William III, 1698: An Act to prevent the Exportation of Wool out of the Kingdoms of Ireland and England into Forreigne parts and for the Incouragement of the Woollen Manufactures in the Kingdom of England. [Chapter XVI. Rot Parl. 10 Gul. III. p. 4. n. 1.]

(fn. 1) Reasons for passing this Act.

No Person to export from Ireland any Wool or Woollen Manufactures; Exception.

Forasmuch as Wool and the Woollen Manufactures of Cloth Serge Bayes Kerseys and other Stuffs made or mixed with Wool are the greatest and most profitable Commodities of this Kingdom on which the Value of Lands and the Trade of the Nation do chiefly depend And whereas great Quantities of the like Manufactures have of late been made and are daily increasing in the Kingdom of Ireland and in the English Plantations in America and are exported from thence to Forreigne Marketts heretofore supplyed from England which will inevitably sink the Value of Lands and tend to the ruine of the Trade and the Woollen Manufactures of this Realme For the Prevention whereof and for the Encouragement of the Woollen Manufactures within this Kingdom Be it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That no Person or Persons whatsoever from and after the Four and twentieth Day of June in the Yeare of Lord One thousand six hundred ninety nine shall directly or indirectly export transport shipp off carry or convey or cause or procure to be exported transported shipped off carried or conveyed out of or from the said Kingdom of Ireland into any Forreigne Realme States or Dominions or into any Parts or Places whatsoever other than the Parts within the Kingdom of England or the Dominion of Wales any the Wool Woollfells Shortlings Mortlings Woollflocks Worsted Bay or Woollen Yarne Cloth Serge Bays Kersies Says Frizes Druggets Cloth-Serges Shalloons or any other Drapery Stuffs or Woollen Manufactures whatsoever made up or mixed with Wooll or Woollflocks or shall directly or indirectly load or cause to be loaden upon any Horse Cart or other Carriage or load or lay on Board or cause to be laden or laid on board in any Ship or Vessell in any Place or Parts within or belonging to the said Kingdom of Ireland any such Wooll Woollfells Shortlings Mortlings Woolflocks Worsted Bay or Woollen Yarne Cloth Bays Kerseys Serges Says Frizes Druggets Cloth-Serges Shalloons or any other Drapery or Woollen Manufactures to the Intent or Purpose to export transport shipp off carry or convey the same or cause the same to be exported transported shipped off carried or conveyed out of the said Kingdom of Ireland or out of any Port or Place belonging to the same or with Intent or Purpose that any Person or Persons whatsoever should so export transport shipp off carry or convey the same out of the said Kingdom of Ireland into any Ports or Places (except as aforesaid)

II. Goods and Ships, &c. forfeited, and Penalty £500.

Masters of Ships, Mariners and other Persons knowing and assisting, Penalty £40.

And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every of the Offender and Offenders Offence and Offences aforesaid shall be subject and lyable to the respective Pains and Penalties and Forfeitures hereafter following (that is to say) the said Wooll Woollfells Shortlings Mortlings Woollflocks Worsted Bay or Woollen Yarne Cloth Serge Bays Kerseys Says Frizes Druggets Cloth-Serges Shalloons or any other Draperies Stuffs or any other Manufactures made of or mixed with Wooll or Woollflocks so exported transported shipped off or carried conveyed or loaden contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act shall be forfeited And that every of the Offender and Offenders therein shall likewise forfeite the Sum of Five hundred Pounds for every such Offence And all and every Shipp Vessell Barge Boat or other Bottom whatsoever wherein any of the said Commodities are or shall be shipped or laid on board contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act shall be forfeited with all her Tackle Apparell and Furniture to them and every of them belonging And the Masters and Mariners thereof or any Porters Carriers Waggoners Boatmen or other Persons whatsoever knowing such Offence and wittingly aiding and assisting therein shall forfeite Fourty Pounds of which One Moyety shall be to him or them that shall sue for the same by Bill Plaint or Information in any of His Majesties Courts of Record in England or Ireland and the other Moyety thereof to the Encouragement of setting up the Linnen Manufactures in Ireland to be disposed of by the Court of Exchequer there for that Use only In which Suit no Essoigne Protection or Wager of Law or more than One Imparlance shall be allowed.

