Hawkers Act 1697
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1697 c. 27 |
| Year | 1697 |
(9 Will. 3) C A P. XXVII.
'WHEREAS towards paying the Interest of the Transport Debt for reducing ofIreland , an Act was made in the Session held in the eighth and ninth Years of his Majesty's Reign, intituled, An Act for licencing Hawkers and Pedlars, for a further Provision for Payment of the Interest of the Transport Debt for the reducing of Ireland; by which several Impositions were laid upon several Hawkers, Pedlars and petty Chapmen therein mentioned; which said Act, and the Impositions therein, were to have Continuance only to the four and twentieth of June one thousand six hundred ninety-eight;' We your Majesty's dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Commons in Parliament assembled, being willing that a further Provision be made for the Interest of the said Transport Debt, do humbly beseech your Majesty that it may be enacted; and 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 from and after the four and twentieth Day of June one thousand six hundred ninety-eight, until the four and twentieth Day of June which shall be in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and one, there shall be answered and paid to his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, by every Hawker, Pedlar, petty Chapman, or any other trading Person or Persons, going from Town to Town, or to other Mens Houses, and travelling either on Foot, or with Horse, Horses or otherwise, within the Kingdom of England , Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed , (except as herein after is excepted) carrying to sell, or exposing to Sale, any Goods, Wares or Merchandizes, a Duty of four Pounds for each Year; and that every Person so travelling with a Horse, Ass or Mule, or other Beastbearing or drawing Burden, shall pay the Sum of four Pounds for each Year he or she shall so travel with, over and above the said first mentioned Duty of four Pounds.
II. And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Pedlar, Hawker, petty Chapman, and other trading Person or Persons so travelling as aforesaid, upon receiving his or her Licence, as is hereafter expressed, shall pay or cause to be paid unto such Persons as the Lord Treasurer, or Lords Commissionersof his Majesty's Treasury for the time being, or any three of them, shall nominate, authorize, and appoint to be Commissioners for licencing Hawkers, Pedlars, and petty Chapmen, not exceeding three, or any Person or Persons authorized or deputed by them, or the major part of them, in Writing under their Hands and Seals, one Moiety of the Duty by this Act payable for the same, and give Security by Bond, with one or more sufficient Sureties, to be taken in his Majesty's Name, for the true Payment of the other Moiety of the said Duties at the End of six Calendar Months, unless the Party shall choose to pay down the other Moiety of the said Duty, in which Case he or she shall be allowed after the Rate of two Shillingsin the Pound for prompt Payment of the same, and thereupon a Licence shall be granted for him or her so to travel or trade, by the said Commissioners to be appointed pursuant to this Act, or any two or more of them.
III Penalty on Hawkers, &c. trading without Licence,
III. And be it further enacted, That if any such Hawker, Pedlar, or Petty Chapman, from and after the said four and twentieth ofJune one thousand six hundred ninety-eight, be found trading as aforesaid, without or contrary to such Licence, such Person shall, for each and every such Offence, forfeit the Sum of twelve Pounds, the one Moiety thereof to the Informer, and the other Moiety thereof to the Poor of the Parish wherein such Offender shall be discovered; and that if any Person so trading, upon demand made by any Justice of the Peace, Mayor, Constable, or other Officer of the Peace of any Town Corporate or Borough,where he or she shall so trade, shall refuse to produce and shew unto such Justice of Peace, Mayor, Constable, or other Officer of the Peace, his or her Licence for so trading, to be granted as aforesaid, that then the Person so refusing shall forfeit five Pounds to be paid to the Churchwardens of the Parish where such Demand shall be made, to the Use of the Poor of the same, and for Nonpayment thereof shall suffer as a common Vagrant, and be committed to the House of Correction.
IV Commissioners to sign Licences to Hawker, &c.
IV. And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for the said Commissioners to be appointed pursuant to this Act, or any two or more of them, and they are hereby directed, appointed and required, upon the Terms aforesaid, and...
To continue reading
Request your trial