Erection of Cottages Act 1588
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1588 c. 7 |
| Year | 1588 |
(31 Eliz. 1) C A P. VII.
'F O R the Avoidingof the great Inconveniences which are found by Experience to grow by the Erecting and Building of great Numbers and Multitude of Cottages, which are daily more and more encreased in many Parts of this Realm;' (2) Be it enacted by the Queen's most excellent Majesty, and the Lord Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That after the End of this Session of Parliament, no Person shall within this Realm ofEngland make, build or erect, or cause to be made, builded or erected, any Manner of Cottage for Habitation or Dwelling, nor convert or ordain any Building or Housing made or hereafter to be made, to be used as a Cottage for Habitation or Dwelling, unless the same Person do assign and lay to the same Cottage or Buildingfour Acres of Ground at the least, to be accounted according to the Statute or Ordinancede terris mensurandis , being his or her own Freehold or *Inheritance lying near to the said Cottage, to be continually occupied and manured therewith, so long as the same Cottageshall be inhabited; (3) upon Painthat every such Offender shall forfeit to our Sovereign Lady the Queen's Majesty, her Heirs and Successors, ten Poundsof Lawful Money of England, for every such Offence.
II Cro. Jac. 603.
II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Person which after the End of this Session of Parliament shall willingly uphold, maintain and continue any such Cottage hereafter to be erected, converted or ordained for Habitation or Dwelling, whereunto four Acres of Ground, as is aforesaid, shall not be assigned, and laid to be used and occupied with the same, shall forfeit to our said SovereignLady the Queen's Majesty, her Heirs and Successors, forty Shillings, for every Month that any such Cottage shall be by him or them upholden, maintained and continued.
III Who may hear and determine the Offences aforesaid, and by what Means.
III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Justices of Assizes and Justices of Peace in their own Sessions, and every Lord within the Precinct of his Leet, and no others, shall have full Power and Authority within their several Limits and Jurisdictins, to inquire of, hear and...
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