326 C. 31. Anno fexto Ann^e Regin®. A. D. 1707, Revrainot pay- ^^^*- ^^^ ^ "^'^t brought to z Fire fhall hs paid twenty Shillings ; and the third, ten Shillings, by the able by Church- Churchwardens of each Parifh where fuch Fire fhall happen ; and in Default of Payment thereof, fuch wardens without Reward fhall be recoverable from the Churchwardens where fuch Fire fhall happen, by Warrant from two the Direftion of gf her Majefty's Juftices of the Peace, by Diftrefs and Sale of fuch Churchwardens Goods ; the Overplus 'the wtT'" ^° ^^ returned, if any be. ^iiHssdal iy 7 Anns, c. 17. f. z, ' II. And whereas the federal Infurance Offices for infuring Houfes agairifl Lofs by Fire, retain in thfeir
- feveral Services, and give Coats and Badges unto Watermen for Service and Alfiftance in extingui/hing of
- Fires, who are always ready at a Call, and are provided with various Sorts of Poles, Hooks, Hatchets,
- and feveral other Inftruments and Things at the Charge of the faid refpeiStive Infurance Offices, for the
' extinguifhing of Fires ; which Watermen by Cuftom and Skill venture much further, and give greater
- Help than any other Perfons not ufed to come into Danger ; And whereas it hath been found by frequent
- Experience, that fuch Watermen are of great Ufe and Service whenever any Fire happens ;' Be it there-
Witermcn be- fore enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That the Watermen for the time being, belonging to each Infu- longing to infu- rance Office, within the Cities of London and IVe/iminJler, and Limits thereof not exceeding thirty for ranee oflicesfree gaj-^ Office, fhall be free from being imprefled, or liable to be compelled to go to Sea, or ferveas Marines from impreffing. ^^ ^^ Soldiers at Land, their Names and Places of Abode being regiftred and entred with the Secretary or other Officer of the Admiralty Office. Servants who ' III. And whereas Fires often happen by the Negligence and Carelefnefs of Servants,' Be it therefore through Negli- enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any menial or other Servant or Servants, through Negligence h"7 ^? '" or Carelefnefs, Ihall fire or caufe to be fired any Dwelling-houfe, or Out-houfe or Houfes, fuch Servant forfdt' lool. or o Servants being thereof lawfully convifted by the Oath of one or more credible WitnefTes made before be fent to the two or more of her Majefly's Juftices of the Peace, fhall forfeit and pay the Sum of one hundred Pounds- Workhoufe for unto the Churchwardens of fuch Parifh where fuch Fire fhall happen, to be diftributed amongfl: the Suf- iS Months. ferers by fuch Fire, in fuch Proportions as to the faid Churchwardens fhall feem juft ; and in cafe of De- fault or Refufal to pay the fame immediately after fufth Conviftion, the fame being lawfully demanded by the faid Churchwardens, that then and in fuch Cafe fuch Servant or Servants flaall, by Warrant under the Hand of two or more of her Majefty's Juflices of the Peace, be committed to fome Workhoufe, or Houfe of Corre£tion, as the faid Juftices fhall think fit, for the Space of eighteen Months, there to be kept to hard Labour. All Houfes erea- IV. And be it further enacSed by the Authority aforefaid. That from and after the faid firft Day of May edafter i May, which fhall be in the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and eight, all and every Houfe ani within Bills of Houfes that fhall be ere6led and built either upon old or new Foundations, in any Place or Places in and havrPartv Walls ^^out the Cities of London and Weftminjier^ or other Parifhes or Places comprized within the weekly Bills of Brick. orStone, of Mortality, fhall have Party Walls between Houfe and Houfe, wholly of Brick or Stone, and of two &c. Bricks thick at the leafl:, in the Cellar and Ground Stories, and thirteen Inches thick upwards from the Proyifions for Foundation quite through all the Stories of each Houfe, and eighteen Inches above the Roof; and that pulling down j^Q Mundillion or Cornifh of Timber or Wood under the Eaves fhall hereafter be made or fufFered in any. iiGe'o."i c^as! ^"'^^ "^^' Houfe or Houfes, but that all Front and Rear Walls of every Houfe and Houfes fhall be built No Mundillion' of Brick or Stone, to be carried two Foot and an half high above the Garret Floor, and coped with Stone or Corniih of or Brick; and if any new Houfe or Houfes fhall, from and after the faid firft Day oi May, be ere£led and Timber under built within the Places aforefaid, contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Ai£t, that then the the Eaves here- Owner of evcry fuch Houfe, and Head Builder or Workmen, who undertake fuch Building or Work, in any new ^'^ each of them forfeit, lofe, and pay for every fuch Default the Sum of fifty Pounds, to be equally di- Houfe, &c. vided, one Moiety to the Informer, and the other Moiety to the Poor of the Parifh wherein fuch Building ThisClaufe ex- fhall be erefted ; and to be levied by Warrant under the Hands and Seals of two or more of her Majefty's tends not to Juftices of the Peace within the Place where fuch Building fhall be fo erefted, or where fuch Workmen dln^Brid e oT' ^^'^ inhabit, by Diftrefs and Sale of the Offender's Goods, upon due Conviftion upon Oath, or upon thcThanfes" ^'^ View of one or more of fuch Juftices of the Peace, rendring the Overplus to the Owners, if any be; 7 Anna-, c. 17. and for Want of fuch Diftrefs the Offender fhall be imprifoned by Warrant from the faid two Juftices, f. 7, 8, who are hereby impowered and required to ifTue fuch Warrant, until Payme.nt as aforefaid ; and the Share Coi'enjlty. of fuch*^Forfeitures appointed to go to the: Poor, as aforefaid, to be paid into the Hands of the Church- wardens of fuch refpeitive Parifh where fuch Ofrence fhall be committed, who are to give a Receipt for the fame, and to be charged therewith, and accountable for the fame, in like Manner as for other Monies which they fhall receive for the JQfe of fuch Parifh. On breaking cat V, And be it further enacted. That upon the breaking out of any. Fire within London or Wejiminjier., of any fire, &c. all Conftabks and Beadles, (upon Notice thereof) fhall im.mediately repair to the Place where the faid |j'adleft'o"a^d"' ^^^^ ^^^' happen, with their Staves, and other Badges of their Authority, and be aiding and affifting, aiid .ffift the In- ^^ Vi^^ in the extinguifhing the faid Fires, and caufing People to work at the Engines, as alfo in prevent- habitanis, &c. ing Goods being ftolen ; and fhall feize and apprehend all ill-difpofed Perfons that they fhall find ftealing or pilfering from the Inhabitants ; as alfo that the faid Conftabks and Beadles fhall give their utmoft Af- fiftance to help the Inhabitants to remove their faid Goods. No Aflionto be VI. And be it further ena£ted by the Authority aforefaid. That no Aftion, Suit, or Procefs whatfo- proiecuted 3- ever, fhall be had, maintained, or profecuted againfr any Perfon in whofe Houfe or Chamber any Fire ^n'II*oieHcu™ ^^'i om and after the faid firft Day of May^ accidentally begin, or any Recompence be made by fuch &c.aiiy Fne ac- P^rfon for any Damage fuff"ered or occafioned thereby ; any Law, Ufage, or Cuftom to the contraiy not- cidantaliy begins, &c. This Seflion made j%erpetual by 10 A»nje, c. 14. f, i. > ' withftanding :
