VII Workmen neglecting to fulfil their Engagements, not finishing their Work, or leaving without Notice. Penalty.
And be it enacted, That if any Person intrusted, employed, or contracting to prepare, work up, or manufacture, or to have prepared, worked up, or manufactured, either by himself or by any Person or Persons to be employed by or under him, or by himself jointly with any Person or Persons to be employed by or under him, any Woollen, Worsted, Linen, Cotton, Flax, Mohair, or Silk Materials, shall not prepare, work up, or manufacture, or cause to be prepared, worked up, or manufactured, the said Materials, and return the same, within Seven clear Days after the Time which shall have been agreed upon between such Person and the Owner of the said Materials, or other the Person intrusting him therewith, and in case no such Time shall have been so agreed upon then within Seven clear Days after being required so to do (unless prevented by some reasonable and sufficient Cause, to be allowed by the Justices before whom he shall be brought), or shall leave or return such Materials without having performed as he could and ought to have done the Work he was employed to perform thereon or thereto, and without the Consent of the Person intrusting him with such Materials as aforesaid, or shall damage the same, or if any Person shall contract or engage to work, or be employed to do or perform, or to have done or performed any Work, in any of the said Manufactures, or connected therewith or incidental thereto, or any Parts, Branches, or Processes thereof, either by himself or by any Person or Persons to be employed by or under him, and whether such Contract or Engagement shall be to work or be employed for any Person exclusively, or for all or Part of his Time, or for specific Work, or otherwise, and whether such Person is to be paid according to the Value or Amount of the Work done, the Time employed, or in any other Manner whatsoever, and shall neglect to fulfil such Contract or Engagement, or absent himself from such Work or Employment before such Notice (if any) as shall have been agreed upon between the said Parties for determining the said Contract or Engagement shall have expired, or without giving such Notice, or contrary to the Terms of such Contract or Engagement (unless prevented as aforesaid), to be allowed as aforesaid, then and in every such Case such Person, being thereof lawfully convicted on Oath before Two or more Justices of the Peace, shall forfeit any Sum not exceeding Two Pounds as to such Justices shall seem meet, and also, in case the said Materials shall be damaged, the-Amount of the Injury done thereto, to be ascertained by the said Justices, together with Costs ; and every such Forfeiture shall be applied, under the Direction of the Justices so convicting, in manner following; (that is to say,) in the first place, in making such Satisfaction to the Party injured as the said Justices shall think proper, and the Remainder, if any, shall be applied in the same Manner as any Penalty under this Act; and in default of Payment of such Forfeiture and Costs immediately on Conviction, or within such Period as the Justices so convicting shall direct, the said Justices may either immediately or at any Time after such Conviction commit any Person so convicted to the Common Gaol or House of Correction, there to be imprisoned, with or without hard Labour, as to the said Justices shall seem meet, for any Term not exceeding Two Calendar Months, unless the Amount of such Forfeiture and Costs be sooner paid.