William III, 1697-8: An Act that all Retailers of Salt shall sell by Weight. [Chapter VI. Rot. Parl. 9 Gul. III. p. 1. n. 6.]

Recital of 7 & 8 W. III. c. 31. § 48.

No Retailer, &c. to sell Salt otherwise than by Weight,; after the Rate of 56lb. to the Bushel.; Penalty £5.

Whereas by an Act made att the Parliament held in the Seventh & Eighth Yeares of the Reigne of His present Majesty intituled An Act for continuing to His Majesty certaine Duties upon Salt Glasse Wares Stone and Earthen Wares and for granting several Duties upon Tobacco Pipes and other Earthen Wares for carrying on the Warr against France and for establishing a National Land Bank and for taking -off the Duties upon Tunnage of Shipps and upon Coals itt was enacted amongst other Things That all Persons selling Salt (except forreigne Salt) made for use should after the time therein limitted sell the same after the Rate of Six and fifty pound Weight to the Bushell and not otherwise and so in proportion for a greater or lesser Quantity and that every Person offending therein shall forfeit the Su[m]m of Five pounds to the Informer to be recovered in such manner as is therein exprest And whereas several Doubts and Difficulties are made and have arisen upon the Interpretation of the said Clause and other preceding Clauses in the said Act touching the Measure of Salt whereby the Badgers and Retailers of Salt have made great Advantages and Gaine to themselves and used great deceit and wrong to the Buyers contrary to the true meaning of the said Act For the explaining and clearing of the said Doubts and for remedy and prevention of any Deceipt by Retailers of Salt for the future be it declared and enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Co[m]mons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That no Badger Retailer or other Person or Persons whatsoever making or dealing in Salt or buying Salt to sell againe shall from and after the Five and twentieth Day of March One thousand six hundred ninety eight sell or putt to sale exchange or otherwise dispose of any Salt to any Person or Persons or in any County City or Place whatsoever within the Kingdome of England Dominion of Wales and the Towne of Berwick upon Tweed otherwise than by Weight after the Rate of Six and fifty pound Weight to the Bushell and not by Measure or in any other Manner and so in proportion for a greater or lesser Quantity and that every Person offending therein shall for every such Offence forfeit the Su[m]m of Five pounds to the Informer who shall prosecute for the same.

II. Two Justices of Peace may determine Offences.

Appeal to Quarter Sessions,; Final.; How Justices to proceed on Complaint; Forfeitures to be levied on Offender's Goods; For Want of Distress, Imprisonment.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Forfeitures and Offences made and co[m]mitted against this Act or any thing therein contained shall be heard adjudged and determined by any Two or more Justices of the Peace residing neare to the Place where such Forfeiture shall be made or Offence co[m]mitted who are hereby required to heare adjudge and determine the same and if the Party finds him or her selfe agrieved by the Judgement given by the said Justices the said Party shall and may appeal to the Justices of Peace att the next General Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be held for the County City or Borough within which the said Forfeiture was made and the Offence co[m]mitted who are hereby also impowered and authorized to heare and determine the same whose Judgement therein shall be final and all Justices of the Peace are hereby authorized and required upon Complaint or Information exhibited or brought to them or any of them of any Forfeiture made or Offence co[m]mitted contrary to this Act to su[m]mon the Party accused and upon his or her Appearance or Contempt to proceed to the Examination of the Matter of Fact and upon due Proof made thereof by the Oath of Two or more credible Witnesses (which Oath any Two or more Justices of the Peace have hereby Power to administer) or by the voluntary Confession of the Party to give Judgement or Sentence according as in and by this Act is directed and to award and issue out Warrants under their Hands and Seals for the levying of such Forfeitures as by this Act is imposed upon the Goods and Chattells of the Offender and to cause sale to be made of the said Goods and Chattells if the same shall not be redeemed within Six Days rendring to the Party the Overplus (if any be) and for want of sufficient Distresse to imprison the Party offending until Satisfaction be made for the Forfeitures.

III. Officer to attend the weighing out of Salt entered to be shipped, and on which the Duty has been paid, &c.

Penalty 40s.

And for the preventing of Delays which may happen through the Neglect or Default of any of the Officers appointed for the collecting the said Duty to the greate Losse & Damage of such Persons as shall shipp off or carry by Land any Salt Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That when ever any Salt shall be entred to be putt on board any Boat Shipp or Vessell or carried by Land and the Duty paid or secured to be paid together with all Moneys then or before that time due and payable by Bond or otherwise upon Account of Salt before that time delivered the Officer with whome such Salt shall be entred and the Duty paid or secured to be paid as aforesaid shall upon due notice by himself or a sufficient Deputy in the Day Time betweene Sun riseing and Sun setting attend the weighing out such Salt without any Losse or Hindrance of time to the Person or Persons that shall shipp off or carry the same and in case hee shall neglect or refuse so to doe hee shall for every such Neglect or Default forfeit the Su[m]m of Forty shillings to be sued for recovered levied and received or mitigated by the same Means Rules Ways and Methods as the other Penalties and Forfeitures in this Act mentioned and contained are directed to be recovered.