24 C. i9. Anno vicefimo Georgii II. A. D. 1747, of by the Juftices ; and to be in Force till repealed by the Commiffioners, i^c. Saving Claufe in Favour of the Bifliop of Durham, and of the Owners of Ferry-boats, i^c." CAP. XIX. An A(5t for the better adjufting and more eafy Recovery of the Wagfs of certain Servants ; and for the better Regulation of fuch Servants, and of certain Apprentices. H E R E A S the Laws now in being, for the better Regulation of Servants, and for the Payment 5 El. r. 4. « yy of Wages to them, and to Artificers, Handicraftfmen and Labourers, are infufficient and de- 1 jac. 1. c. 6. c festive :' For Remedy whereof, be it ena6ted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Ad- vice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament aflembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That from and after the twenty-fifth Day of March, which will be in ^'""^'^M-^ft the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and forty-feven, all Complaints, Differences and Dif- and,TertainTer- putes, which fhall happen or arife between Maflers or Miff-refTes, and Servants in Hufbandry, who {hall be vants, to be de- hired for one Year, or longer, or which {hall happen or ariie between Pvlafters and MiftrefTes, and Artiti- terminedbya cers, Handicraftfmen, Miners, Colliers, Keelmen, Pitmen, GlafTmen, Potters, and other Labourers em- Juftice of Peace pjoyed for any certain Time, or in any other Manner, {hall be heard and determined by one or more Juflice terefidel'"*" or Juflices of the Peace of the County, Riding, City, Liberty, Town Corporate or Place, where fuch Mailer or Miftrefs {hall inhabit, although no Rate or AfTefTment of Wages has been made that Year by the Juftices of the Peace of the Shire, Riding or Liberty, or by the Mayor, Bailiffs or other Head Officer, where fuch Complaints {hall be made, or where fuch Differences or Difputes fhall arife ; which faid Juftice Juftices to exa- ^^ Juftices is and are hereby impowered to examine upon Oath, any fuch Servant, Artificer, Handicraftfman, mine Servants, ]y[ij^er, Collier, Keelman, Pitman, GlaiTman, Potter, or other Labourer, or any other Witnefs or VVit- c. upon at , jjgjj-gg^j.Qjj(;)-,if)g any fuch Complaint, Difference or Difpute, and to make fuch Order for Payment of fo much Wages to fuch Servant, Artificer, Handicraftfman, Miner, Collier, Keelman, Pitman, GlafTman, Potter or and make Or- Other Labourer, as to fuch Juftice or Juftices fhall feem juft and reafonable, provided that the Sum in Que- der for Payment ftion do not exceed ten Pounds with regard to any Servant, nor five Pounds with regard to any Artificer, of Wages due, 'f Handicraftfman, Miner, Collier, Keelman, Pitman, GlafTman, Potter, or Labourer ; and in cafe of Refu- under a certain £-^| ^^ Nonpayment of any Sums fo ordered, by the Space of one and twenty Days next after fuch Deter- ""V, mination, fuch Juftice and Juftices {hall and may iifue forth his and their Warrant to levy the fame by Di- J^"be levieTbT' ftfefs and Sale of the Goods and Chatties of fuch Mafter or Miftrefs, or Perfon employing fuch Artificer, Diflrefs and Sale. Handicraftfman, Miner, Collier, Keelman, Pitman, GlafTman, Potter, or other Labourer, rendering the Overplus to the Owners, after Payment of the Charges of fuch Diftrefs and Sale. Juftices to hear IL And be it further enafted by the Authority aforefaid, That it fliall and may be lawful to and for fuch Mafters Com- Juftice or Juftices, upon Application or Complaint made, upon Oath, by any Mafter, Miftrefs, or Employer, plaints on Oath i againft any fuch Servant, Artificer, Handicraftfman, Miner, Collier, Keelman, Pitman, GlafTman, Potter, or Labourer, touching or concerning any Mifdemeanor, Mifcarriage or