land; or any meeting called by two or more justices of the peace of the county or place where such meeting shall be holden; or any meeting of any city or borough, or town corporate, called by the mayor or other head officer of such city, or borough, or town corporate; or any meeting of any ward or division of any city or town corporate, called by the alderman or other head-officer of such ward or division; or any meeting of any corporate body) shall be holden, for the purpose or on the pretext of considering of or preparing any petition, complaint, remonstrance, or declaration, or other address to the king, or to both houses or either house of parliament, for alteration of matters established in church or state, or for the purpose, or on the pretext of deliberating upon any grievance in church or state, unless previous notice be given by seven householders in some newspaper. The notice not to be inserted, unless the authority to do so be written at the foot thereof. The notice and authority is to be preserved, and produced to a justice if required; and a penalty of 501, for inserting notice without such authority, &c.

2. Notice may be given to the clerk of the peace, who shall forthwith send a copy to the justices. Such notice to be effectual.

3. Meetings without notice to be deemed unlawful assemblies.

4. If twelve or more persons, assembled contrary to this act, shall continue together one hour after being required by a justice, &c. to disperse, they shall suffer.

5. Proclamation to be made in the following form:

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"Our sovereign lord the king chargeth and commandeth all per sons being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the act, made in the 36th year of king George the third, for the more effectually preventing seditious meet ings and assemblies. God save the king."

6. If, in meetings holden pursu ant to notice, any matter shall be propounded or deliberated upon, purporting that any thing by law established may be altered except by authority of king, lords, and commons, &c. a magistrate may order them to disperse; and if 12 or more persons shall continue together an hour thereafter, they shall suffer death.

7. Justices at meetings on notice may order persons, propounding or maintaining propositions for altering any thing by law established, except by authority of the king, lords, and commons, &c. to be taken into custody; and in case of resistance may cause proclamation to be made as aforesaid; and, if 12 or more shall continue together an hour thereafter, they shall suffer death.

8. Magistrates may resort to as semblies, and act; and may require the assistance of peace officers.

9. Persons not dispersing within an hour after proclamation may be apprehended; and, if killed or maimed by reason of their resistance, the magistrate, &c. indemni fied.

10. Persons obstructing magistrates attending, or going to attend, meetings, or obstructing persons proclaiming,

proclaiming, to suffer death. Persons, assembled, to whom proclamation ought to have been made if the same had not been hindered, continuing together to the number of 12 or more, for an hour after such hindrance, to suffer death. Persons at such assemblies opposing the taking offenders into custody to suffer death.

11. Sheriffs depute, &c. in Scotland, to have the same power as justices, in England. Persons convicted of felonies in Scotland, to incur the pain of death and confiscation of moveables.

12. Places for lectures or debates concerning supposed public grievances, where money is paid for admission, unless previously licensed, to be deemed disorderly places; and the persons opening or using them, to forfeit 1001. &c. And the persons managing the proceedings, and the persons paying or receiving money for admission, or delivering or receiving tickets, to forfeit 1001. 13. Persons appearing as master, &c. of such places liable to prosecution.

14. Magistrates who, by information on oath, have reason to suspect that any place is open for delivering lectures, &c. may demand to be admitted; and, in case of refusal, the place to be deemed disorderly, and the person refusing admittance to forfeit 1001.

15. Magistrates may demand admittance to any licensed place at the time of delivering lectures, &c. and, if refused, it shall be deemed disorderly, and the person refusing admittance shall forfeit 1001.

16. Justices may license places for delivering lectures; and may revoke them.

17. Forfeitures to be recovered by action of debt in any of his majesty's courts of record at Westminster, or in the courts of justiciary or exchequer in Scotland; provided that, if any action or suit shall be brought against any person for any thing done in pursuance and in execution of this act, the defendant may plead the general issue; and if a verdict pass for the defendant, or the plaintiff discontinue his or her action, or be nonsuited, or judgment be given against the plaintiff, then such defendant shall

have treble costs.

18. Nothing in this act to extend to any lectures or discourses to be delivered in any of the universities of these kingdoms, by any member thereof, or any person authorized by the chancellor, vice-chancellor, or other proper officers of such universities respectively.

19. No payment made to any school-master or other person by law allowed to teach and instruct youth, in respect of any lectures or discourses delivered by such schoolmaster or other person, for the instruction only of such youths as shall be committed to his instruction, shall be deemed a payment money for admission to such lectures or discourses within the intent and meaning of this act.

of

20. Act not to abridge any law for the suppression of punishment of offences herein described.

21. Act to be openly read at every epiphany quarter-session of the peace, and every leet or law day.

22. No person to be prosecuted by virtue of this act, unless the prosecution shall be commenced within six calender months after the offence committed; and no H 4 action

STATE of the BAROMETER, THERMOMETER, and HYGROMETER, for the Year 1796.