III. No Acquittal in Ireland (Exception) allowed in Plea on any Indictment in England.

And to prevent evading the Penalties of this Act by Pretention of Prosecution or Acquittalls in Ireland be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Acquittall nor any Indictment Information or Suite (unlesse the Offender be thereupon convicted) in Ireland for any Offence provided against in this Act shall be pleaded or allowed in Bar or Delay of any Indictment Information Suite or Prosecution within the Kingdom of England.

IV. Any Person may convey to the King's Warehouse any Wool, &c. that he may find or know to be laden upon any Horse or Carriage, or on board any Ship, &c. for Exportation out of Ireland; and may seize and secure any Ship, &c. wherein any such Commodities shall be shipped, &c.

Such Persons indemnified.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull to and for any Person or Persons to seize take secure and convey to His Majesties next Warehouse all such Wooll Woollfells Shortlings Mortlings Woollflocks Worsted Bay or Woollen Yarne Cloth Serges Bays Kersies Says Frizes Druggets Cloth-Serges Shalloons Stuffs and other Draperies and Woollen Manufactures or mixed with Wooll or Woollflocks as he or they shall happen to see find know or discover to be laid on board in any Ship Vessell or Boat or to be brought carried or laid on Shore at or near the Sea or any Navigable River or Water to the Intent or Purpose to be exported or conveyed out of the said Kingdom of Ireland contrary to the true Meaning of this Act or to be laden upon any Horse Cart or other Carriage to the Intent or Purpose to be exported conveyed or carried into any Forreigne Parts or Places contrary to the true Intent and Meaning hereof And alsoe that it shall and may be lawfull to and for any Person and Persons to seize and secure all and every such Ship Hulke Vessell Barge or Boat of what Kind soever or wheresoever found or discovered wherein any of the aforesaid Commodities shall happen to be shipped or putt on Board contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act And that such Person or Persons that shall happen soe to seize take or secure any of the Commodities aforesaid or any such Ship Vessell Hulke Barge or Boat as aforesaid shall be indempnified for soe doing to all Intents and Purposes.

V. Bond to be given in double Value, to the Customs, for every Ship sailing from Ireland in order to export any of the said Commodities before Loading.; Condition of such Bond.

Ship laden before Bond given, forfeited.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That for every Ship or Vessell which from and after the said Four and twentieth Day of June shall sett out and saile from the said Kingdom of Ireland in order to export or carry [off (fn. 2) ] any of the Commodities aforesaid to this Kingdom Bond shall be given by Two sufficient Persons knowne Inhabitants of and residing in or neare the Place where the Bond is or shall be given to the chiefe Officers of the Customs belonging to the said Port or Place in the said Kingdom of Ireland from whence the said Ship or Vessell shall set Saile in double the Value of any the aforesaid Goods intended to be transported as aforesaid before the said Ship or Vessell shall be permitted to lade on board any of the Commodities aforesaid with condition that if the said, Ship or Vessell shall lade or take on board any of the said Goods in the Kingdom of Ireland that then and in such Case all the said Goods shall be brought by the same Ship or Vessell to some Port or Ports within the Kingdom of England or the Dominion of Wales as aforesaid and shall there unlade or put on Shoare the same and pay the Custom and Duties thereof (the Danger of the Seas only excepted) and that every Ship or Vessell which shall lade or take on board any of the said Goods untill such Bond be given shall be forfeited to be recovered and employed in Manner as aforesaid.

VI. Register to be kept at Custom House in London, of Goods imported from Ireland.

And for the more effectuall Execution of the Powers granted by this Act be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That a Register be kept at the Custom-House in London of all the aforesaid Goods from time to time imported from Ireland into any of the Ports within this Kingdom or Dominions of Wales with the particular Qualities and Quantities thereof the Master and Owners Names and to whom consigned.

