appoint, for any term not exceeding fourteen years, in the discretion of the court before whom such offender shall be convicted or adjudged. 40 GEO. III. CAP. 98. [A.D. 1800.] (Thellusson Act.) An act to restrain all trusts and directions in deeds or wills, whereby the profits or produce of real or personal estcie shall be accumulated, and the beneficial enjoyment thereof postponed beyond the time therein limited. Whereas it is expedient that all dispositions of real or personal estates, whereby the profits and produce thereof are directed to be accumulated, and the beneficial enjoyment thereof is postponed, should be made subject to the restrictions herein-after contained; may it therefore please your 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 parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That no person or persons shall, after the passing of this act, by any deed or deeds, surrender or surrenders, will, codicil, or otherwise howsoever, settle or dispose of any real or personal property, so and in such manner that the rents, issues, profits, or produce thereof, shall be wholly or partially accumulated for any longer term than the life or lives of any such grantor or grantors, settler or settlers, or the term of twenty-one years from the death of any such grantor, settler, devisor, or testator, or during the minority or respective minorities of any person or persons who shall be living, or in ventre sa mere at the time of the death of such grantor, devisor, or testator, or during the minority or respective minorities only of any person or persons who, under the uses or trusts of the deed, surrender, will, or other assurances, directing such accumulations, would, for the time being, if of full age, be entitled unto the rents, issues, and profits, or the interest, dividends, or annual produce, so directed to be accumulated; and in every case where any accumulation shall be directed otherwise than as aforesaid, such direction shall be null and void, and the rents, issues, profits, and produce of such property so directed to be accumulated, shall, so long as the same shall be directed to be accumulated contrary to the provisions of this act, go to and be received by such person or persons as would have been entitled thereto if such accumulation had not been directed. II. Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing in this act contained shall extend to any provision for payment of debts of any grantor, settler, or devisor, or other person or persons, or to any provision for raising portions for any child or children of any grantor, settler, or devisor, or any child or children of any person taking any interest under any such conveyance, settlement, or devise, or to any direction touching the produce of timber or wood upon any lands or tenements, but that all such provisions and directions shall and may be made and given as if this act had not passed. 46 GEO. III. CAP. 37. [A.D. 1806.] An act to declare the law with respect to witnesses refusing to answer. Whereas doubts have arisen whether a witness can by law refuse to answer a question relevant to the matter in issue, the answering of which has no tendency to accuse himself, or to expose him to any penalty or forfeiture, but the answering of which may establish, or tend to establish that he owes a debt, or is otherwise subject to a civil suit at the instance of his Majesty, or of some other person or persons; be it therefore declared and 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 a witness cannot by law refuse to answer a question relevant to the matter in issue, the answering of which has no tendency to accuse himself or to expose him to penalty or forfeiture, of any nature whatsoever, by reason only, or on the sole ground, that the answering of such question may establish or tend to establish that he owes a debt, or is otherwise subject to a civil suit, either at the instance of his Majesty, or of any other person or persons. 9 GEO. IV. CAP. 14. (Lord Tenterden's Act.) An Act for rendering a written Memorandum necessary to the Validity of certain Promises and Engagements. Whereas by an Act passed in England in the twenty-first year of the reign of King James the First, it was, among other things, enacted, that all actions of account and upon the case, other than such accounts as concern the trade of merchandize between merchant and merchant, their factors or servants, all actions of debt grounded upon any lending or contract without speciality, and all actions of debt for arrearages of rent, should be commenced within three years after the end of the then present session of Parliament, or within six years next after the cause of such actions or suit, and not after: And whereas a similar enactment is contained in an Act passed in Ireland in the tenth year of the reign of King Charles the First: And whereas various questions have arisen in actions founded on simple contract, as to the proof and effect of acknowledgments and promises offered in evidence for the purpose of taking cases out of the operation of the said enactments; and it is expedient to prevent such questions, and to make provision for giving effect to the said enactments and to the intention thereof: I. Be it therefore 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 in actions of debt or upon the case grounded upon any simple contract no acknowledgment or promise by words only shall be deemed sufficient evidence of a new or continuing contract, whereby to take any case out of the operation of the said enactments or either of them, or to deprive any party of the benefit thereof, unless such acknowledgment or promise shall be made or contained by or in some writing to be signed by the party chargeable thereby; and that where there shall be two or more joint contractors, or executors or administrators of any contractor, no such joint contractor, executor, or administrator shall lose the benefit of the said enactments or either of them, so