A. D. 1708, Anno feptimo ANNiE Reginae. C. 12. 361 or Officers, Commiflioner or Oommiflioners, to whom it may belong to certify or pay any fuch Deben- ture or Debentures, refufing or neglecting to do his or their Duty therein, as is hereby direcSted, {hall for- feit double the Sum fo to be paid, to the Party grieved, to be recovered in the Exchequer of Scotland as aforefaid. XI. Provided always. That nothing in this A6t contained fhall extend to charge any Part of, or leflen Not to charge diredly or iiidiredtly the Overplus of the Cuftoms of Scotland, exceeding the tiuni of thirty thouf.nd 'jj= Overplus of Pounds ter Annum, mentioned in the fifteenth Article of the faid Union, or any Part of the Overplus of jjj^^"^^^^" the Excife oi Scotland, exceeding the Sum of thirty-three thoufand five hundred Pounds /i^r yf«««w, men- iajjj_ tioned in the fame Article; any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithllanding. CAP. XII. An A£t for preferving the Privileges of Ambafllidors, and other publick Minifters of Foreign Princes and States. WHEREAS feveral turbulent and diforderly Perfons having in a moft outragious Manner infult- PreamWe, ed the Perfon of his 'E.xctWtnCY Andreiv Artononowitz Mattueof, Ambaffador extraordinary of his ting that th. Czarifh Majefty, Emperor of Great Ruffia, her Majefty's good Friend and Ally, by arrefting him, and Czar's AmbaiTa-
- taking him by Violence out of his Coach in the publick Street, and detaining him in Cuftody for feveral ^°' having been
- Hours, in Contempt of the Protection granted by her Majelly, contrary to the Law of Nations, and in ='"«^»
' Prejudice of the Rights and Privileges which Ambaffadors and other publick Minifters, authorized and ' received as fuch, have at all Times been thereby pofleffed of, and ought to be kept facred and inviolable;' Be it therefore declared by the Queen's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That all Actions and Suits, Writs and Proceffes commenced, fued or profecuted againft the enafled there- 1 faid Ambaffador, by any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, and all Bail Bonds given by the faid Ambaffador, fore, that ail or any other Perfon or Perfons on his Behalf, and all Recognizances of Bail given or acknowledged in?"'"/^'[j^ any fuch ACtion or Suit, and all Proceedings upon or by Pretext or Colour of any fuch A£tion or Suit, ^^^ "^ * Writ or Procefs, and all Judgments had thereupon, are utterly null and void, and ftiall be deemed and adjudged to be utterly null and void, to all Intents, Conftrudtions, and Purpofes whatfoever. II. And be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid. That all Entries, Proceedings, and Records againft And allPra- the faid Ambaffador or his Bail, fhall be vacated and cancelled. ceedings againft III. And to prevent the like Infolences for the future, be it further declared by the Authority aforefaid, Wm and his Bail That all Writs and Proceffes that fhall at any Time hereafter be fued forth or profecirted, whereby the a^M^p'"*' Perfon of any Aambaffador, or other publick Minifter of any Foreign Prince or State, authorized and re- a^ainft^^^ "obi ceived as fuch by her Majefty, her Heirs or Succeffors, or the Domeftick, or Domeftick Servant of any lick Minifter, fuch Ambaffador, or other publick Minifter, may be arrefted or imprifoned, or his or their Goods or or any of his Chattels may be diftrained, feized, or attached, fhall be deemed and adjudged to be utterly null and void Servants, to be to alllntents, Conftruaions, and Purpofes whatfover. foft'heT™ IV. And be it further ena£ted by the Authority aforefaid. That in cafe any Perfon or Perfons fhall °g^^^ ""* '* prefume to fue forth or profecute any fuch Writ or Procefs, fuch Perfon and Perfons, and all Attornies and Punj/iiment for Solicitors profecuting and foliciting in fuch Cafe, and all Officers executing any fuch Writ or Procefs, Aitornies, &c, being thereof convidted, by the Confeffion of the Party, or by the Oath of one or more credible Wit- fuing forth fu«h nefs or Witneffes, before the Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of Great Britain, the f'""'^' Chief Juftice of the Court oi ^teen's Bench, the Chief Juftice of the Court of Common Pleas for the time being, or any Two of them, all be deemed Violators of the Laws of Nations, and Difturbers of the publick Repofe, and fhall fuffer fuch Pains, Penalties, and corporal Punifhment, as the faid Lord Chan- cellor, Lord Keeper, and the faid Chief Juftices, or any Two of them ftiall judge fit to be impofed and inflidted. V. Provided, and be it declared. That no Merchant or other Trader whatfoever, within the Defcrip- No Merchant tion of any of the Statutes againft Bankrupts, w; > liacn or .nali put himfelf into the Service of any fuch *c. to have any Ambaffador or publick Minifter, fliall have or tak' M.mner Oi ijenehi by this A£t; and that no Per- Benefit of thie fon ftiall be proceeded againft as having arreio" Vii i^ of^n A.nbaiiador or publick Minifter, by f^'^' virtue of this A£t, unlefs the Name of fuch S. (^ fiitt regiured in the Office of one of the Princi- of^InAmbaffa^ pal Secretaries of State, and by fuch Sccrec^ry l ._ ured to thv o.ii^iffs of London and Aiiddlefex for the dor, unlefs hia • time being, or their Under Sheriffs or Deputiti, 'nai,, upo.. t.e Receipt thereof, hang up the fame in Name be le- fome publick Place in their Offices, whereto I'erlbns may refoit, and take Copies thereof, without S'^r"', &c. Fee or Reward. VI. And be it further ena£ted by the Authoji:-, aforefaid. That this Acl: fhall be taken and allowed in This Aft to be all Courts within this Kingdom as a Publick A£l j, ^nd tiiat all Judges ana Juftices fhall take Notice of it Mktn as a Pub- without fpecial pleading; and all Sheriffs, Bailirts, and oiner Officers and iViinifters of Juftice, concern- '"■*"^'^' ed in the Execijtion of Proceis, are hereby required to hi^vc regard to this Att, as they will anfwer the contrary at their Peril. Vol. IV. Aaa CAP.
