affirmation herein before mentioned, shall be guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury, or of false affirming, and be thereof convicted by due course of law, he shall incur and suffer the pains and penalties which by law are enacted or inflicted in cases of wilful and corrupt perjury.

Persons convicted never capable to

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury, or vote. subornation of perjury, shall, after such conviction, be capable of voting in any Election of any Member or Members to serve in Parliament.

Persons taking money or reward for their vote, &c. forfeit

L. 500, and disabled to vote in any Election.

And be it further enacted by the au thority aforesaid, That if any person who hath, or claimeth to have, or hereafter shall have, or claim to have, any right to vote in any such Election, shall, from and after the said 24th day of June, which shall be in the year of our Lord 1729, ask, receive, or take any money, or other reward, by way of gift, loan, or other device; or agree or contract for any money, gift, office, employment, or other reward whatsoever, to give his vote, or to refuse or forbear to give his vote, in any such Election; or if any person by himself, or any person employed by him, doth or shall, by any gift or reward, or by any promise, agreement, or security for any gift or reward, corrupt or procure any person or persons to give his or their vote or votes, or to forbear to give his or their vote or votes, in any such Election, such person, so offending in any of the cases aforesaid, shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of Five Hundred Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain, to be recovered as before directed, together with full costs of suit: And every person offending in any of the cases aforesaid, from and after judgment obtained against him in any such action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, or summary action, or prosecution, or being any otherwise lawfully convicted thereof, shall for ever be disabled to vote in any Election of any Member or Members to Parliament, and also shall for ever be disabled to hold, exercise, or enjoy any office or franchise, to which he and they then shall, or at any time afterwards may be entitled, as a member of any City, Borough, Town Corporate, or Cinque-port, as if such person was naturally dead.

Offenders

in 12 months after the E

lection disco

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person offending against this act shall, within the space of 12 months next after such Elec- vering others, tion as aforesaid, discover any other per- indemnified. son or persons offending against this act, so that such person or persons, so discovered, be thereupon convicted, such person so discovering, and not having been before that time convicted of any offence against this act, shall be indemnified, and discharged from all penalties and disabilities which he shall then have incurred by any offence against this act.

The Act to

And, for the more effectual observance of this act, be it enacted, That all and be read by the Sheriff, &c. every the Sheriffs, Mayors, Bailiffs, and after reading other officers, to whom the execution of the writ. any writ or precept for electing any Member or Members to serve in Parliament shall belong or appertain, shall, and are hereby required, at the time of such Election, immediately after the reading such writ or precept, read, or cause to be read, openly before the Electors there assembled, this present act, and every clause therein contained; and the same shall also openly be read once in every year at the general Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be holden And at the next after Easter, for any County or Ci- Quarter Sesty, and at every Election of the chief Easter. Magistrate in any Borough, Town-corporate, or Cinque-port, and at the annual Election of Magistrates and Town Counsellors, for every Borough within that part of Great Britain called Scotland.

sions after