VII. Regulations as to writing and signing Cockets, Certificates, &c.

Goods, both at shipping and landing, viewed and examined by Officer; Quantities, &c. of Goods shipped in Ireland, indorsed upon Cocket, Certificate, &c.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Cockets and Warrants for the carrying or transporting of any of the aforesaid Goods from the Kingdom of Ireland to any Port or Ports aforesaid within this Kingdom shall be written upon Paper and not Parchment and signed by Three of the chiefe Officers of such respective Port at least and all Certificates of landing the same in any the Ports aforesaid within this Kingdom or Dominion of Wales shall be signed in like Manner And that all the Goods aforesaid both at shipping and landing shall be viewed and examined by the Surveyour or Searcher or Landwaiter attending the Shipping or Discharge of any the aforesaid Goods And that the exact Quantities and Qualities Marks and Numbers of the Goods aforesaid soe shipped in Ireland shall be particularly expressed and indorsed upon the Cocket by which the said Goods are or were to be shipped and likewise upon the Warrant for landing the same in England and alsoe upon the Certificate or Certificates given or to be given for discharging the Bond or Bonds taken in Ireland for the same

VIII. Commissioners, &c. of Revenue of Ireland, every Six Months, to transmit to Commissioners, &c. in England account of Goods exported from Ireland.

Bonds taken, &c.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Commissioners of the Revenue or Farmers of the Customs or of the Revenue of the Kingdom of Ireland for the time being shall from time to time and at all times hereafter once within every Six Months or within Thirty Daies after the End thereof transmitt or cause to be transmitted unto the Commissioners or Farmers of His Majesties Customs in England of all such Goods as aforesaid as shall from time to time be exported from the said Kingdom of Ireland the Qualities and Quantities thereof and Duplicates of the Bonds taken for lading the same and by whom and in what Ships exported and where and to what Port in the Kingdom of England or Dominion of Wales consigned and the Names of the Persons signing the Certificates of the landing the same in England and the Date of the said Certificates and where the same are or were laden and alsoe of the Qualities and Quantities Marks and Numbers contained in the said Certificates in order that the same may be compared with the registred Account appointed by this Act to be kept by the Commissioners of Farmers of the Customs of this Kingdom

IX. Certificates to be written upon Paper, and Marks, &c. not be obliterated.

And for preventing the Mischief of razing obliterating or interlineing such Certificates as aforesaid be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all such Certificates shall be written upon Paper and not Parchment and that the Quantities and Qualities Marks and Numbers therein exprest shall not be obliterated or interlined upon any Pretence whatsoever

X. Ports at which Goods exported from Ireland to England to be shipped off, and also Ports of Importation in England.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all such Goods as aforesaid as shall from time to time be exported from the said Kingdom of Ireland into the Ports of this Kingdom or Dominion of Wales in manner as aforesaid shall be shipped off and entred at the Ports of Dublin Waterford Youghall Kingsale Cork and Drogheda in the said Kingdom of Ireland and at or from no other Port or Place within the said Kingdom [nor shall the same be imported into any Parts of the Kingdom of England or Dominion of Wales other than the Ports of Biddiford Barnstable Minhead Bridgwater Bristoll Milford-Haven Chester and Leverpool (fn. 3) ] Any thing in this Act to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding

XI.

Commissioners or Officers of Revenue in Ireland suffering to be taken Entry of Goods Outward, Cocket, &c. for shipping orexporting Goods, &c. except as aforesaid; or signing any such Cocket, &c. or passing such Entry; Forfeiture of Office and Penalty £500.

And to the Intent and Purpose that this Act may more effectually be put in Execution for preventing the growing Mischiefs that dayly do or may arise to this Kingdom from the Exportation of such Goods as aforesaid or any of them out of the Kingdom of Ireland should the same still be suffered to be sent from thence to supply the Forreigne Markets that are or have been supplied from England Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Commissioner or Commissioners Farmer or Farmers of the Revenue of Ireland or Officer or Officers imployed under them in the Management of the said Revenue there shall from and after the said Four and twentieth Day of June take or suffer to be taken any Entry outward or signe any Cocket Warrant or Sufferance for the shipping and exporting any such Goods as aforesaid into any Kingdom state or Dominion whatsoever (except as aforesaid) or shall wittingly or willingly permit contrive or suffer the same to be done directly or indirectly contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act that then and in every such Case such Commissioner or Commissioners Farmer or Farmers Officer or Officers so offending in the signing such Cocket Warrant or Sufferance for the shipping or exporting any of the said Goods into any other Kingdom State or Dominion or Place whatsoever (except as aforesaid) or passing such Entry for the same or any wise conniving thereat contrary to the true Intent and Meaning hereof or shall otherwise faile or neglect to performe all other Duties required by this present Act shall for every such Offence or Neglect forfeite his Office and shall moreover for every such Offence forfeite the Sum of Five hundred Pounds to be recovered and employed in Manner and Forme as aforesaid

