Crown Lands (Forfeited Estates) Act 1698

VIII. Reasons for this Enactment.

Persons discovering Debts due to convicted Persons (Exception) and paying Two Thirds, discharged of the intire Debt; Neglecting to make such Discovery, Penalty; Allowance to Persons possessed of Goods of Persons; convicted, &c. and discovering same. Neglecting to discover same; Penalty; Trustees may compound for Debts, &c. discovered; Trustees may settle Debts secured by Penalties, &c; Allowance to other Persons discovering Estate concealed; Trustees to certify Names of Discoverers, and Allowances to Lords Justices, or Chief Governor of Ireland, who are to pay the same.

And for encourageing all and every Person and Persons whatsoever, any waies indebted or liable to pay any such Summe of Money to any such forfeiting Person as aforesaid, upon or at any time since the said Thirteenth Day of February One thousand six hundred eighty eight, to make a speedy Discovery and Payment thereof to the said Trustees, or such Persons whom they shall appoint to receive the same: Bee it enacted That every such Person who shall before the First Day of November, One thousand seaven hundred, make a full and true Discovery to the said Trustees in Writing of any such Debt or Summe of Money, so due and payable to any Person or Persons convicted or attainted of the said [X1 High] Treason (not being a Debt by Judgment, Statute, or Recognizance) and pay Two third Parts thereof, at such time, and in such manner, as shall be directed by Warrant of the said Trustees or any Seaven or more of them, shall be released and discharged of the intire Debt or Summe of Money so due or payable as aforesaid: But every Person and Persons so indebted, or liable as aforesaid, who shall neglect to make such Discovery to the said Trustees, before the said First Day of November, One thousand seaven hundred shall forfeite double the Value of such Debt or Su[m]me of Money And every Person or Persons, who were or have beene possessed of any Personall Goods or Chattells, of or belonging to any such Persons convicted or attainted, as aforesaid, on the said Thirteenth Day of February, One thousand six hundred eighty eight, or at any time since, or shall be thereof possessed before the said First Day of November, One thousand seaven hundred, are hereby strictly charged and required, to discover and make knowne the same to the said Trustees, before the said First Day of November, One thousand seaven hundred; And the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them, shall and may thereupon allow to every Person soe discovering the same, One full Fourth Part out of the said Goods, or the Proceed thereof; But all and every Person and Persons neglecting to discover the same before the said First Day of November, One thousand seaven hundred, shall for such Offence, forfeite Double the Value of such Goods or Chattells; And the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them, are hereby authorized and impowered to make any such Compositions or Agreements touching any such Debts, Goods, or Chattells, soe as aforesaid to be discovered, as the said Trustees or any Seaven or more of them, shall in any such Case, on due Consideration of the Nature thereof, or Circumstance of the Parties concerned therein, think fitt and reasonable: And where any of the Debts are secured by Penalties, or are due and owing upon Accounts not adjusted, the said Trustees or any Seaven or more of them, are hereby authorized to state settle and determine the same; And for an Encouragement to all and every Person and Persons not soe indebted, nor possessed of any such Personall Goods or Chattells as aforesaid, who shall att any time after the said First Day of November, One thousand seaven hundred, discover to the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them, any Lands Tenements, Hereditaments, Debts, Goods, Chattells, Reall or Personall Estate whatsoever concealed untill the time of such Discovery, whereof or wherein any Person or Persons convicted or attainted, or who shall be convicted or attainted, as aforesaid, or any others in Trust for them or any of them, was or were possessed or interested within the said Realme of Ireland, on the said Thirteenth Day of February, One thousand six hundred eighty eight, or att any time since, every such Person who shall make any such Discovery, shall have and receive for his Reward, Five Shillings out of every Twenty Shillings, or the Value thereof, in Personall Estates soe discovered, after Seizure Recovery or Receipt thereof, or the Value thereof, by the said Trustees, or any other Persons by them or any Seaven or more of them, authorized and appointed to receive the same, and out of all Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments of the yearely Value of Twenty Shillings soe discovered, after Sale thereof, by the said Trustees or any Seaven or more of them, any such Proportion, not exceeding a Fourth Part of the Value thereof, as the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them shall think fitt And the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them shall, under their Hands and Seales, certifie unto the Lords Justices, Lieutenant Generall, Deputy or other Chiefe Governor or Governours of the Kingdome of Ireland for the time being, the Names of every Person who shall make any such Discovery to them, and the Su[m]mes every such Person is intituled unto by reason thereof; And the said Chiefe Governour or Governours are hereby required upon the Receipt of such Certificate, without any other Warrant or Authority whatsoever, to cause Payment to be made to such Discoverers, of such Summes as shall be soe certified to be due, out of such respective Summes of Money as shall be paid into the Receipt of His Majesties Exchequer of Ireland, by reason of such respective Discoveries.

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.