Bank of England Act 1696

XXXIV. No Contract for buying or selling Bank Stock to be good, till registered in the Bank Books.

And for the preventing of clandestine or fraudulent Bargains or Dealings in Bank Stock for the future Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the said Five and twentieth Day of March which shall be in the Yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety seven no Promise Contract Bargaine Covenant or Agreement made either by word of mouth or in writing for the buying or selling of any Bank Stock or for the transferring changeing or altering the Property thereof either in Trust or otherwise however it be shall be good or valid in Law or Equity or adjudged to be legal obligatory or binding to either or any of the Parties making the same or concerned therein or for whose Use or Account the same is or shall be made unlesse such Promise Contract Bargaine Covenant or Agreement shall be actually registred in Words att length in the Book or Books of the Bank by the Officer there thereunto appointed within Seven Days & actually transferred within Foureteen Days next after the making of such Promise Contract Bargaine Covenant or Agreement.