Description

Collection of 33 Acts passed during the reign of King George II (1683-1760) for the years 1741 & 1742 These historically significant laws are a valuable source for the understanding of the British internal and external policies in the 18 th century. The Acts regulate among many others, trade, commerce, tariffs, wars, society, religion, education, science, navy, privateers, sugar plantations, lotteries, construction, repairs of roads and bridges... Some of these concern directly the Empire’s colonies such as those in America and the East Indies. All the statutes in this group were passed prior to the United States independence. The complete list of Acts in this specific set is provided bellow. It includes an important and rare Act which grants John Byrom (1692- 1763), the inventor of the revolutionary shorthand writing system, the “ sole right of publishing the art and method of short-hand invented by him.”. Another most interesting legislation related with trade in America and East India is the “Act for further regulating the Plantation Trade, and for the relief of Merchants importing Prize Goods from America…”. The Act prohibiting the marriage of lunatics is scarce on the market. Physical description: (about 30 x 18 cm); Numerous Acts with separate title pages and different pagination (as issued); [8] pp. for “A Table of the Statutes Publick and Private”. Ornamental woodcut initials and vignettes. 20 th century half leather binding, spine titled “ ACTS 15& 16 GEO II | 1741-42 | COUNTY OF GLOUCESTER”. Printed: London, by John Baskett, 1741 & 1742 Provenance: County of Gloucester, England. Condition: Each Act complete by itself. Very good overall condition despite marginal stains affecting final four Acts including the listing nº 30, minor browning, some leaves a little soiled, other minor imperfections. Binding with some wear, joints cracked. Please see images. Acts titles included in this collection for the years 1741-1742: 1)“ An Act for continuing the Duties upon Malt, Mum, Cyder, and Perry, in the Part of Great Britain, called England; and for granting to His Majesty certain Duties upon Malt, Mum, Cyder, and Perry, in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, for the Service of the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and forty two.( Title page, pp.3 -35 as issued). 2) “An Act to to repeal so much of an Act passed in the last session of Parliament, intituled An Act for the Preservation of the Publick Roads in the Part of Great Britain called England, as obliges Persons not travelling for Hire to make use of Wagons with Wheels bound with Streaks or Tyre of a certain Breadth… ”. (title, pp. 39- 40 as issued ). 3) “An Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum out of the Sinking Fund, towards the Supply for the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty Two” (title, pp. 43-48 as issued ). 4) “An Act for punishing Mutiny and Desertion and for the better Payment of the Army and their Quarters. ” (title, pp.51-83 as issued ). 5) “ An Act for continuing and making more effectual an Act made in the Seventh Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the First, intituled, An Act for repairing the Road from Wendover to the Town of Buckingham in the County of Bucks; and for building a Bridge at Padbury, and making it a County Bridge” (title, pp.87-91 as issued ). 6) “ An Act for enlarging the Term and Powers granted by Two Acts of Parliament, one of the Eighth Year of the Reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, and the other of ……” (title, pp. 95-99 as issued). 7) “ An Act for enlarging the Term and Powers granted by an Act ……intituled, An Act for Repairing the Roads leading from the Town of Bromsgrove to the Town of Dudley in the County of Worcester: and from the said Town of Bromsgrove to the town of Birmingham in the County of Warwick……. ”. (title, pp.103- 115 as issued ). 8) “An Act for laying a Duty of Two Pennies Scots, or One Sixth Part of a Peny Sterling, upon every Scots Pint of Ale and Beer which shall be brewed for Sale….. (title, pp. 119 – 126 as issued ). 9) “An Act for enlarging the Term and Powers granted by two Acts of Parliament, one of the First, and other….repairing Highways between Tyburn and Uxbridge in the County of Middlefex; and for amending the Road leading from Brent-Bridge…..” (title, pp. 131 – 151 as issued ). 10) “An Act for explaining, amending, and making more effectual Two Acts of Parliament…for erecting Workhouses, and Houses of Correction, in the town of Kingston upon Hull, for the Employment and maintenance of the Poor there….”. (title, pp. 155-163 as issued ). 11) “An Act to explain and aned an Act passed in the Twelfth Year of His Majesty’s Reign intituled, An Act to enable the Parishioners of Saint Catherine Coleman, in Fenchurch Street, in the city of London, to rebuild the Church of the Said Parish, and…” (title, pp. 519 – 524 as issued ). 12) “An Act for establishing an Agreement with the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, for advancing the Sum of One million six hundred thousand pounds, towards the Supply for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and forty two.” (Title, pp. 527-539 as issued). 