A Copy of the PENSION-BILL, passed
by the House of Commons, and rejected
by the House of Lords. [See Vol. II.
p. 81.]
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 24th Day of June 1731, no Person, who shall be
elected a Member to serve in the House of Commons,
shall vote or fit in the said House, during any Debate there,
after their Speaker is chosen, until such Member shall
from time to time, and in manner following, first take the
Oath herein after mentioned, and subscribe the same in a
Parchment Roll, to be provided by the Clerk of the House
of Commons for that Purpose, viz.
I A. B. do solemnly and sincerely swear, that I have
not directly or indirectly any Pension during Pleasure, or
for any Number of Years, from the Crown, nor any Office
in Part, or in the Whole, from the Crown, held for me, or
for my Benefit, by any Person whatsoever: And I do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that. I will not receive, accept, or take, directly or indirectly, during the
Time of my being a Member of this Parliament, any
Pension during Pleasure, or for any Number of Years, or
any other Gratuity or Reward whatsoever, or any Office
from the Crown, to be held for me, or for my Benefit, in
Part, or in the Whole thereof, by any Person whatsoever,
without signifying the same to this House, within fourteen
Days after I have received or accepted the same, if the
Parliament be then sitting, or within fourteen Days after
the next Meeting of the Parliament. So help me God.
Which said Oath shall be in this and every succeeding
Parliament, solemnly and publicly taken and subscribed by
every such Member of the House of Commons, at the
Table in the Middle of the said House, at the same Time
that he takes the other Oaths by Law directed to be taken,
whilst a full House of Commons is there duly sitting with
their Speaker in his Chair.
And be it further enacted, that if any Member so taking
the Oath, and subscribing as before directed, shall, at the
Time of taking the said Oath, have any Pension during
Pleasure, or for any Number of Years, or any Office from
the Crown, in Part, or in the Whole, held in Trust for
him, or for his Benefit, or shall, during his being a Member
of Parliament, accept, receive, or take any Pension during
Pleasure, or for any Number of Years, or any other Gratuity or Reward whatsoever, or any Office in Part, or in
the Whole, to be held for him, or for his Benefit, from
the Crown, without signifying the same to the House, as
aforesaid, such Member shall be, and is hereby adjudged
and declared to be guilty of wilful any corrupt Perjury,
and being thereof convicted by due Course of Law, shall
incur and suffer the Pains and Penalties which by the Laws
and Statutes of this Realm are inflicted in Cases of wilful
and corrupt Perjury, and shall from thenceforth be incapable of taking, holding, or enjoying any Office whatsoever.
And be it further enacted, that if any Member elected
as aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect to take and subscribe
the Oath as before directed, the Place for which such Member was elected, is hereby, without any other Conviction
or Proceeding, declared void to all Intents and Purposes,
as if such Member was naturally dead.
And be it further enacted, that in Case any Member shall
presume to fit or vote in the House of Commons, after the
Speaker is chosen, without taking and subscribing the Oath
herein before mentioned, such Member shall forseit the
Sum of thirty Pounds for each Day he shall fit and vote as
aforesaid, to be recovered and received, with full Costs of
Suit, by him or them who shall sue for the same, and to be
prosecuted by any Action, Suit-Bill, Plaint, or Information,
in any of his Majesty's Courts of Record at Westminster,
wherein no Essoign, Protection, Wager of Law, or more
than one Imparlance shall be admitted or allowed; and
shall from thenceforth be incapable of taking, holding, or
enjoying any Office or Employment of Profit or Trust under his Majesty, his Heirs or Successors.
Provided always, and it is hereby declared and enacted
by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person shall be made
liable to any Disability, Incapacity, Forfeiture or Penalty
by this Act laid or imposed, unless Prosecution be commenced within one Year next after the Dissolution, or other
Determination of the Parliament, in which such Disability,
Incapacity, Forfeiture, or Penalty shall be incurred; or,
in Case of a Prosecution, unless the same be carry'd on
without wilful Delay, any Thing herein contained to the
contrary notwithstanding.