A. D. 1670. Anno vlcefimo fecundo & tertio Caroli II. C. 8. 355 <t OITcnri", ih '.he "Quorum, fliall and may, and they are thereunto authorized and required by Virtue of this Ac^, to enquire, of tin O as'well by the Oaths of twelve lawful Men or more of the fame County, as by Examination of Witneli'ei; ^"Jl'"'" upon Oath, or by any lawful Ways or Means which to them fliall fcem meet, of and concerning any the °"'-'"^"" Offences before incurred, and Offenders therein ; and in Order thereunto, to ifilie out Warrants, as well for the fuiiTmoning of Jurors, as for the apprehending of all fuch Pcrfons, as fhall or may be thereof fuf- pecfed, and to take their Examination touching the fame ; as alfo to caufe all fuch other Perfons as to them ihail feem likely to make Difcovery thereof, to appear before them, and to give Information upon Oath, of and concerning their Knowledge of the PremifTes ; fo as no Perfon fo to be examined by the faid |uf- itices of the Peace, fhall be convi6fed, or in any wife proceeded againff, for or by Rcafon of any Offence concerning which he or they fliall be fo examined as a Witnefs, and {hall upon fuch his Examination make a true Difcovery thereof: (2) And in Cafe any Perfon or Perfons, who by the faid Juffices be thought likely A Witntfo refii- to make Difcovery as aforefaid, fliall refufe to appear or to be examined as a Witnefs, being duly fuinmoned '^"8 to appear, by the faid JuilJces in Purfuance of this Adt ; It fliall and may be lawful for the faid Juilices of the Peace "i'"" l"i«"i"-i':- to commit the Party fo refuung, to the Common Gaol for the faid County without Bail or Mainprife, until '^ " " °"* hefball fubmit to be examined upon Oath, of and concerning his Knowledge touching the fame Offence, .or the Off'enders by whom the fame was committed. VII. Provided, That no Perfon who fhall be puniflied for any Offence by Virtue of this Aft, fliill be No Perfon fnall punifhed for the fame Offence by Virtue of any other A6i: or Law whatfoever ; nor fhall be queftioneJ for b^Mw-cepuniiled the fame, unlefs he be proceeded againft v/ithin fix Months after the Offence committed, Jif ^ oriei-.cc. The Proit:cuuoa C A r. Vlli. fix Months. An Act for the Regulating the making oi Kidderminjler Stuffs. rHEP^ExAS divers Ahufes and Deceits have of late Years been had and ufed in the making of Stuffs, / called KiddirmiiiJ^er Stuffs, within the Borough and Parifli oi Kichkrmhi/fer, in the County of ■ f' JForcefter^ tending to the Debafing of the faid Manufacfure, and to the great Prejudice of the Publick :' ■ II. For the preventing of which Abufes and Deceits, may it pleafc your Majefty that it may be enafted : a Corporation of h.) And be it cnafted by the King's mofl; Excellent Majefty, by and with the A^dvice and Confent of the Weaver; in Kid- Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority de"r'i--fte' of the fame, That there ihall be chofen one Prefident, four Wardens, and eight Affiftants, all which fhall be Mafter Weavers within the faid Borough, the firft A4ondcy after Pcntecoji in the Year of our Lord one thoufand fix hundred feventy and one, and from, thenceforth yearly and every Year on the next Monday af- ter Pentecoft, at fome publick Place, by the Mafter Weavers of the laid Borough, or the greater Part of them then prefent ; (5) and the faid Prefident, Wardens and Afliftants refpeiStively, fliall v/ithin fourteen Days after they fhall be fo chofen or elefted, and Notice thereof given, take the Oath enfuing, to be ad- miniftred by the Bailiff, or any one of the Juftices of the Peace of the fiid Borough for the Time being, or either of them : Which Oath they and every of them are hereby required from Time to Time to admi- aiifter accordingly, (viz.) t (4) T A. B. do fwear. That I will well, faithfully, and honeftly perform and difcharge the Ofnce of Pre- The Oath to be A fident or Warden, or Affiifant, Mutatis mutandis, of the Trade of Clothiers and Stuff- Weavers taken by tlicmii within the Borough and Parifh of Kiddermin/ter, according to the beft of my Skill, Power and Know- ledge.' III. And if it fliall happen. That the faid Prefident, or any of the'faid V/ardens or Affiffants chofen as aforefaid, fhall refufe to take the faid Oath, or after his or their being fworn as aforefaid, fhall die before the • End of the Year ; That then from Time to Time, fo often as Need fliall be, it fliall and may be lawful to and for the Mafter- V/ea'ers of the faid Borough, to choofe one other Prefident, V/arden or Wardens, Afiiftant or Affiftants, in the Place of him or them fo dying or rc-fufmg, who fhall be fworn in fuch Man- ner as aforefaid. IV. And for the Plegulation and good Government of the faid Trade and Manufafture,. the faid Prefi- A Power given dent. Wardens and Ailiftants, or any feven or more of them, whereof the Prefident and three or more of ^^^"^ "* "'^^' •the faid Wardens are to be prefent, fball and may from Time to Time meet and confult together for the y-^^"^- 'Good and Benefit of the faid Trade and Manufa£fure, and for the due Execution of the Pov/ers and Au- thority given by this Aft, and to make and ordain By-Laws, P..ules and Ordinances, for the better Regu- lating of the faid Trade and Manufafture^ and the Artificers of the fame, and to make Seals frofri Time to Time for Sealing of the fame Stuffs : (2) Which By-Laws, Rules and Ordinances being ratified and con- Tobcconfirmei firmed by the Juflices of Affize for the County of JVorcefter for the Time being, lliall be publifhed at leaft by the Juflicesof - twice in the Year at two publick Affem.blies for the faid Trade and Manufafture, and fhall be obeyed and Xo' bt nub'iflt-J kept by the Artificers of the faid Trade and Manufafture, and by the feveral Perfons ufing the fame wi'^hin tmcca Ycai.'^" and under the faid P.egulation. (3) And the fold Prefident, Wardens and Affiftants, or any feven or more of them, fhall have and hereby have Power to impofe a P^ine Or Penalty upon any Perfon or Perfons ufing Power to im- the faid Trade, or that fhall be under the Regulation thereof, as fliall not conform to fuch Rules, Orders, pofe Fitrcs. .By-Laws and Ordinances fo made and to be made and confirmed as aforefaid. V. Provided, That the faid Fine or Penalty upon any Perfori for not conforming as aforefaid, fliall not "^^^ ^'"^ "<"'• exceed the Sum of forty Shillings for any one Offence. exceeJ 405. VI. And if any Perfon or Perfons duly chofen as aforefaid, to be Prdident or Warden, or AfTiftant, and I'"' F'-^^? due Notice thereof given by the Bailiff of the faid Borough for the Time being, fhall refufe or neglcft to fj^' aj^'^fu^ica. •execute the Place of Prefident, Warden or Affiftant, or to take the faid Oath, according to the Purport of ing'm execute. * Z Z 2 this fluiil be Snei