as to be chargeable in respect or by reason only of any written acknowledgment or promise made and signed by any other or others of them: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall alter or take away or lessen the effect of any payment of any principal or interest made by any person whatsoever : Provided also, that in actions to be commenced against two or more such joint contractors, or executors or administrators, if it shall appear at the trial or otherwise that the plaintiff, though barred by either of the said recited Acts or this Act, as to one or more of such joint contractors, or executors or administrators, shall nevertheless be entitled to recover against any other or others of the defendants, by virtue of a new acknowledgment or promise, or otherwise, judgment may be given and costs allowed for the plaintiff as to such defendant or defendants against whom he shall recover, and for the other defendant or defendants against the plaintiff. II. And be it further enacted, That if any defendant or defendants in any action on any simple contract shall plead any matter in abatement, to the effect that any other person or persons ought to be jointly sued, and issue be joined on such plea, and it shall appear at the trial that the action could not, by reason of the said recited Acts or this Act, or of either of them, be maintained against the other person or persons named in such plea, or any of them, the issue joined on such plea shall be found against the party pleading the same. III. And be it further enacted, That no indorsement or memorandum of any payment written or made after the time appointed for this Act to take effect, upon any promissory note, bill of exchange, or other writing, by or on the behalf of the party to whom such payment shall be made, shall be deemed sufficient proof of such payment, so as to take the case out of the operation of either of the said statutes. IV. And be it further enacted, That the said recited Acts and this Act shall be deemed and taken to apply to the case of any debt on simple contract alleged by way of set off on the part of any defendant, either by plea, notice, or otherwise. V. And be it further enacted, That no action shall be maintained whereby to charge any person upon any promise made after full age to pay any debt contracted during infancy, or upon any ratification after full age of any promise or simple contract made during infancy, unless such promise or ratification shall be made by some writing signed by the party to be charged therewith. VI. And be it further enacted, That no action shall be brought whereby to charge any person upon or by reason of any representation or assurance made or given concerning or relating to the character, conduct, credit, ability, trade, or dealings of any other person, to the intent or purpose that such other person may obtain credit, money, or goods upon, unless such representation or assurance be made in writing, signed by the party to be charged therewith. VII. And whereas by an Act passed in England in the twentyninth year of the reign of King Charles the Second, intituled An Act for the Prevention of Frauds and Perjuries, it is, among other things, enacted, that from and after the twenty-fourth day of June one thousand six hundred and seventy-seven, nó contract for the sale of any goods, wares, and merchandizes, for the price of ten pounds sterling or upwards, shall be allowed to be good, except the buyer shall accept part of the goods so sold, and actually receive the same, or give something in earnest to bind the bargain, or in part of payment, or that some note or memorandum in writing of the said bargain be made and signed by the parties to be charged by such contract, or their agents thereunto lawfully authorized: And whereas a similar enactment is contained in an Act passed in Ireland in the seventh year of the reign of King William the Third: And whereas it has been held, that the said recited enactments do not extend to certain executory contracts for the sale of goods, which nevertheless are within the mischief thereby intended to be remedied; and it is expedient to extend the said enactments to such executory contracts; Be it enacted, That the said enactments shall extend to all contracts for the sale of goods of the value of ten pounds sterling and upwards, notwithstanding the goods may be intended to be delivered at some future time, or may not at the time of such contract be actually made, procured, or provided, or fit or ready for delivery, or some act may be requisite for the making or completing thereof, or rendering the same fit for delivery. 11 GEO. IV. & 1 WM. IV. CAP. 40. [A.D. 1830.] An Act for making better Provision for the Disposal of the undisposed of Residues of the Effects of Testators. Whereas Testators by their Wills frequently appoint Executors, without making any express Disposition of the Residue of their Personal Estate: And whereas Executors so appointed become by Law entitled to the whole Residue of such Personal Estate; and Courts of Equity have so far followed the Law as to hold such Executors to be entitled to retain such Residue for their own Use, unless it appears to have been their Testator's Intention to exclude them from the benecial Interest therein, in which Case they are held to be Trustees for the Person or Persons (if any) who would be entitled to such Estate under the Statute of Distributions, if the Testator has died Intestate: And whereas it is desirable that the Law should be extended in that respect; Be it therefore 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 when any Person shall die, after the First Day of September next after the passing of this Act, having by his or her Will, or any Codicil or Codicils thereto, appointed any Person or Persons to be his or her Executor or Executors, such Executor or Executors shall be deemed by Courts of Equity to be a Trustee or Trustees for the Person or Persons (if any) who would be |