United Kingdom Legislation

For avoiding Corruption in Offices of Justice or Places of Trust;

For the avoydinge of corrupcion whiche maye hereafter happen to be in the Officers and Ministers in those Courts Places or Romes wherein there is requisite to be had the true admynistracion of Justice or service of Truste, and to thintent that persons worthye and mete to be advaunced to the place where Justice is to be mynistered or any service of Truste executed sholde hereafter be preferred to the same and none other;

[I.]

Penalty on selling any Office, or receiving or agreeing to receive Money, &c. for any Office concerning the Administration of Justice, or the Receipt or Controul of the King’s Revenue, or the keeping, &c. of any Town, Castle, or Fortress, or any Clerkship in any Court of Record;On the Seller, Forfeiture of all Title to the Office sold; On the Buyer, Disability to hold such Office bought, &c.

Yf any person or persons at any tyme hereafter bargayne or sell any Office or Offices, or Deputacion of any Office or Offices, or any parte or parcell of any of them, or receyve have or take any Money fee rewarde or any other Profytt directly or indirectly, or take any Promyse agrement coven [F1 ]nte bonde or any assuraunce to receyve or have any Money fee rewarde or other Profytt directly or indirectly, for any Office or Offices or for the Deputacion of anye Office or Offices or any parte of any of them, or to thintent that any person sholde have exercise or enjoye any Office or Offices, or the Deputacion of any Office or Offices or any parte of any of them, whiche Office or Offices or any parte or parcell of them shall in anywise touche or concerne the admynistracion or execucion of Justice, or the Receipte controlment or payment of any the Kings Highnes Treasure Money Rent Revenewe Accompte Alneage Auditorshipp or Survaying of anye the Kings Majesties Honors Castells Mannors Lands Tenents Wood or Hereditaments, or any the Kings Majesties Customes, or any [F1 other] admynistracion or necessarie Attendaunce to be had done or executed in any the Kings Majesties Custome House or Houses, or the kepinge of any the Kings Majesties Townes Castells or Fortresses beinge-used occupied or appoynted for a place of strengthe and defence, or whiche shall concerne or touche any Clarkeshippe to be occupied in any manner of Courte of Recorde wherein Justice ys to be mynistred, that then all and everie suche person and persons that shall so bargayne or sell any of the saide Office or Offices Deputacion or Deputacions or that shall take anye Money fee rewarde or Profitt for any of the saide Office or Offices Deputacion or Deputacions of any of the said Offices or any parte of them, or that shall take anye Promyse coven [F1 ]nte bonde or assuraunce for any Money rewarde or Profitt to be given, for any of the saide Office or Offices Deputacion or Deputacions of any of the saide Office or Offices or any parte of any of them, shall not onlye lose and forfayte all his and their right interest and estate whiche suche person or persons shall then have of in or to anye of the saide Office or Offices Deputacion or Deputacions, or any parte of any of them, or of in or to the gyfte or nominacion of any of the saide Office or Offices Deputacion or Deputacions, for the whiche Office or Offices or for the Deputacion or Deputacions of whiche Office or Offices, or for anye parte of anye of them, anye suche person or persons shall so make any bargayne or sale, or take or receive any some of Money fee reward or Profitt, or any Promyse coven [F1 ]nte or assuraunce to have or receyve any Fee rewarde money or Profitt; But also that all and everie suche person and parsons that shall geve or paye any somme of Money rewarde or fee, or shall make any Promyse agrement bonde or assuraunce for anye of the saide Offices, or for the Deputacion or Deputacions of any of the saide Office or Offices or any parte of any of them, shall ymmediatlye by and upon the same Fee money or rewarde given or payde, or upon any suche Promyse coven [F1 ]nte bonde or agrement had or made for any Fee somme of money or rewarde to be payde as is aforesaide, be adjudged a disabled person in the lawe, to all intents and purposes, to have occupye or enjoye the saide Office or Offices Deputacion or Deputacions or any parte of any of them, for the Which suche person or persons shall so give or paye any some of Money fee or rewarde or make any Promyse coven [F1 ]nte bonde or other assuraunce to give or paye any some of Money fee or rewarde.

II.

All such Sales and Agreements, &c, declared void.

And all and everie suche Bargaynes sales Promyses bondes agrements coven [F2 ]nts and assuraunces, as be before specified, shalbe voide to and againste him and them by whom any suche Bargayne sale bonde Promyse coven [F2 ]nte or assuraunce shalbe had or made.

III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3

IV.

Acts done by any Officer offending, before his Removal, declared valid.

Provided also that yf any person or persons doe hereafter offende in anye thinge cont [F4 ]rie to the tenor and effecte of this Acte, yet that notwithstandinge, all Judgements given and all other Acte and Acts executed or done by any suche person or persons so offendinge, by auctoritie or colour of the Office or Deputacion whiche ought to be forfeited or not occupied or not enjoyed by the person so offendinge as ys aforesaide, after the saide Offence so by suche person commytted or done and before suche person so offendinge for the same Offence be romoved from the exercise admynistracion and occupacion of the saide Office or Deputacion, shalbe and remayne good & sufficient in Lawe to all intents construccion and purposes, in suche like manner and fourme as the same sholde and ought to have remayned and bene yf this Acte had never bene hadd or made.

V, VI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5