A. D. 1541. bow or cross-bows to keep and retain to his or their own No person use; and also the same hand-guns, hag-buts, and demyhakes, so seized and taken, within twenty days next after the same seizure or taking, to break and destroy, upon pain of forty shillings for every gun so seized, and not broken and destroyed, and the same so broken and destroyed, to keep and retain to his or their own use. S. III. And be it further enacted by the authority shall carry a aforesaid, That no person or persons, other than such as gun charged. have lands, tenements, rents, fees, annuities, or offices, to the yearly value of one hundred pounds, as is aforesaid, from or after the said last day of June, shall carry or have in his or their journey, going or riding in the king's highways, or elsewhere, any cross-bow bent, or gun charged or furnished with powder, fire, or touch for the same, except it be in time and service of war, upon pain to forfeit for every such offence ten pounds; this present act, or any thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding. Shooting in a market-town S. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforewith a gun. said, That no person or persons, from the said last day of June, shall in any wise shoot in or with any hand-gun, demy-hake, or hag-but, at any thing at large, within any city, borough, or market-town, nor within one quarter of a mile of any city, borough, or market-town, except it be at a butt or bank of earth, in place convenient, or for the defence of his person or house, upon pain to forfeit for every such shoot ten pounds, this present act, or any thing thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding. No man shall command his servant to shoot. S. V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or persons, of what estate or degree soever he or they be, shall, from or after the last day of June, command any of his or their servants to shoot in any cross-bow, hand-gun, hag-but, or demy-hake, of his or their said masters, or of any other persons, at any AD, 1541. deer, fowl, or other thing, except it be only at a butt or bank of earth, or in the time of war, as is abovesaid, upon pain to forfeit for every such offence ten pounds. The one moiety of all which forfeitures and penalties in this present act above specified, shall be to the king our sovereign lord, his heirs and successors, and the other moiety thereof to the party that will suc for the same by bill, plaint, action of debt, or information, in any of the king's courts of record, in which suit no essoin, protection, nor wager of law shall be allowed. of earth. houses guns S. VI. Provided always, and be it enacted by the au-Shooting at a thority aforesaid, That it shall be lawful from henceforth butt or bank to all gentlemen, yeomen, and serving-men, of every lord spiritual and temporal, and of all knights, esquires, and gentlemen, and to all inhabitants of cities, boroughs, and market-towns of this realm of England, to shoot with any hand-gun, demy-hake, or hag-but, at any butt or bank of earth, only in place convenient for the same, so that every such hand-gun, demy-hake, and hag-but be of the several lengths aforesaid, and not under. And that it who may shall be lawful to every of the said lord and lords, keep in their knights, esquires, and gentlemen, and the inhabitants of of a lawful every city, borough, and market-town, to have and length. keep in every of their houses any such hand-gun or hand-guns of the length of one whole yard, or any hagbut, or demy-hake of the length of three quarters of a yard, as is aforesaid, and not under, to the intent to use and shoot in the same at a butt or bank of earth only, as is abovesaid, whereby they and every of them, by the exercise thereof in form abovesaid, may the better aid and assist to the defence of this realm, when need shall require; this present act, or any thing therein contained, to the contrary notwithstanding. dwelleth in a S. VII. And be it further enacted by the authority He that aforesaid, 'That it shall be lawful to every person and per- house stand town. A. D. 1541. sons, which dwelleth and inhabiteth in any house standing, ing two fur- and being set distant two furlongs from any city, bolongs from a rough, or town, to keep and have in his said house, for the only defence of the same, hand-guns, hag-buts, and demy-hakes, being of the several lengths aforesaid, and not under, and to use and exercise to shoot in the same at any butt or bank of earth near to his house, and not otherwise; any thing contained in this act to the contrary notwithstanding. Placards of licence to shoot in &c. void. S. VIII. And furthermore the king's most loving subjects, the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons cross-bows, in this present parliament assembled, most humbly do beseech the king's majesty, that it be further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all letters, patents, fraternities, and also all other placards, licences, and bills assigned, heretofore had, made, or signed by his highness, or by any other authorized by his highness letters patent under his great seal, to give licence and placard to shoot in cross-bows and hand-guns, or any of them, shall be, from and after the said last day of June, frustrate, void, and of none effect. All statutes in cross-bows S. IX. And also that it may be further enacted by aufor shooting thority aforesaid, 'That the said statute made in the said and guns re- twenty-fifth year of the king's most gracious reign, and pealed. all other statutes heretofore made and provided for the avoiding and restraint of shooting in cross-bows and hand-guns, or for any of them, or for the using and keeping of the same, be from henceforth utterly void, and of none effect. S. X. Provided always, That every process, suit, or information, conceived, commenced, and now depending, for any offence done contrary to the form of the said statute, made in the said five-and-twentieth year of the king's most noble reign, or of any other statute, made, provided for, and concerning the shooting in cross-bows and hand-guns, not repealed, and for the keeping of the same, shall be as good and effectual to the parties that A. D. 1541. have commenced the same, and shall stand and be in such form, effect, degree, and condition, as if this act had never been made. cross-bows S. XI. Provided also, That this act, or any thing Receiver of therein contained, be not in any wise hurtful or prejudicial reit to the to any person or persons, now being, or that hereafter king. shall be appointed by the king's highness to keep, receive, or take any cross-bows or hand-guns, that shall be forfeited or taken within the precinct or liberty of the king's forests, parks, or chases; but that he or they may lawfully keep and retain the same cross-bows or hand-guns, from time to time, until such time as the further pleasure of the king's highness in that behalf, be to every such person hewed and declared. and hand S. XII. Provided also, That this act extend not to the Cross-bow makers of cross-bows or hand-guns, but that they may gun-makers. lawfully keep cross-bows and hand-guns, hag-buts, and demy-hakes in their houses, and shoot in the same, only for proving and assaying of them, at a butt or bank of earth, in a place convenient, and not otherwise; so that the said hand-guns, hag-buts, and demy-hakes be of the several lengths in stock and gun, as is above limited. cross-bows, S. XIII. Provided also, That this act, nor any thing Merchants therein contained, extend not, or be prejudicial to any having to seli merchants which have or shall have any cross-bows, hand- &c. guns, hagbuts, and demy-hakes, or any of them, to sell within this realm, and to none other use; so that the same hand-guns, hag-buts, and demy-hakes be of the several lengths in gun and stock, as is above limited, and not under. county. S. XIV. Provided also, That no manner of person Proclamation run in any danger, or take hurt by reason of any penalty made in the or forfeiture contained in this act, until such time as proclamation be made of the act within the same county, A. D. 1511. where the party that shall or may offend contrary to this act, dwelleth, by the space of twenty days next another's house. after the making of the said roclamation. One bringing S. XV. Provided also, That if any manner of person Any may bring the offender to a justice of peace. S. XVI. And be it also enacted by the authority of this present parliament, That if any person or persons from or after the last day of June next coming, see or find any person or persons offending or doing contrary to the form and effect of this present act, that then it shall be lawful to every such person or persons, perceiving, finding, or seeing, any such person or persons so offending contrary to this act, to arrest and attach every such of fender or offenders, and to bring or convey the same to the next justice of the peace of the same county, where the same offender or offenders shall be found so offending. And that the same justice of the peace, upon a due examination and proof thereof before him had or made, by his discretion, shall have full power and authority to send or commit the same offender or offenders to the next jail, there to remain till such time as the said penalty or forfeiture shall be truly contented and payed by the said offender the one moiety of the same penalty to be paid to the king's highness, and the other moiety thereof to the first bringer or conveyor of the said offender to the same justice of peace. |