Westminster Act 1756
(29 Geo. 2) C A P. XXV.
'W H E R E A S by reason of some Defects in an Act of Parliament, passed in the twenty-seventh Year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth , intituled,An Act for the good Government of the City and Borough of Westminster, in the County of Middlesex; the publick Ways and Passages are greatly obstructed, and many other Annoyances and Offences are daily committed within the said City and Borough: And whereas by reason of the great Increase of Buildings in Westminster of late Years, and of some Irregularity in the Appointment of Constables for the said City and Borough, there is not at present a sufficient Number of those Officers for the Service ofWestminster :' To remedy which said Evils; May it please your most Excellent Majesty, that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the twenty-fifth Day of June one thousand seven hundred and fifty-fix, the Dean of the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter, Westminster , for the time being, or the High Steward of the City and Liberty of Westminster for the time being, or his lawful Deputy, is hereby authorized and required (calling to his Assistancethe Burgesses of the said City and Liberty ofWestminster, if the said Dean, or High Steward or his Deputy, shall think fit) at a Court Leet to be holden for the said City and Liberty, on Tuesday next following the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel in every Year, yearly to appoint eighty able and fit Persons residing within the said City and Liberty, being Artificers, or Persons using any Trade of buying or selling (Alehousekeepers, Victuallers, or Persons retailing Spirituous Liquors, only excepted) to be Constables for the said City and Liberty of Westminster, being duly presented thereto, in Manner herein after mentioned and directed.
II to be chosen out of the several Parishes, and in the Proportions here mentioned;
II. And for the better and more easy executing the said Office of Constable, and for preserving the Peace inWestminster; Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Constables to be appointed as aforesaid, shall be chosen out of the several Parishes in Westminster as followeth; that is to say, There shall be yearly chosen out of the Parish of Saint Margaret fourteen; out of the Parish of Saint John the Evangelist four; out of the Parish of Saint Martin in the Fields fourteen; out of the Parish of Saint George Hanover Square twelve; out of the Parish of Saint James fourteen; out of the Parish of Saint Anne eight; out of the Parish of Saint Paul Covent Garden six; out of the Parish of Saint Clement Danes six; and out of the Parishof SaintMary le Strand two: And the Constables so appointed shall take the usual Oath of Office, and shall do and execute all and every Matter and Thing appertaining and belonging to the Office of a Constable, for the Space of one whole Year, to commence from their Appointment to the said Office, or until other Persons shall be appointed in their Stead, or shall find fit and able Persons, to be approved of by the said Court Leet, to serve and take the Oath of the Office of Constable, as their Deputies, and in their Room and Stead; such other Persons not being Alehousekeepers, Victuallers, or Persons retailing Spirituous Liquors.
III Precepts to be issued for returning and summoning a Leet Jury,
III. And in order that fit and proper Persons may be appointed to the said Office of Constable; Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Dean ofWestminster for the time being, or the said High Steward for the time being, or his Deputy (calling to his Assistance the Burgesses of the said City and Liberty of Westminster, if the said Dean, or High Steward, or his Deputy, shall think fit) shall and may, and he is hereby authorized and required to issue out a Precept or Precepts within six Weeks before the Feast of Saint Michael in every Year, directed to the High Bailiff of Westminster, who is hereby authorized, directed and required to obey the same, to impanel and return forty substantial Housholders and Traders residing within the said several Parishes in Westminster, in the Proportions before mentioned; and to summon such Persons to appear at such Time and Place as in such Precept or Precepts shall be directed and appointed; and out of the Persons so impanelled, summoned and returned, the said Dean, or High Steward, or his Deputy (calling to his Assistance the Burgesses of the said City and Liberty of Westminster, if the said Dean, High Steward, or his Deputy, shall think fit, shall at a Court to be held by him for that Purpose, nominate and appoint so many as he shall think fit, not exceeding thirty, taking Care that one or more be nominated out of each of the said Parishes;and that the Persons so nominated and appointed shall be calledThe Leet Jury , and shall be sworn to present to the said Court fit and proper Persons to be chosen and appointed Constables for the Service of the City and Liberty of Westminster for the Year then next ensuing; that is to say, The said Jury shall present to serve as Constables for the Parish of Saint Margaret twenty-eight; the Parish of Saint John the Evangelist eight; the Parish of Saint Martin in the Fields twenty-eight; the Parish of Saint George Hanover Square twenty-four; the Parish of Saint James twenty-eight; the Parish of Saint Anne sixteen; the Parish of Saint Paul Covent Garden twelve; the Parish of Saint Clement Danes twelve; and the Parish of Saint Mary le Strand four; out of which said Number so presented the said Court shall, at the Time,and in the Manner and Proportions herein before directed, appoint eighty to be Constables to serve for the said City and Liberty; and the Persons so nominated and appointed to beThe Leet Jury , shall continue in the said Office for one whole Year, or till others are appointed and sworn in their Room and Stead.
IV 40 s. Fine on Persons summoned, refusing to appear, to execute the Office of Jurymen.
IV. Provided always, and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That in case any Person who shall be summoned by the said High Bailiff, by virtue of any Precept or Precepts to be directed as aforesaid, to take upon him the said Office of Juryman, shall neglect or refuse to appear according to the Direction of such Summons, or appearing shall refuse to take upon him the said Office (being thereunto appointed) or shall at any Time refuse to appeal to present proper Persons to be Constables, being duly summoned for that Purpose, every such Person shall forfeit the Sum of forty Shillings; which said Sum of forty Shillings shall be set upon him by the said Court by way of Fine for such his Contempt or Refusal, to be recovered in such Manner as is herein after directed.
V Precepts to be issued for summoning Persons presented to serve as Constables, to attend the Court; and on their refusing to attend or serve, they are to forfeit 8 l.
V. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every Person and Persons who shall be presented by the Jury as aforesaid, as fit and proper Persons for the Office of Constable, shall by a Precept or Precepts from the said Court, be summoned by the Petty Constables to whom such Precept shall be directed, to appear at the said Court Leet, to be holden for the City and Liberty ofWestminster, to take upon them the said Office; and in case any Person that shall be so summoned, shall neglect to appear according to...
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