after mentioned, (that is to say) all persons inhabiting or living in the said city or county of the same as aforesaid, now being such manufacturers or makers of stuffs, or makers of wool into yarn, master weavers, or master woolcombers, or dealers, or traders as such, or employing servants or workmen in any such manufactures, or having any interest, stock, share or partnership therein as aforesaid, shall upon their request to be made at any court of mayoralty, or assembly of the mayor,sheriffs, citizens and commonalty to be holden for the said city, on or before the twenty fourth day of June one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, be admitted and made free of the said city, paying only one and twenty shillings for such admission and freedom; and all persons, who hereafter shall be such manufacturers in manner as aforesaid,and living or inhabiting as aforesaid, being foreigners, shall, upon thier request, to be made at any assembly of the said corporation to be holden for the said city, be admitted and made free of the city, paying a sum not exceeding five pounds for such admission and freedom, and all persons to be admitted or made free as aforesaid, shall, at the time of admission, take the usual oaths, or being Quakers, shall take the solemn affirmation to the effect thereof.
Dealers herein not being free, what to forfeit II. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person (servants and apprentices during their service excepted) who now is or hereafter shall be any such manufacturer,dealer or trader, or otherwise concerned or interested in any of the said manufactures as aforesaid, shall, after the twenty fourth day of June one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, presume to use or exercise any of the said manufactures, or be concerned or interested therein in manner aforesaid, not being admitted and made free as aforesaid, every person so offending being lawfully convicted upon a prosecution to be commences within six months after the fact committed, shall forfeit the sum of ten pounds for every calender month, such person shall so unlawfully use or exercise any of the said manufactures, or be concerned or interested therein as aforesaid, contrary to this act, next after the third quarterly assembly of the said corporation, which shall be held for the said city ; the said sum of ten pounds to be recovered by action of debt, bill, plaint or information, to be brought by the chamberlain of the said city for the use of the mayor, sheriffs, citizens and commonalty of the said city, in any of his Majesty's courts of record at Westminster where no essoin, privilege, protection or wager of law shall be allowed, nor more than one imparlance.
III. And for better qualifying persons to bear offices of magistracy in the said city, and for regulating such elections, and presenting false and fictitious polling therein, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, Source text notes By 3 Geo 2 c.8 s. 2. Another oath is appointed in lieu hereof That if any person,elected to be sheriff of the said city and county thereof, at any court of mayoralty to beholden in any year, between the twenty fourth day of June and the tenth day of August following, shall within fourteen days after notice in writing given to him of such election, make oath or being Quaker take his solemn affirmation, that he is not at that time worth two thousand pounds in the world, his debts being paid, which oath or affirmation the mayor of the said city for the time being, or any of his Majesty's justices of the peace are herby authorized to administer, such oath or affirmation being made at, or transmitted to some court of mayoralty of the said city, to be holden within fourteen days after such notice, every such person shall for that time or turn be excused the said office of sheriff gratis Who to be excused the office of sheriff; and that fifty pounds,and no more, shall be paid as a fine, by any person so elected, for not serving the office of sheriff of the said city and county thereof, if such person shall make or transmit as aforesaid his oath or being Quaker, his solemn affirmation, that he is not at that time worth three thousand pounds in the world, his debts being paid; and that eighty pounds, and no more , shall be paid as a fine, by any person of greater estate so elected, for not serving the office of sheriff of the said city or county.
In what manner,and for what time persons may be discharged from bearing the said office IV. Provided always, That no person, worth two thousand pounds and upwards, shall be discharged for bearing the said office of sheriff by the court of mayoralty, for any longer time than one year, without the consent of the mayor, sheriffs, citizens and commonalty, in common council assembled ; and that no person after the first day in May one thousand seven hundred and twenty three, shall in any year be executed or discharged from bearing the said office of sheriff, unless such person shall have been first elected to such office,and have notice thereof as usual, between the twenty fourth day of June and the tenth day of August ensuing.
What to be done on election of mayor &c. in case a poll demanded V. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That upon every election to be made in time to come, of any mayor, sheriff , aldermen or common council man, in or for the said city of Norwich, the mayor or other officer or officers presiding at such election, in case a poll be demanded by any of the candidates, or any three or more of the electors, shall cause a regular poll to be taken of the voters, and shall appoint a convenient number of clerks to take the same, which clerks shall take the said poll in the presence of such mayor, or other presiding officer or officers, or such as he or they, according to the charters and usages of the said city, shall depute; and before they being to take the said poll, every clerk so appointed, shall, by the said mayor or other presiding officer or officer, be sworn truly and indifferently to take the same poll,and to let down the name of each voter, with his addition and place of abode, and for whom be shall poll and to poll no elector who is not sworn according to the direction of this act; and every person before he is admitted to poll at the same election, shall first take the oath herein mentioned, or, being a Quaker, shall solemnly affirm the effect thereof viz.
You shall swear, or being a Quaker, you shall solemnly affirm, that you are a freemen of the city of Norwich; or in case of an election for an aldermen of common council-man, That you are an inhabitant in the ward, for which such election is made, and have not been polled at this election.
