Correspondence with Enemies Act 1691

Correspondence with Enemies Act 1691X1

1691 CHAPTER 13 3 Will and Mar

An Act against corresponding with Their Majesties Enemies

Editorial Information

X1 Abbreviated title derived from Chronological Table of the Statutes: Covering the Period from 1235 to the End of 1971 (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1972)

Exporting of any Arms, &c. into France, High Treason.

For preventing of Traiterous Correspondence and Co[m]merce with the French King or his Subjects and supplying them with Warlike or other Stores or Co[m]modities by means of which they may be any way aided or comforted in carrying on their War against Their Majesties Be it declared and enacted by the King and Queens most excellent Majesties by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Co[m]mons in this present Parliament assembled and [X2 by] the authority of the same That if dureing the present War between Their Majesties and the French King any person or persons shall send or load or transport or deliver or cause to be sent or loaden or transported or delivered unto or for the Use of the said French King or any of his Subjects residing within his Dominions or any Towne or Territory in his possession or into or for any Port or Place within his said Dominions any Arms Ordnance Powder Bullets Pitch Tarr Hemp Masts Cordage Iron Coales Lead or Salt-Peter that every person or persons so as aforesaid offending being legally thereof convicted or attainted by due course of Law shall be deemed declared and adjudged to be a Traytor or Traytors and shall suffer Pains of Death and alsoe lose and forfeit as in cases of High Treason.

Editorial Information

X2 interlined on the Roll.

II. Exporting any other Commodities into France, Premunire.

16 R. II. c. 5.

And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid That if any person or persons dureing the War aforesaid shall send or load or transport or deliver or cause to be sent or laden or transported or delivered unto or for the Use of the said French King or any of his Subjects residing within his Dominions or into or for any Port or Place within his said Dominions any Goods Wares Merchandizes or Co[m]modities whatsoever other then the Goods and Co[m]modities herein before particularly menc[i]oned That every p[er]son or p[er]sons so as aforesaid offending being thereof convicted or attainted by due Course of Law shall incur the Danger Pain and Forfeiture ordained and provided by the Statute of Premunire made in the Sixteenth yeare of the Reigne of King Richard the Second.

III. Going into France without Licence, High Treason.

And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid That if any of Their Majesties Subjects shall from and after the Tenth day of March in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety one without license from Their Majesties voluntarily goe or repaire or imbarque in any Vessell with an intent to go into France or any Dominions of the French [King¹] and be upon full proof convicted thereof he shall be taken deemed and adjudged to be guilty of High Treason and shall suffer such Penalties as in case of High Treason.

IV. Persons returning out of France without Leave, Imprisonment.

And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid That if any person or persons being Their Majesties Subjects shall after the Five and twentieth day of March in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety two voluntarily come or returne from France or any of the French Kings Dominions in Europe into England or any of Their Majesties Dominions in Europe dureing the said War without Their Majesties leave for that purpose first had and obtained and be thereof convicted by due course of Law shall be co[m]mitted to Prison and there closely kept without Bail or Mainprize dureing Their Majesties pleasure for any time not exceeding Twelve Months.