THE ADMIRALTY STATUTES. 5 & 6 Edward VI.-A.D. 1552. CAP. XVI. An Act against buying and selling of Offices.(1) corruption or receiving or &c. for any FOR the avoiding of corruption which may hereafter happen For avoiding to be in the officers and ministers in those courts, places, offices of jusor rooms, wherein there is requisite to be had the true ad- tice or places ministration of justice or services of trust; and to the intent of trust; that persons worthy and meet to be advanced to the place where justice is to be ministred, or any service of trust executed, should hereafter be preferred to the same, and no other: penalty on sellBe it therefore enacted by the King our Soverign Lord, the ing any office, lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons, in this present agreeing to reParliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that if ceive money, any person or persons at any time hereafter bargain or sell any office concernoffice or offices, or deputation of any office or offices, or any part ing the admior parcel of any of them, or receive, have, or take any money, fee, nistration of reward, or any other profit directly or indirectly, or take any receipt or conjustice, or the promise, agreement, covenant, bond, or any assurance to receive trol of the or have any money, fee, reward, or other profit, directly or in- King's revenue, directly, for any office or offices, or for the deputation of any &c. of any or the keeping, office or offices, or any part of any of them; or to the intent that town, castle, any person should have, exercise, or enjoy any office or offices, or or fortress, or the deputation of any office or offices or any part of any of them; any clerkship which office or offices, or any part or parcel of them, shall in any of record; wise touch or concern the administration or execution of justice, or the receipt, controlment, or payment of any of the King's Highness treasure, money, rent, revenue, account, aulnage, auditorship, or surveying of any of the King's Majesty's honours, castles, manors, lands, tenements, woods, or hereditaments; or any of the King's Majesty's customs, or any other administration or necessary attendance to be had, done, or executed in any of the King's Majesty's custom house or houses; or the keeping of any of the King's Majesty's towns, castles, or fortresses, being used, occupied, or appointed for a place of strength and defence; (1) This Act is extended to Scotland and Ireland and to other offices by 49 Geo. 3. c. 126. s. 1., p. 11, post. It is repealed so far as regards the revenue of customs or officers in the service of the customs, 6 Geo. 4. c. 105. 21936. Wt. 1197. A in any court له forfeiture of all title to the office sold; or which shall concern or touch any clerkship to be occupied in any manner of court of record, wherein justice is to be ministred ; that then all and every such person and persons that shall so bargain or sell any of the said office or offices, deputation or deputations, or that shall take any money, fee, reward, or profit, for any of the said office or offices, deputation or deputations of any of the said offices, or any part of any of them, or that shall take any promise, covenant, bond, or assurance for any money, reward, or profit, to be given for any of the said office or offices, on the seller, deputation or deputations of any of the said office or offices, or any part of any of them, shall not only lose and forfeit all his and their right, interest, and estate which such person or persons shall then have, of, in, or to any of the said office or offices, deputation or deputations, or any part of any of them, or of, in, or to the gift or nomination of any of the said office or offices, deputation or deputations, for the which office or offices, or for the deputation or deputations of which office or offices, or for any part of any of them, any such person or persons shall so make any bargain or sale, or take or receive any sum of money, fee, reward, or profit, cr any promise, covenant, or assurance to have or receive any fee, reward, money, or profit: But also that all and every such person or persons, that shall give or pay any sum of money, reward or fee, or shall make any promise, agreement, bond, or assurance for any of the said offices, or for the deputation or deputations of any of the said office or offices, or any part of any of them, shall immediately by and upon the same fee, money, or reward given or paid, or upon any such promise, covenant, bond, or agreement had or made for any fee, sum of money, or reward to be paid as is aforesaid, be adjudged a disabled person in the law, to all intents and purposes, to have, occupy, or enjoy the said office or offices, deputation or deputations, or any part of any of them, for the which such person or persons shall so give or pay any sum of money, fee, or reward, or make any promise, covenant, bond, or other assurance, to give or pay any sum of money, fee, or reward. on the buyer, disability to hold such office bought, &c. All such sales and agreements, &c. declared void. Proviso for offices of inheritance, parkerships, &c. Acts done by 2. And be it also enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all and every such bargains, sales, promises, bonds, agreements, covenants, and assurances as be before specified, shall be void, to and against him and them by whom any such bargain, sale, bond, promise, covenant, cr assurance shall be had or made. 3. Provided alway, that this Act, or anything therein contained, shall not in anywise extend to any office or offices, whereof any person or persons is or shall be seised of any estate of inheritance; nor to any office of parkership, or of the keeping of any park, house, manor, garden, chase, or forest, or to any of them; anything in this Act heretofore mentioned to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding. 4. Provided also, that if any person or persons do hereafter any officer of offend in anything contrary to the tenor and effect of this Act, fending, before |