The Riot Act by Great Britain Parliament

7/26/2019 The Riot Act by Great Britain Parliament

1/12

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Riot Act, by British Parliament

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United tates and mostother !arts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictionswhatsoe"er# $ou may co!y it, gi"e it away or re%use it under the terms ofthe Project Gutenberg &icense included with this eBook or online atwww#gutenberg#org# 'f you are not located in the United tates, you(ll ha"eto check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook#

Title) The Riot Act

Author) British Parliament

Posting *ate) +ebruary -, ./0 1EBook 23-.4Release *ate) 5ay, .//0+irst Posted) 6une 7, .//8

&anguage) English

999 TART :+ T;' PR:6E T;E R':T A


2/12

endangering of his 5ajesty(s !erson and go"ernment, and the same areyet continued and fomented by !ersons disaffected to his 5ajesty,!resuming so to do, for that the !unishments !ro"ided by the laws nowin being are not adeKuate to such heinous offencesH and by such riotershis 5ajesty and his administration ha"e been most maliciously andfalsly traduced, with an intent to raise di"isions, and to alienate theaffections of the !eo!le from his 5ajesty therefore for the !re"entingand su!!ressing of such riots and tumults, and for the more s!eedy and

effectual !unishing the offenders thereinH be it enacted by the >ing(smost e@cellent majesty, by and with the ad"ice and consent of the lordss!iritual and tem!oral and of the commons, in this !resent !arliamentassembled, and by the authority of the same, That if any !ersons to thenumber of twel"e or more, being unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuouslyassembled together, to the disturbance of the !ublick !eace, at anytime after the last day of I6ulyI in the year of our &ord one thousandse"en hundred and fifteen, and being reKuired or commanded by any oneor more justice or justices of the !eace, or by the sheriff of thecounty, or his under%sheriff, or by the mayor, bailiff or bailiffs, orother head%officer, or justice of the !eace of any city or towncor!orate, where such assembly shall be, by !roclamation to be made inthe >ing(s name, in the form herin after directed, to dis!erse

themsel"es, and !eaceably to de!art to their habitations, or to theirlawful business, shall, to the number of twel"e or morenotwithstanding such !roclamation madeC unlawfully, riotously, andtumultuously remain or continue together by the s!ace of one hour aftersuch command or reKuest made by !roclamation, that then such continuingtogether to the number of twel"e or more, after such command or reKuestmade by !roclamation, shall be adjudged felony without benefit ofclergy, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, and shallsuffer death as in a case of felony without benefit of clergy#

''#

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the orderand form of the !roclamation that shall be made by the authority ofthis act, shall be as hereafter followeth that is to sayC the justiceof the !eace, or other !erson authoriLed by this act to make the said!roclamation shall, among the said rioters, or as near to them as hecan safely come, with a loud "oice command, or cause to be commandedsilence to be, while !roclamation is making, and after that, shallo!enly and with loud "oice make or cause to be made !roclamation inthese words, or like in effect)

:ur so"ereign &ord the >ing chargeth and commandeth all !ersons, being assembled, immediately to dis!erse themsel"es,

and !eaceably to de!art to their habitations, or to their lawful business, u!on the !ains contained in the act made in the first year of >ing George, for !re"enting tumults and riotous assemblies# God sa"e the >ing#

And e"ery such justice and justices of the !eace, sheriff,under%sheriff, mayor, bailiff, and other head%officer aforesaid, withinthe limits of their res!ecti"e jurisdictions, are hereby authoriLed,im!owered and reKuired, on notice or knowledge of any such unlawful,riotous and tumultuous assembly, to resort to the !lace where such


3/12

unlawful, riotous, and tumultuous assemblies shall be, of !ersons tothe number of twel"e or more, and there to make or cause to be made!roclamation in manner aforesaid#

