Marches in Wales Act 1534
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1534 c. 6 |
| Year | 1534 |
(26 Hen. 8) C A P. VI.
'FOrasmuch as the People ofWales and Marches of the same, not dreading the good and wholsom Lawsand Statutes of this Realm, have of long Time continued and persevered in Perpetration and Commission of divers and manifold Thefts, Murthers, Rebellions, wilful Burnings of Houses and other scelerous Deeds and abominable Malefacts, to the high Displeasure of God, Inquietation of the King's welldisposed Subjects, and Disturbance of the publick Weal, which Malefacts and scelerous Deeds be so rooted and fixed in the same People, that they be not like to cease, unless some sharp Correction and Punishmentfor Redress and Amputation of the Premisses be provided, according to the Demerits of the Offenders:' (2)Be it therefore enacted by the King our Sovereign Lord, and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this Parliament assembled, and by Authority of the same, that all and singular Person and Persons dwelling or resiant withinWales , or in the Lordships Marchers of the same, from Time to Time, and at all Times hereafter, upon such Monition or Warning given for the Court to be kept in Wales , or in any of the Lordships Marchers aforesaid, as before this Time hath been used, shall personally repair, resort and appear before the Justice, Steward, Lieutenant or other Officer, at all and every Sessions, Court and Courts, to be holden before the same Justice, Steward or other Officer, in any whatsoever Castle, Fortress or other Place withinWales , or within the Precincts, Limits and Jurisdictions of every the Lordships Marchers or Seigniories aforesaid, or the Marches of the same, as by the said Justice, Steward or other Officer shall be appointed; (3) and then and there shall give his or their personal Attendance, to do, execute and accomplish all and every Thing and Things which to him or them shall affere and appertain, upon Pain of such Fines, Forfeitures and Amerciaments as shall be affered, assessed and taxed by the Justice, Steward or other Officer, to the King's Use, if it be within any of the King's Lordships Marchers; (4) and if it be within any other Lordships Marchers, then to the Use of the Lord of the said Lordship Marcher for the Time being; (5) the said Forfeitures and Amerciaments to be levied, perceived and taken by way of Distress of the Goods and Chattles of every Person not appearing at the said Court or Courts, or not doing, executing or accomplishing his Duty as is abovesaid.
II Wrongs done by Officers in Lordships Marchers.
'II. And forasmuch as the Officers in the Lordships Marchers inWales have often and sundry Times heretofore unlawfully exacted of the King's Subjects within such Lordships where they have had Rule or Authority, by many and sundry Ways and Means, and also committed them to strait Duress and Imprisonment for small and light feigned Causes, and extortiously compelled them thereby to pay unto them Fines for their Redemptions, contrary to the Law:' (2)Therefore be it further enacted, That if any Steward, Lieutenant or any other Officer of any Lordship Marcher, do feign, procure or imagine any untrue Surmise against any Person or Persons that shall so give their personal Attendance before them at such Court or Courts, and upon the same untrue Surmise commit them to any Duress or Imprisonment, contrary to the Law, or contrary to the true and laudable Custom of that Lordship, that then upon Suit made unto the King's Commissioners, or Council of the Marches for the Time being, by any such Person or Persons so imprisoned, or by any of their Friends, that then the same Commissioners or Council shall have full Power and Authority to send for such Steward, Lieutenant or Officer, and also for the Person or Persons so imprisoned; (3) and if the same Person or Persons so imprisoned, can evidently prove before the said Council, by good and substantial Witness or otherwise, that his Imprisonment was upon any feigned Surmise, without Cause reasonable or lawful, that then the same Commissioners shall have full Power and Authority to assess the said Officer, to pay to the said Person or Persons wrongfully imprisoned,vi. s. viij. d. for every Day of their Imprisonment or more, by the Discretions of the said Commissioners, according to the Hurts and Behaviour of the Person or Persons imprisoned.
III The Party's Remedy against the Officer which doth imprison him upon feigned Surmises.
III. And that the same Commissioners shall set further Fine upon the said Officer, to be paid to the King's Use, as by their Discretions shall be thought convenient; (2) and in case the same Officer do refuse to appear before the same Commissioners incontinent after any Commandment to them directed and delivered after any such Complaint made to the same Commissioners, that then the same Commissioners shall have full Power and Authority, upon every Default made by any Officer or Officers, to assess and set upon every such Officer or Officers making Default, such Fine or Fines to be levied to the King's Use, as by their Discretions shall be thought convenient; (3) and that the same Commissioners shall have full Power and Authority to compell the said Officer or Officers by way of Imprisonment, as well to pay such Fines as shall be set and taxed upon them to the King's Use, as to pay unto every Person or Persons so imprisoned, such Sums of Money as they shall be sessed to pay for their wrong...
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