13) “ An Act to explain ….repairing the Highways from Sheet Bridge in the Parish of Petersfield….” (title, pp.543 – 548 as issued ). 14) “An Act for enlarging the term and Powers granted by an Act passed in the thirteenth year….for repairing the Roads leading from Cirencester town’s-end to Saint John’s Bridge in the _County of Gloucester” (title, pp. 551- 563 as issued ). 15)“An Act for continuing the Powers ….from Stump-cross to Newmarket-heath, and the town of Cambridge…..”. (title, pp. 567-574 as issued ). 16)“An Act for enlarging the term and powers granted by an Act passed in the Seventh Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the First, for repairing the several roads leading from the town Ledbury in the county Hereford….. ( title, pp. 579 -583 as issued ). 17) “An Act to render more effectual an Act made….an Act for erecting Hospitals and workhouses within the Town of Colchester in the County of Essex… ”(title, pp. 587 – 594 as issued ). 18) “ An Act for granting to His Majesty the sum of Eight hundred thousand pounds, to be raised by annuaties transferrable at the Bank of England and for ascertaining the Customs and duties upon Quicksilver taken as prize during the present War; and for the further appropriating the Supplies granted in this session of Parliament”. (title, pp. 599- 618 as issued ). 19) “An Act to prevent the counterfeiting of Gold and silver lace; and for settling and adjusting the Proportions of fine silver and silk; and for the better making of gold and silver thread. (title, pp. 623-627 as issued ). 20) “ An Act to indemnify Persons who have omitted to qualify themselves for Offices, Employments, and Promotions, within the time limited by Law; and for allowing further time for that purpose”. (title, pp. 631-634 as issued). 21) “ An Act to exclude certain officers from being Members of the House of Commons” (title, pp. 639-640 as issued ). 22) “An Act for securing to John Byrom, Master of Arts, the sole right of publishing, for a certain Term of Years, the Art and Method of Short-hand, invented by him. (title, pp. 643 – 644 as issued ). 23) “An Act to empower the justices of the Peace of a Liberty or Corporation, to commit offenders to the House of Correction of the county, Riding, or Division, in which such Liberty or Corporation is situate(title, pp. 647-648 as issued ). 24) “An Act to impower the Importers or Proprietor of Rum or Spirits of the British Sugar Plantations to land the same payment of the duties…….”. (title, pp.651-658 as issued ). 25) “An Act for the better enabling the Comissioners for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the city of Westminster to the opposite shore in the County of Surrey, to finish …”. (Title, pp. 663 – 674 as issued ). 26) “ An Act for the more effectual preventing any cloth, or wollen goods remaining upon the rack, or tenters, or any woolen yarn, or wooll left out to dry, from being stolen, or taken away in the Night-time . (title, pp. 679– 682 as issued ). 27) “An Act for more effectual preventing the counterfeiting of the current coin of this kingdom, and the uttering or paying of false or counterfeit coin”(title, pp. 687-691 as issued ). 28) “ An Act for granting to His Majesty an additional duty on foreign Cambricks, imported into Great Britain; and for allowing thereout, a Bounty upon certain species of British and Irish Linen exported. ” (title, pp. 695– 702 as issued ). 29) “An Act to prevent the Marriage of Lunaticks” (Title, pp. 707-708 as issued). 30) “An Act for further regulating the Plantation Trade, and for the relief of Merchants importing Prize Goods from America, and for preventing collusive Captures there; and for obliging the claimers of Vessels sized for exportation of wooll, or any unlawful Importation, to give security for costs; and for allowing East Indian goods to be taken out of the warehouses, in order to be cleaned and refreshed.” (title, pp. 711 - 723 as issued) 31) “ An Act for preventing the mischiefs which may happen by keeping dangerous quantities of gunpowder in or near cities of London and Westminster ” (title, pp.727 – 730). 32) “An Act to revive several Acts for the Punishment of persons destroying turnpikes or locks, or other works erected by authority of parliament, and for other purposes therein mentioned; and to continue several acts relating to Rice, frauds in the Customs, to the clandestine running of goods, and to copper ore of the British plantations; and for…..for carrying Sugar of the Growth of the British Sugar colonies in America, to ships belonging to….” (title, pp. 733-739 as issued). 33) “ An Act to continue several laws for the encouragement of the making of sail cloth in Great Britain, and of the silk manufacturers of this kingdom; and for allowing a drawback on the exportation of copper bars imported; and to explain a clause of an act made in last session of Parliament, to prohibit the exportation of corn….…” (title. pp. 747-751).