Crown Lands (Forfeited Estates) Act 1698

XIV. Persons knowingly making false Claims, Penalty.

Witnesses forswearing themselves, Punishment; Claimants making good their Claims,; Trustees to allow the same.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or Persons whatsoever, shall knowingly and fraudulently claime by or under any forged Deed or satisfied Security, Mortgage or Incumbrance, or demand any greater Debt or Su[m]me of Money than is really due, or any other larger or better Estate than really and bona fide he hath, or is intituled unto, every such Person or Persons shall forfeite for such Offence double the Value of the Estate, Debt, or other thing soe claimed, the same to be ascertained by the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them; And if any Witnesse produced and sworne before the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them, shall be wilfully and corruptly forsworne, in order to support any such Claime, as aforesaid, every such Witnesse being thereof lawfully convicted, shall incurr the Paines and Penalties enacted in case of willfull and corrupt Perjury, and shall suffer Six Months Imprisonment without Baile or Mainprize; And if the Party claimant shall, upon the hearing any Claime prove the same by good and sufficient Proofe upon Oath or otherwise, as the Nature of the Case shall require, to the Satisfaction of the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them the said Trustees, or any Seaven or more of them, are hereby required to allow such Claime.