'''#

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if such!ersons so unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously assembled, or twel"eor more of them, after !roclamation made in manner aforesaid, shallcontinue together and not dis!erse themsel"es within one hour, Thatthen it shall and may be lawful to and for e"ery justice of the !eace,sheriff, or under%sheriff of the county where such assembly shall be,and also to and for e"ery high or !etty constable, and other!eace%officer within such county, and also to and for e"ery mayor,justice of the !eace, sheriff, bailiff, and other head%officer, high or!etty constable, and other !eace%officer of any city or town cor!oratewhere such assembly shall be, and to and for such other !erson and!ersons as shall be commanded to be assisting unto any such justice ofthe !eace, sheriff or under%sheriff, mayor, bailiff, or other

head%officer aforesaid who are hereby authoriLed and im!owered tocommand all his 5ajesty(s subjects of age and ability to be assistingto them thereinC to seiLe and a!!rehend, and they are hereby reKuiredto seiLe and a!!rehend such !ersons so unlawfully, riotously andtumultuously continuing together after !roclamation made, as aforesaid,and forthwith to carry the !ersons so a!!rehended before one or more ofhis 5ajesty(s justices of the !eace of the county or !lace where such!ersons shall be so a!!rehended, in order to their being !roceededagainst for such their offences according to lawH and that if the!ersons so unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled, or any ofthem, shall ha!!en to be killed, maimed or hurt, in the dis!ersing,seiLing or a!!rehending, or endea"ouring to dis!erse, seiLe ora!!rehend them, that then e"ery such justice of the !eace, sheriff,under%sheriff, mayor, bailiff, head%officer, high or !etty constable,

or other !eace%officer, and all and singular !ersons, being aiding andassisting to them, or any of them, shall be free, discharged andindemnified, as well against the >ing(s 5ajesty, his heirs andsuccessors, as against all and e"ery other !erson and !ersons, of, for,or concerning the killing, maiming, or hurting of any such !erson or!ersons so unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled, that shallha!!en to be so killed, maimed or hurt, as aforesaid#

'D#

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any

!ersons unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled together, tothe disturbance of the !ublick !eace, shall unlawfully, and with forcedemolish or !ull down, or begin to demolish or !ull down any church orcha!el, or any building for religious worshi! certified and registredaccording to the statute made in the first year of the reign of thelate >ing I?illiamI and Mueen I5aryI, intituled, IAn act for e@em!tingtheir 5ajesty(s !rotestant subjects dissenting from the church ofIEngland Ifrom the !enalties of certain lawsI, or any dwelling%house,barn, stable, or other out%house, that then e"ery such demolishing, or!ulling down, or beginning to demolish, or !ull down, shall be adjudgedfelony without benefit of clergy, and the offenders therein shall be


4/12

adjudged felons, and shall suffer death as in case of felony, withoutbenefit of clergy#

D#

Pro"ided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid,

That if any !erson or !ersons do, or shall, with force and arms,wilfully and knowingly o!!ose, obstruct, or in any manner wilfully andknowingly lett, hinder, or hurt any !erson or !ersons that shall beginto !roclaim, or go to !roclaim according to the !roclamation herebydirected to be made, whereby such !roclamation shall not be made, thatthen e"ery such a!!osing, obstructing, letting, hindering or hurtingsuch !erson or !ersons, so beginning or going to make such!roclamation, as aforesaid, shall be adjudged felony without benefit ofclergy, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, and shallsuffer death as in case of felony, without benefit of clergyH and thatalso e"ery such !erson or !ersons so being unlawfully, riotously andtumultuously assembled, to the number of twel"e, as aforesaid, or more,to whom !roclamation should or ought to ha"e been made if the same had

not been hindred, as aforesaid, shall likewise, in case they or any ofthem, to the number of twel"e or more, shall continue together, and notdis!erse themsel"es within one hour after such lett or hindrance somade, ha"ing knowledge of such lett or hindrance so made, shall beadjudged felons, and shall suffer death as in case of felony, withoutbenefit of clergy#

D'#

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if after thesaid last day of I6ulyI one thousand se"en hundred and fifteen, anysuch church or cha!el, or any such building for religious worshi!, or

any such dwelling%house, barn, stable, or other out%house, shall bedemolished or !ulled down wholly, or in !art, by any !ersons sounlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled, that then, in casesuch church, cha!el, building for religious worshi!, dwelling%house,barn, stable, or out%house, shall be out of any city or town, that iseither a county of itself, or is not within any hundred, that then theinhabitants of the hundred in which such damage shall be done, shall beliable to yield damages to the !erson or !ersons injured and damnifiedby such demolishing or !ulling down wholly or in !artH and such damagesshall and may be reco"ered by action to be brought in any of his5ajesty(s courts of record at I?estminsterI, wherein no effoin,!rotection or wager of law, or any im!arlance shall be allowedC by the!erson or !ersons damnified thereby, against any two or more of the