iil-behaviour, in fuch his or her Service or Employment (which Oath fuch Juftice or Juftices is and are hereby impowered to adminifter) and to punifli fg hear, examine and determine the fame ; and to punifli the Offender by Commitment to the Houfe of Cor- tbe Offender by ^eftion, there to remain and be corredled, and held to hard Labour for a reafonable Time, not exceeding one AbTtTme^rof Calendar Month, orotherwife by abating fom^e Part of his or her Wages, or by difcharging fuch Servant, Wages, orDif- Artificer, Handicraftfman, Miner, Collier, Keelman, Pitman, Glaffman, Potter or Labourer, from his, miffion. her or their Service or Employment : And in like Manner alfo it fiiall and may be lawful to and for fuch Juftices to hear Juftice or Juftice.s, upon any Complaint or Application, upon Oath, by any fuch Servant, Artificer, Handi- Servant's Com- craftfman, Miner, Collier, Keelman, Pitman, Glaffman, Potter or other Labourer, againft fuch Maffer, plaints on Oath, ]/jii^fefs oj- £niployer, touching or concerning any Mifufage, R.efufal of neceffary Provifion, Cruelty or ,j , other Ill-treatment of, to or towards fuch Servant, Artificer, Handicraftfman, Miner, Collier, Keelman, ti"e Mai'"r™&c. Pitrnan, Glaffman, Potter, ot other Labourer, and toiummon fuch Mafter, Miftrefs or Employer, to ap- pear before fuch Juftice or Juftices, at a reafonable Time to be prefixed in fuch Summons ; and fuch Tuftice or Juftices fhall and may examine into the Matter of fuch Complaint, whether fuch Mafter, Miftrefs or Em- aniiupon fatif- ployer fhall appear or not ; Proof being made, uiion Oath, of his or her being duly fummoned ; and upon fafloryl'iooj, to Proof thereof made, upon Oath, to his or their SatisfaL-iion, to difcharge fuch Servant, Artificer, Handi- dikharge the craftfman, Miner, Collier, Keelman, Pitman, Glaffman, Potter or other I>abourer, cf and from his faid Servant. Service and Employment ; which Difcharge fhall be given under the Hand and Seal, or Hands and Seals of fuch Juftice or Juffices gratis, Juftices upon ijT_ ^^^^ i^g jj. fmtiigr enaded by the Authority aforefaid, That it fhall and may be Ir.u-ful to and for any i-omplaim of ^^^^ ^^. f).,pj-g fy^ij Juftices, upon any Complaint or Application by any Apprentice put out by the Faiifh, ti'cfs'" '"'^" <"' ny «ther Apprentice, upon whofe binding out no larger a Sum th:;n five Pounds of lawful Britijb Mo- ney was paid, touching or concerning any Mifufage, Rcfufal of neceffary Provifion, Cruelty or other II!- to fuinmon tlie treatment of or towards fuch Apprentice, by hi.s or her R-Iaftcr or Miftrefs, to fummon fuch Mafter or Mi- h4a(ier, S;c. ftrefs to appear before i'uch Juftices at a reafonable Time to be named in fuch Summons ; and fuch Juftices and upon fatif fhall and may examine into the Matter of fuch Complaint ; and upon Proof thereof made, upon Oath, to faflory Proof, their S'Uisfaftion (whether the Mafter or Miftrefs be prefent, or not, if Service of the Summons be alfo, tod-fchargethe upon Oath, proved) the faid Juftices may difcharge fuch Apprentice, by Warrant or Certificate under their Apyrentice. Hands and Seals ; for which Warrant or Certificate no Fees fliall be paid. Juftices upon ] V. And be it further enaifed by the Authority aforcfiid. That it fliall and may be lawful to and for fuch vjomplaintof Juflices, upon Application or Complaint made, upon Oath, by any iMaifer or Miftrefs, againft any fuch AplmVkl^s"' Apprentice, touching or concerning any Mifdemeanor, Mifcarriage, or Ill-behaviour, in fuch his or her asid Piouf'upjn Service (which Oath fuch Juftices are hereby impowered to adminifter) to hear, examine and determine Oca., the fame, and to punifh the Offender by Commitment to the Houfe of Correftion, there to remain and be cor-