XII. Where Offences against this Act to be tried.

Manner and Form of Trial.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Offence which shall be done or committed contrary to this Act shall and may be inquired of tryed heard and determined in the County where any such Goods as aforesaid shall be soe laden or put on board as aforesaid or else in the County either in England or Ireland where such Offender shall happen to be apprehended or arrested for such Offence or where any such of the Goods aforesaid on the said Ship or Ships Vessells Hulks Barks or Boats shall happen to be seized or taken or brought in and that the said Tryall shall be in such Manner and Forme and in such Effect to all Intents and Purposes as if the same Offence had been wholly done and committed in the same County

XIII. In Actions for executing Act.

Common Bail may be filed and General Issue pleaded.; Treble Costs.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Action Bill Plaint Suite or Information shall be commenced or prosecuted against any Person for what he shall doe in pursuance of this Act such Person soe sued shall and may file a Common Bail or enter into a Common Appearance and plead the Generall Issue Not Guilty and upon Issue joyned may give this Act and the Special Matter in Evidence and if the Plaintiff or Prosecutor shall become Nonsuit or suffer Discontinuance or if a Verdict passe against him or if upon Demurrer Judgment passe against him the Defendant shall recover Treble Costs and Damages for the Molestation.

XIV. Proviso for Importation, from certain Ports in Ireland, of Wool and Woollen Manufactures.

Notice of Quantity, &c. of Goods being first given to Commissioners, &c, of Customs in England; and Bond for duly landing first entered into; and Licence from Commissioners of Customs for Landing.; Such Licence to be granted without Fee.

And for the further Incouragement of the Woollen Manufactures of England Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull from and after the said Four and twentieth Day of June to import from the said Ports of Dublin Waterford Younghall Kingsale Cork and Drogheda in the Kingdom of Ireland any Wooll Woollfells Shortlings Mortlings Woollflocks Worstead Bay or Woollen Yarne Cloth Serges Bays Kerseys Frizes Druggets Shalloons Stuffs Cloth-Serges or any other Drapery made of or mixed with Wooll or Woolflocks and manufactured in the Kingdom of Ireland into such Ports of this Kingdom or Dominion of Wales [only as aforesaid soe as Notice be first given to the Commissioners or Chiefe Managers of His Majesties Customs in this Kingdom or to the Chief Customer or Collector in the Port to which the same is intended to be brought of the Quantity Quality and Package together with the Marks and Numbers thereof with the Name of the Ship and Master or Commander on which the said Goods are to be laden and the Place or Port into which they are intended to be imported and soe as Bond be first entred into to the Use of His Majesty His Heires and Successors with one or more sufficient Sureties in Treble the Value of the Goods soe intended to be imported that the same shall (the Dangers of the Seas excepted) be landed accordingly and so as a Lycence be also first taken under the Hands of the Commissioners or Chiefe Managers of the Customs for the time being or Three of them or from the Chiefe Customer or Collector where such Bond is given for the landing and importing thereof as aforesaid which Lycence they are hereby authorized and required to grant without any Fee or Reward or any other Charge to the Person demanding the same (fn. 4) ] Any Law Statute or Usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding

XV.

Penalties and Forfeitures of Bonds not to be granted or assigned; Such Grants or Assignments void.

