[22d June 1795.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Preamble.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WHEREAS an Act, passed in the last Session of Parliament,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[34 Geo. III. Cap. 69 recited.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
intituled, An Act for the Discharge of certain Insolvent Debtors, did not extend to the Relief of all the Persons to whom it was meant to extend, owing to the Circumstance of several Prisoners, who were in Custody on the Twelfth Day of February One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, and had continued in Custody from that Time, having, during the Time of their Imprisonment, been removed by Writ of Habeas Corpus, or by other Means, from one Prison to another, after the said Twelfth Day of February One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four: Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Gaolers to make out Lists of Prisoners who, on Feb. 12, 1794, and at the Time of making out, were in Custody.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That, from and after the passing of this Act, all and every Gaoler or Keeper of any Prison within this Kingdom shall and is hereby required to make a true, exact, and perfect List, alphabetically, of the Name or Names of all and every Person and Persons described in the said Act, who, upon the said Twelfth Day of February One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, was or were in the Custody, of any Gaoler or Gaolers, Keeper or Keepers of any Prison, and at the Time of making out every such List shall be really an actual Prisoner or Prisoners in the Custody of the Gaoler or Gaolers, Keeper or Keepers, of any Prison, making and delivering such List, which List shall be delivered and dealt with in like Manner as is directed by the said Act with respect to the Lists therein mentioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Warden of the Fleet, &c. on delivering in Lists, to take the following]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
II. And be it further enacted, That the Warden of His Majesty’s Prison of the Fleet, and the Marshal of the King’s Bench Prison, and every other Gaoler and Keeper of any other Prison, shall severally, on the delivering in of such List of Prisoners in their respective Custody, take an Oath in the open Court of General Quarter Session of the Peace, or at some Adjournment thereof, to the following Effect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Oath.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘I A.B. upon my Corporal Oath, in the Presence of Almighty God,do solemnly swear, profess, and declare, That all and every Person and Persons, whose Name or Names is or are inserted in the List by me now delivered in and subscribed, have been, to the best of my Knowledge and Belief, really and truly Prisoners in my actual Custody ever since the respective Days and Times in such List mentioned; and that it appears by the several Returns and Affidavits of the several Gaoler or Gaolers, Keeper or Keepers, in whose Custody the said several Persons have been, previous to their being committed into my Custody, that they were really and truly Prison\u00ac ers in actual Custody on the Twelfth Day of February One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, at the Suit or Suits of the several Person or Persons therein respectively mentioned.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Oath, &c. to be dealt with as directed by recited Act.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which said Oath, and the Words thereof, Lists, and Copies of Lists, shall be entered, kept, and dealt with in Manner in the said Act directed respecting the Oath, Lists, and Copies of Lists, therein mentioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Prisoners to take the following]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That, instead of the Oath by the said Act directed to be taken by such Prisoners as in the said Act are described, an Oath to the following Effect shall be taken by them respectively:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Oath.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘I A. B. upon my Corporal Oath, in the Presence of Almighty God, do solemnly swear, protest, and declare, That, on the Twelfth Day of February One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, I was really and truly a Prisoner in actual Custody of the Keeper of some Gaol or Prison at the Suit of ________ without any Fraud or Collusion whatever, and that I have ever since my Commitment continued a Prisoner in actual Custody, at the Suit of and without any Fraud or Collusion whatever; and that the Schedule now delivered by me, and subscribed, doth contain, to the best of my Knowledge, Remembrance, and Belief, a full, just, true, and perfect Account and Discovery of all the Goods, Effects, and Estates, Real and Personal, in Possession, Reversion, Remainder, or Expectancy, which I, or any Person in Trust for me or for my Benefit or Advantage, am or is seised or possessed of, interested in, or entitled to, or which was or were in my Possession at any Time since my Commitment to Prison, and of all Debts which are to me owing, or to any Person or Persons in Trust for me, and of all the Securities and Contracts whereby any Money now is, or will or may hereafter become payable, or any Benesit or Advantage may accrue to me, or to my Use, or to any Person or Persons in Trust for me, and the Names and Places of Abode of the several Persons from whom such Debts are due and owing, and of the Witnesses that can prove such Debts or Contracts (if any such there be); and that neither I, nor any other Person or Persons in Trust for me or for my Use, have any Lands, Money, Stock, or any Estate, Real or Personal, in Possession, Reversion, or Remainder, or Expectancy, other than what are in the said Schedule contained, except Wearing Apparel and Bedding for myself and Family, Working Tools, and necessary Implements for my Occupation and Calling, together with a Sum of Money not exceeding Five Pounds, and these in the Whole not exceeding the Value of Thirty Pounds; and that I have not, nor any Body for me hath, directly or indirectly, sold, lessened, or otherwise conveyed, disposed of in Trust, or concealed, all or any Part of my Lands, Money, Goods, Chattels, Stock, Debts, Securities, Contracts, or Estate, Real or Personal, whereby to secure the same, or to receive or expect any Profit or Advantage thereof, or with Intent to defraud or deceive any Creditor or Creditors to whom I am or was indebted in anywise howsoever.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘So help me GOD.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Gaolers on bringing up Prisoners to be discharged to take the following]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IV. And be it further enacted, That instead of the Oath directed by the said Act to be taken (if required as therein mentioned) by the Gaoler, or Person who acts as Gaoler or Keeper of any such Prison, at the Time of bringing up any such Prisoner in order to be discharged, an Oath to the following Effect (if so required) shall be administered and taken:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Oath.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘I A.B. do swear, That ________ was, as I verily believe, a Prisoner in Custody at and upon the Twelfth Day of February One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, and that the Copy or Copies, Account or Accounts of the Cause or Causes of his sor her Commitment or Detainer, now by me brought with the Body of the said ________ and produced to this Court, is or are a true Copy or Copies, Account or Accounts, of the Cause or Causes of such Detainer or Commitment, without any Fraud or Deceit by me or any other Person whatsoever, to the best of my Knowledge and Belief.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘So help me GOD.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[Recited Act to extend to Prisoners meant to be discharged under this Act.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
V. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every the Clauses, Powers, Provisions, Penalties, Regulations, and Directions in the said Act contained, shall apply to the Cases of the Prisoners meant to be discharged under this Act, in the same Manner as if the said Clauses, Powers, Provisions, Penalties, Regulations, and Directions, were herein inserted and enacted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n