Taxation (No. 6) Act 1696

VIII. Hawker, &c. may be detained till be produce his Licence.

Hawker trading without Licence may be carried before Justice of Peace.; Penalty £12,; Distress.

And it is further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawfull for any Person and Persons whatsoever to seize and detaine any such Hawker Pedlar Petty Chapman or other trading Person or Persons as aforesaid till such Time as hee she or they shall produce a Licence in that behalfe if hee she or they have any and if hee she or they shall be found trading without a Licence contrary to this Act for such reasonable Time as hee she or they may give Notice to the Constable Headborough Tythingman Churchwarden Overseer of the Poor or some other Parish Officer or Officers who are hereby required to carry such Person so seized before some one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace of the County or Place where such Offence or Offences shall be co[m]mitted which said Justice of the Peace is hereby authorized and strictly required either upon the Confession of the Party offending or due Proof by Witnesse upon Oath (which hee is hereby impowered to administer) that the person so brought before him had so traded as aforesaid and that no such Licence shall be produced by such Offender before the said Justice by Warrant under his Hand and Seale to cause the said Su[m]m of Twelve pounds to be forthwith levied by Distresse and Sale of the Offender or Offenders Goods Wares or Merchandizes rendring the Overplus if any be to the Owner or Owners thereof after true deducc[i]on of the reasonable Charge for taking the said Distresse and out of the said Sale to pay the said respective Penalties and Forfeitures aforesaid.