inhabitants of such hundred, such action for damages to any church orcha!el to be brought in the name of the rector, "icar or curate of suchchurch or cha!el that shall be so damnified, in trust for a!!lying thedamages to be reco"ered in rebuilding or re!airing such church orcha!elH and that judgment being gi"en for the !laintiff or !laintiffsin such action, the damages so to be reco"ered shall, at the reKuest ofsuch !laintiff or !laintiffs, his or their e@ecutors or administrators,be raised and le"ied on the inhabitants of such hundred, and !aid tosuch !laintiff or !laintiffs, in such manner and form, and by such waysand means, as are !ro"ided by the statute made in the se"en andtwentieth year of the reign of Mueen IEliLabethI, for reimbursing the


5/12

!erson or !ersons on whom any money reco"ered against any hundred byany !arty robbed, shall be le"ied) and in case any such church, cha!el,building for religious worshi!, dwelling%house, barn, stable, orout%house so damnified, shall be in any city or town that is either acounty of itself, or is not within any hundred, that then such damagesshall and may be reco"ered by action to be brought in manner aforesaidwhere no effoin, !rotection or wager of law, or any im!arlance shallbe allowedC against two or more inhabitants of such city or townH and

judgment being gi"en for the !laintiff or !laintiffs in such action,the damages so to be reco"ered shall, at the reKuest of such !laintiffor !laintiffs, his or their e@ecutors or administrators, made to thejustices of the !eace of such city or town at any Kuarter%sessions tobe holden for the said city or town, be raised and le"ied on theinhabitants of such city or town, and !aid to such !laintiff or!laintiffs, in such manner and form, and by such ways and means, as are!ro"ided by the said statute made in the se"en and twentieth year ofthe reign of Mueen IEliLabethI, for reimbursing the !erson or !ersonson whom any money reco"ered against any hundred by any !arty robbed,shall be le"ied#

D''#

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this actshall be o!enly read at e"ery Kuarter%session, and at e"ery leet orlaw%day#

D'''#

Pro"ided always, That no !erson or !ersons shall be !rosecuted by"irtue of this act, for any offence or offences committed contrary tothe same, unless such !rosecution be commenced within twel"e months

after the offence committed#

'#

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the sheriffsand their de!uties, stewards and their de!uties, bailies of regalitiesand their de!uties, magistrates of royal boroughs, and all otherinferior judges and magistrates, and also all high and !ettyconstables, or other !eace%officers of any county, stewartry, city ortown, within that !art of IGreat BritainI called IcotlandI, shall ha"ethe same !owers and authority for !utting this !resent act in e@ecution

within IcotlandI, as the justices of the !eace and other magistratesaforesaid, res!ecti"ely ha"e by "irtue of this act, within and for theother !arts of this kingdomH and that all and e"ery !erson and !ersonswho shall at any time be con"icted of any the offences aforementioned,within that !art of IGreat BritainI called IcotlandI, shall for e"erysuch offence incur and suffer the !ain of death, and confiscation ofmo"eables) and also that all !rosecutions for re!airing the damages ofany church or cha!el, or any building for religious worshi!, or anydwelling%house, barn, stable or out%house, which shall be demolished or!ulled down in whole or in !art, within IcotlandI, by any !ersonsunlawfully, riotously or tumultuously assembled, shall and may be


6/12

reco"ered by summar action, at the instance of the !arty aggrie"ed, hisor her heirs or e@ecutors, against the county, stewartry, city orborough res!ecti"ely, where such disorders shall ha!!en, themagistrates being summoned in the ordinary form, and the se"eralcounties and stewartries called by edictal citation at the market%crossof the head borough of such county or stewartry res!ecti"ely, and thatin general, without mentioning their names and designations#

#

Pro"ided, and it is hereby declared, That this act shall e@tend to all!laces for religious worshi!, in that !art of IGreat BritainI calledIcotlandI, which are tolerated by law, and where his majesty >ingIGeorgeI, the !rince and !rincess of I?alesI, and their issue, are!rayed for in e@!ress words#

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Riot Act, by British Parliament