And for the more effectuall preventing the Transportion of Wooll Woollfells Shortlings Mortlings or Woollflocks Worsted Bay or Woollen Yarne or any Manufactures of Wooll or Woollflocks or mixed with the same into Forreigne Parts Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Penalties and Forfeitures of [the (fn. 5) ] Bonds which by this Act or any other former Law or Usage are to be given or have been given in the Kingdom of Ireland for any Wooll or any of the Commodities aforesaid intended to be exported from that Kingdom to be brought into the Ports of this Kingdom or Dominion of Wales as aforesaid shall not on any Consideration whatsoever be granted or assigned over to any Person whatsoever and that all such Grants or Assignments are and shall be void to all Intents and Purposes Any Law Usage or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding

XVI. Admiralty to appoint certain Ships and Sloops to cruise on the Coasts of England and Ireland, with Orders to take Ships, &c. exporting Wool, &c.

And for the better preventing the Exportation of Wooll out of this Kingdom or Ireland into Forreigne Parts Be enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Lord High Admirall of England or Commissioners for executing the Office of High Admirall for the time being shall direct and appoint Two Ships of the Fifth Rate and Two Ships of the Sixth Rate and Eight armed Sloops constantly to cruize on the Coasts of England and Ireland particularly betweene the North of Ireland and Scotland with Orders to take and seize all Ships Vessells and Boats which shall export any Wooll with intent to carry it into Forreigne Parts And that the Lord High Admirall or Commissioners as aforesaid shall send a List of all such Ships and Sloops and the Names of the Commanders together with true Copies of their severall Instructions that are or shall be given to the Commissioners of the Customs in London within Ten Daies after such Orders as aforesaid are or shall be given

XVII. Wool, Ships, &c. seized, forfeited, and Wool taken to the King's Warehouse and detained until condemned, and when condemned.and sold by Inch of Candle.

Notice of Sale.; Ships, &c. condemned, sold in like Manner; How Produce of Sales divided.

And for the Incouragement of the Commanders and Mariners belonging to the Ships and Sloops aforesaid Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Wooll Ships Vessells or Boats that shall be soe seized or taken shall be forfeited and all such Wooll shall be lodged in the Kings Warehouse in such Port where it is or shall be taken or seized or into which it shall be brought untill it shall be condemned according to Law and being soe condemned shall be exposed publickly to sale after One and twenty Daies publick Notice being given in Writing at the Customhouse of the said Port and on the Royall Exchange of London by Inch of Candle to the last and best Bidder And all Ships Vessells or Boats that shall be soe seized and condemned as aforesaid shall together with all their Gunns Tackle Furniture and Apparell be exposed to sale in like manner And that One Fourth Part of the Produce of the Wooll Ships Vessells and Boats soe sold as aforesaid shall be to the Commander one other Fourth part to the Officers of the Ship or Ships Sloop or Sloops that took the same one other Fourth Part to the Mariners belonging to such Ship Vessell or Sloop to be equally divided and paid amongst the said Marriners by the Collectors of the said Port or such Person or Persons as shall be authorized to pay the same and the other Fourth Part thereof to His Majesty His Heires and Successors after a Deduction made out of the last Fourth Part of all the Charges of Prosecution and Condemnation.

XVIII. Commanders of such Ships neglecting Duty, &c. Penalty, Imprisonment, and Incapacity.

And for preventing of all Composition or Confederacy by any Commander of any Ship Vessell or Sloop with any Person whatsoever concerned in such Wooll or Ship Vessell or Boate as aforesaid Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Commander of such Ship or Sloope neglecting his Duty by this Act required or compounding for any Wooll Ship Vessell or Boat as aforesaid or conniveing at the Exportation of any Wooll shall losse and forfeite all Pay and Wages due to him or them and suffer Six Months Imprisonment and be for ever incapable of serving His Majesty in any Office in the Navy

XIX. After the 1st Dec. 1699, no Wool or Woollen Manufactures, the Produce of the English Plantations in America, tobe loaden on board any Ship in any Port or Place there; nor be loaden on any Horse or Carriage for Exportation.

Penalty; Governors of Plantations and Officers to see Act executed.

