25 Car. 2. c. 9: make his or their returns in like cases; (7) and that the said knights and burgesses, and every of them, so elected and returned, shall be by authority of this present act, knights and burgesses of the high court of parliament, to all intents and purposes, and have and use the like voice, authority, and places therein, to all intents and purposes as any other the knights and burgesses of the said high court of parliament, have, use, and enjoy, and likewise shall and may, by virtue of this present act, take, have, use, and enjoy all such and the like liberties, advantages, dignities, and privileges concerning the said court of parliament to all intents, constructions, and purposes, as any other the knights and burgesses of the said high court of parlia ment have taken, had used or enjoyed, or shall, may, or ought hereafter to have, take, or enjoy,

The stat. 11 Geo. 1. c. 18.

An Act for regulating Elections within the City of London, and for preserving the Peace, good Order and Government of the said City.

"WHEREAS of late years great controversies "and dissentions have arisen in the city of London, at the elections of citizens to serve in parliament, and of mayors, aldermen, sheriffs, and "other officers of the said city; and many evil"minded persons having no right of voting, have "unlawfully intruded themselves into the assem"blies of the citizens and presumed to give their "votes at such elections, in manifest violation of "the rights and privileges of the citizens, and of "the freedom of their elections, and to the dis"turbance of the public peace; and whereas, "great numbers of wealthy persons, not free of "the said city, do inhabit and carry on the trade "of merchandize and other employments within "the said city, and refuse or decline to become "freemen of the same, by reason of an ancient "custom within the said city restraining the "freemen of the same from disposing of their

personal estates by their last wills and testa"ments; and whereas great dissentions have "arisen between the aldermen and commons of "the common-council of London, in or con

66

cerning the making or passing of acts, orders, or ordinances, in common council, which, if. "not timely settled and determined, may oc

18. London.

11 Geo. 1. e. "casion great obstructions of the public busi"ness and concerns of the said city, and create many expensive controversies and suits at "law, and be attended with other dangerous "consequences:" now, to the intent that suitable remedies may be provided for preserv ing the privileges of the city of London, and the freedom of election therein, and for settling the right of such elections, and putting a stop to the aforesaid controversies and dissentions, and the ill consequences of the same, and that a constant supply may be had of able officers, capable of supporting the dignity of, and maintaining good order and government within, that ancient, populous, and loyal city, which is of the greatest consequence to the whole kingdom: Be it enacted, by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that at all times; from and after the first day of June, in the year of our Lord 1725, upon every election of a citizen or citizens to serve for the said city of London, in parliament, and upon all elections of mayors, sheriffs, chamberlains, bridge-masters, auditors of chamberlains and bridge-masters accounts, and all and every other officer and officers to be chosen in and for the said city, by the liverymen thereof, and upon all elections of aldermen and commonliverymen, and councilmen, chosen at the respective wardmotes of the said city, the presiding officer or officers at such elections shall, in case a poll be deappoint a con- manded by any of the candidates, or any two or more of the electors, appoint a convenient to take the poll, number of clerks to take the same, which clerks shall take the said poll in the presence of the

On all elections by the

at the wardmotes, presid

ing of cer to

venient num

ber of clerks

&c.

18. London.

Clerks to be

sworn.

No one to be

polled who is

not sworn.

presiding officer or officers, and be sworn by 11 Geo. 1. c. such officer or officers, truly and indifferently to take the same, and to set down the name of each voter, and his place of residence or abode, and for whom he shall poll, and to poll no person who shall not be sworn, or being a Quaker, shall not affirm according to the direction of this act; and every person before he is admitted to poll, at any election of any citizen or citizens to serve in parliament, or of any officer or officers usually chosen by the liverymen of the said city as aforesaid, shall take the oath hereinafter mentioned, or being one of the people called Quakers, shall solemnly' affirm the effect thereof, that is to say,

tions.

"You do swear, that you are a freeman of Liveryman's London, and a liveryman of the company of that elecand have so been for the space of twelve calendar months; and that the place of your abode is at

in

and that you have not polled at this election. So help you God."

And in case of any election of any alderman, or common-councilman, every person before he is admitted to poll, shall take the oath hereinafter mentioned, or being one of the people called Quakers, shall solemnly affirm the effect thereof, that is to say,

"You do swear, that you are a freeman of Oath at wardLondon, and an householder in the ward of motes

and have not polled at this

election. So help you God."

And if any person or persons shall refuse or neglect to take the oaths hereby respectively

18.

London.

11 Geo. 1. c. appointed to be taken, or being a Quaker, shall refuse or neglect to make such solemn affirmation as aforesaid, then and in every such case the poll or vote of such person or persons so neglecting or refusing shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be null and void, and as such shall be rejected and disallowed.

The oath 1 Geo. 4. to be taken, if required.

§ 2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that at all times, from and after the said first day of June, in the year of our Lord, 1725, upon every election of such citizen or citizens, officer or officers, by the liverymen of the said city, and upon every election of such officer or officers, at any wardmote of the said city, as aforesaid, all and every person and persons having a right to vote or poll at such election or elections, shall, before he be admitted to vote or poll thereat, (if required by any of the candidates, or any two or more of the electors) first take the oaths in and by an act made in the first year of his 1 Geo. 1. stat. majesty's reign, intituled, An act for the further security of his majesty's person and government, and the succession of the crown in the heirs of the late princess Sophia, being protestants, and for extinguishing the hopes of the pretended prince of Wales, and his open and secret abettors, appointed to be taken, or being one of the people called Quakers, shall, if required as aforesaid, solemnly affirm the effect thereof; and if any person or persons shall, being required thereunto as aforesaid, refuse or neglect to take the said oaths by the said act appointed to be taken, or to aflirm the effect thereof as aforesaid, that then the poll or vote of such person or persons so neglecting or refusing, shall be, and the same is hereby

- 2. c. 13