999 E=* :+ T;' PR:6E T;E R':T A


7/12

To !rotect the Project Gutenberg%tm mission of !romoting the freedistribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this workor any other work associated in any way with the !hrase ProjectGutenbergC, you agree to com!ly with all the terms of the +ullProject Gutenberg%tm &icense a"ailable with this file or online atwww#gutenberg#orgNlicense#

ection # General Terms of Use and Redistributing ProjectGutenberg%tm electronic works

#A# By reading or using any !art of this Project Gutenberg%tmelectronic work, you indicate that you ha"e read, understand, agree toand acce!t all the terms of this license and intellectual !ro!ertytrademarkNco!yrightC agreement# 'f you do not agree to abide by allthe terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return ordestroy all co!ies of Project Gutenberg%tm electronic works in your!ossession# 'f you !aid a fee for obtaining a co!y of or access to aProject Gutenberg%tm electronic work and you do not agree to be boundby the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the!erson or entity to whom you !aid the fee as set forth in !aragra!h

#E#3#

#B# Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark# 't may only beused on or associated in any way with an electronic work by !eo!le whoagree to be bound by the terms of this agreement# There are a fewthings that you can do with most Project Gutenberg%tm electronic workse"en without com!lying with the full terms of this agreement# ee!aragra!h #< below# There are a lot of things you can do with ProjectGutenberg%tm electronic works if you follow the terms of thisagreement and hel! !reser"e free future access to Project Gutenberg%tmelectronic works# ee !aragra!h #E below#

#


8/12

#E# Unless you ha"e remo"ed all references to Project Gutenberg)

#E## The following sentence, with acti"e links to, or otherimmediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg%tm &icense must a!!ear!rominently whene"er any co!y of a Project Gutenberg%tm work any workon which the !hrase Project Gutenberg a!!ears, or with which the!hrase Project Gutenberg is associatedC is accessed, dis!layed,

!erformed, "iewed, co!ied or distributed)

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United tates and most other !arts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoe"er# $ou may co!y it, gi"e it away or re%use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg &icense included with this eBook or online at www#gutenberg#org# 'f you are not located in the United tates, you(ll ha"e to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook#

#E#.# 'f an indi"idual Project Gutenberg%tm electronic work isderi"ed from te@ts not !rotected by U## co!yright law does notcontain a notice indicating that it is !osted with !ermission of the

co!yright holderC, the work can be co!ied and distributed to anyone inthe United tates without !aying any fees or charges# 'f you areredistributing or !ro"iding access to a work with the !hrase ProjectGutenberg associated with or a!!earing on the work, you must com!lyeither with the reKuirements of !aragra!hs #E# through #E# orobtain !ermission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg%tmtrademark as set forth in !aragra!hs #E#3 or #E#7#

#E#8# 'f an indi"idual Project Gutenberg%tm electronic work is !ostedwith the !ermission of the co!yright holder, your use and distributionmust com!ly with both !aragra!hs #E# through #E# and anyadditional terms im!osed by the co!yright holder# Additional termswill be linked to the Project Gutenberg%tm &icense for all works!osted with the !ermission of the co!yright holder found at the

beginning of this work#

#E#-# *o not unlink or detach or remo"e the full Project Gutenberg%tm&icense terms from this work, or any files containing a !art of thiswork or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg%tm#

#E#0# *o not co!y, dis!lay, !erform, distribute or redistribute thiselectronic work, or any !art of this electronic work, without!rominently dis!laying the sentence set forth in !aragra!h #E# withacti"e links or immediate access to the full terms of the ProjectGutenberg%tm &icense#

#E#F# $ou may con"ert to and distribute this work in any binary,

com!ressed, marked u!, non!ro!rietary or !ro!rietary form, includingany word !rocessing or hy!erte@t form# ;owe"er, if you !ro"ide accessto or distribute co!ies of a Project Gutenberg%tm work in a formatother than Plain Danilla A


9/12

#E## *o not charge a fee for access to, "iewing, dis!laying,!erforming, co!ying or distributing any Project Gutenberg%tm worksunless you com!ly with !aragra!h #E#3 or #E#7#

#E#3# $ou may charge a reasonable fee for co!ies of or !ro"idingaccess to or distributing Project Gutenberg%tm electronic works!ro"ided that

