Riots Act 1503
| Year | 1503 |
(19 Hen. 7) C A P. XIII.
'WHereas in the Parliament holden atWestminster the Tuesday the Morrow next after All Souls , the Thirteenth Year of the Reign of King Henry the Fourth, among other Things it was enacted, ordained, and established, Thatif any Riot, Assembly, or Rout of People against the Law, were made in any Part of the Realm, That the Justices of the Peace, Three or Two of them at the least, and the Sheriff or Under-sheriff of the County where such Riot, Assembly, or Rout should be done, after the same Statute, should come with the Power of the Shire, (if Need should be) to arrest them, and them should arrest; (2) and the same Justices and Sheriff, or Under-sheriff, should have Power to record that that they should find so done in their Presenceagainst the Law, (3) and that by the Record of the same Justices and Sheriff, or Under-sheriff, the same Trespassers and Misdoers should be convicted in Manner and Form, as it is contained in the Statute of Forcible Entries; with divers and many other Articles touching and concerning the Premisses, as in the same Statute made the said xiij. Year more plainly at large it appeareth. (4)which Statute is thought good and necessary: Wherefore by the Advice and Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, land the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by Authorityof the same,' Be it therefore ordained, established, and enacted, That the said Act made in the saidxiij. Year of King Henry the Fourth, concerning Riots, Assemblies, and Routs of People, and all and every Article and Articles comprised in the same, and also all other Statutes before this Time made concerning the Punishment of Rioters, at the Time of the making of this Act being in Force, from henceforth stand in their Force, and be duly put in Execution after the Tenors and Purports of the same. '(5) And forasmuch as in the said Statute made in the said xiij. Year, is not expressed of what Sufficiency the Jurors impanelled should be, or what Issues they should lose, if they appear not, nor no Mention therein made of any Punishment of the Maintainers and Embracers of the Jurors that so shall be impanelled, should have for their Misdemeanors, if any be:' (6)It is therefore furthermore enacted by the said Authority in this present Parliament, That if any Riot, Rout, or unlawful Assembly, be committed and done at any Time after the First Day ofMay next coming...
To continue reading
Request your trial