And for the more effectuall Incouragement of the Woollen Manufacture of this Kingdom Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the First Day of December in the Yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety nine no Wooll Woollfells Shortlings Mortlings Woollflocks Worsted Bay or Woollen Yarne Cloth Serge Bays Kerseys Says Frizes Druggets Cloth-Serges Shalloons or any other Drapery Stuffs or Woollen Manufactures whatsoever made or mixt with Wooll or Woollflocks being of the Product or Manufacture of any of the English Plantations in America shall be loaden or laid on board in any Ship or Vessell in any Place or Parts within any of the said English Plantations upon any Pretence whatsoever as likewise that no such Wooll Woollfells Shortlings Mortlings Woollflocks Worsted Bay or Woollen Yarne Cloth Serge Bays Kerseys Says Frizes Druggets Cloth-Serges Shalloons or any other Drapery Stuffs or Woollen Manufactures whatsoever made up or mixt with Wooll or Woollflocks being of the Product or Manufacture of any of the English Plantations in America as aforesaid shall be loaden upon any Horse Cart or other Carriage to the Intent and Purpose to be exported transported carried or conveyed out of the said English Plantations to any other of the said Plantations or to any other Place whatsoever upon the same and like Pains Penalties and Forfeitures to and upon all and every the Offender and Offenders herein within all and every of the said English Plantations respectively as are prescribed and provided by this Act for the like Offences committed within the Kingdom of Ireland and all Governours or Commanders in Chiefe of the said respective Plantations as alsoe all Officers imployed in the Customs or other Branches of His Majesties Revenue there are hereby authorized charged and required to take effectuall Care that the true Intent and Meaning of this Act soe farr forth as it relates to the said respective Plantations be duly put in Execution

XX. In Prosecutions for Offences against this Act, a Capias to issue in the first Process, specifying Penalty sued for.

Bail to be given to appear; and on Appearance, Security for Payment of Penalties, or Party imprisoned.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Person and Persons who after the said Four and twentieth Day of June shall be guilty of any Offence or Offences contrary to the true Intent and Meaneing of this or any other Act of Parliament made for the preventing the Exportation of Wooll shall and may be prosecuted for any such Offence or Offences by Action Suite or Information in any of His Majesties Courts of Record at Westminster and thereupon a Capias shall and may issue the First Process specifying the Sum of the Penalty sued for and such Person or Persons shall be obliged to give Good and sufficient Baile and Security by Naturall Borne Subjects or Denizens to the Officer serving or executing such Process against him or them to appeare in the Court out of which such Capias shall issue at the Day of the Returne of such Writt to answer such Suite or Prosecution and shall likewise at the time of such Appearance give sufficient Baile or Security by such Persons as aforesaid in the said Court to answer and pay the Forfeitures and Penalties incurred for such Offence or Offences in case he she or they shall be convict thereof or to yeild his her or their Bodies to Prison

XXI. Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to give Order for Act being given in charge by Judges at Assizes.

Judges to take Account of Execution of Act, and on Return from the Circuit to inform Lord Lieutenant of Offences, who is yearly to lay the same before the King in Council.

( (fn. 6) ) Provided alsoe and it is hereby further enacted That after the Nine and twentieth Day of September in the Yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety nine the Lord Lieutenant Lord Deputy or Lords Justices for the time being for the Kingdom of Ireland or any of them are hereby required to give Direction in Councill that this Act shall be given in Charge by the severall Judges of the Kingdom of Ireland at all the Assizes that shall be held in that Kingdom to the end that this Act may be strictly put in Execution according to the true Intent and Meaning thereof which said Judges are hereby impowered and required from time to time to take particular Accounts throughout their respective Circuits of the due Execution of this Act and at their Returnes to Dublin at the end of every Circuit shall acquaint the said Lord Lieutenant Lord Deputy or Lords Justices of that Kingdom for the time being in Councill with all Accounts or Informations they shall have soe received of any Breach of the said Act or Negligence or Faults in any of the Officers to whom the Execution of this Act is committed to the end that the said Chief Governors or any of them for the time being may be the better informed and inabled to look to and provide for the strict and punctuall Observation of this Act throughout that Kingdom of which the said Chief Governors or any of them for the time being shall once every Yeare lay a particular Account in Writing under his or their Hands before the King His Heires and Successors in Councill.