9 $ou !ay a royalty fee of ./O of the gross !rofits you deri"e from the use of Project Gutenberg%tm works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your a!!licable ta@es# The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg%tm trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this !aragra!h to the Project Gutenberg &iterary Archi"e +oundation# Royalty !ayments must be !aid within F/ days following each date on which you !re!are or are legally reKuired to !re!areC your !eriodic ta@ returns# Royalty !ayments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg &iterary Archi"e +oundation at the address s!ecified in ection -, 'nformation about donations to the Project Gutenberg &iterary Archi"e +oundation#

9 $ou !ro"ide a full refund of any money !aid by a user who notifies you in writing or by e%mailC within 8/ days of recei!t that sNhe does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg%tm &icense# $ou must reKuire such a user to return or destroy all co!ies of the works !ossessed in a !hysical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other co!ies of Project Gutenberg%tm works#

9 $ou !ro"ide, in accordance with !aragra!h #+#8, a full refund of any money !aid for a work or a re!lacement co!y, if a defect in the electronic work is disco"ered and re!orted to you within 7/ days of recei!t of the work#

9 $ou com!ly with all other terms of this agreement for free

distribution of Project Gutenberg%tm works#

#E#7# 'f you wish to charge a fee or distribute a ProjectGutenberg%tm electronic work or grou! of works on different terms thanare set forth in this agreement, you must obtain !ermission in writingfrom both the Project Gutenberg &iterary Archi"e +oundation and TheProject Gutenberg Trademark &&


10/12

Gutenberg &iterary Archi"e +oundation, the owner of the ProjectGutenberg%tm trademark, and any other !arty distributing a ProjectGutenberg%tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim allliability to you for damages, costs and e@!enses, including legalfees# $:U AGREE T;AT $:U ;ADE =: RE5E*'E +:R =EG&'GE='=*, EPRE :R '5P&'E*, '=


11/12

Dolunteers and financial su!!ort to !ro"ide "olunteers with theassistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg%tm(sgoals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg%tm collection willremain freely a"ailable for generations to come# 'n .//, the ProjectGutenberg &iterary Archi"e +oundation was created to !ro"ide a secureand !ermanent future for Project Gutenberg%tm and futuregenerations# To learn more about the Project Gutenberg &iteraryArchi"e +oundation and how your efforts and donations can hel!, see

ections 8 and - and the +oundation information !age atwww#gutenberg#org

ection 8# 'nformation about the Project Gutenberg &iterary Archi"e +oundation

The Project Gutenberg &iterary Archi"e +oundation is a non !rofit0/cC8C educational cor!oration organiLed under the laws of thestate of 5ississi!!i and granted ta@ e@em!t status by the 'nternalRe"enue er"ice# The +oundation(s E'= or federal ta@ identificationnumber is F-%F..0-#


12/12

against acce!ting unsolicited donations from donors in such states whoa!!roach us with offers to donate#

'nternational donations are gratefully acce!ted, but we cannot makeany statements concerning ta@ treatment of donations recei"ed fromoutside the United tates# U## laws alone swam! our small staff#

Please check the Project Gutenberg ?eb !ages for current donation

methods and addresses# *onations are acce!ted in a number of otherways including checks, online !ayments and credit card donations# Todonate, !lease "isit) www#gutenberg#orgNdonate

ection 0# General 'nformation About Project Gutenberg%tm electronic works#

Professor 5ichael # ;art was the originator of the ProjectGutenberg%tm conce!t of a library of electronic works that could befreely shared with anyone# +or forty years, he !roduced anddistributed Project Gutenberg%tm eBooks with only a loose network of"olunteer su!!ort#

Project Gutenberg%tm eBooks are often created from se"eral !rinted

editions, all of which are confirmed as not !rotected by co!yright inthe U## unless a co!yright notice is included# Thus, we do notnecessarily kee! eBooks in com!liance with any !articular !a!eredition#

5ost !eo!le start at our ?eb site which has the main PG searchfacility) www#gutenberg#org

This ?eb site includes information about Project Gutenberg%tm,including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg &iteraryArchi"e +oundation, how to hel! !roduce our new eBooks, and how tosubscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks#

The Riot Act by Great Britain Parliament

Documents

Transcript of The Riot Act by Great Britain Parliament