Trade with France Act 1688

V. Ship importing, forfeited; and also Lighters, &c. employed. Master, Seamen, &c. importing; Penalty, £500 and Punishment.

Seamen, Carmen, &c. assisting in unshipping and conveying such Goods; Punishment. Carts, &c. bringing such Goods, forfeited. Master, &c. of Ship letting go such Goods; Penalty, £500 and Imprisonment.

And to the end the Prohibition and Restraint of Importation of the Commodities aforesaid hereby intended may be more effectually putt in Execution It is hereby further enacted That all and every Shipp or Vessell with all her Guns Tackle Apparell and Furniture in which any of the said French Wines Vinegar Brandy Linens Silks Salt Paper or other Commodities before mentioned shall after the said twenty fourth day of August and dureing the said Terme of three years or before the end of the next Session of Parlyament after the said three yeares be imported And alsoe all and every Barke Hoy Lighter Barge Wherry Boate Shipp or other Vessell whatsoever out of which the same or any of them shall be putt on shore shall be forfeit And moreover the Master Purser Boatswain or other person takeing care of such Shipp or Vessell for the Voyage or out of which any of the Commodities shall be unshipt into a Hoy Boate or Vessell or landed or putt on shore shall forfeit the Summe of five hundred pounds and alsoe being apprehended by Warrant of any one or more Justices of the Peace of the County City or Burrough where such Importation or Landing shall be or where the person or persons offending shall or may be found Which the said Justices of the Peace are hereby anthorized to issue and to examine Witnesses upon Oath concerning such Fact and the same being proved by the Oath of two Witnesses shall and may be by such Justice of the Peace committed to the next Goale there to remaine without Baile or Mainprize for the space of twelve months And all and every the Seamen Mariners Watermen Carmen Porters Labourers or other persons whatsoever assisting in the unshipping landing takeing up carrying or conveying of any of the said Com[m]odities either by Land or by Water shall upon Examination and Proofe as aforesaid be subject to like Imprisonment or be publickly whipt at the discretion of the Justice of Peace before whome such Conviction shall be And all and every the Carts Wains Waggons Carriages Ploughs Teams Horses or Oxen made use of assisting carrying or moveing in the Carriage or Conveyance of any of the said Goods or Commodities hereby prohibited to be imported shall and may be seized and stayd and upon proofe made before some Justice of the Peace of the County where the same shall be soe seized by the Oaths of two credible Witnesses (which Oaths the said Justice of the Peace is hereby impowered and required to administer) That the said Carts Wains Waggons Carriage Ploughs Teams Horses or Oxen respectively were made use of assisting carrying or moveing in the Carriage or Conveyance of any the said Goods and Commodities hereby prohibited to be imported the same shall be forfeited one halfe thereof to be disposed of to the use of the Poore of the Parish where the same shall be soe found and seized and the other halfe to his or their owne use that shall soe seize the same And if the Master Purser Boatswain or other person belonging to any Shipp or Vessell laden or part laden with any of the Commodities aforesaid shall after the said foure and twentyeth day of August unshipp or discharge or wittingly or willingly permitt or suffer any of the said Goods hereby prohibited to be unshipt or discharged either at Sea or in any Harbour Creeke or Bay of the Kingdoms aforesaid into any lesser Vessell Lighter Barge or Boate shall forfeit the Summe of five hundred pounds and suffer like Imprisonment as aforesaid