# Hawkers Act 1697, Section VIII: Any Person may seize and detain Hawker, &c. until he produce Licence.


Notice to be given to Constable, &c. who is to carry the Person seized before a Justice, &c; who, on Conviction or Confession, may levy, the said Penalty of £12.
And it is further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shal and may be lawful for any Person, or Persons whatsoever to seize and detein any such Hawker Pedlar Petty Chapman or other Trading Person or Persons as aforesaid till such Time as he she or they shal produce a Licence in that Behalf if he she or they have any or if he she or they shall be found trading without a Licence contrary to this Act for such reasonable Time as he she or they may give Notice to the Constable Headborough Tythingmen Churchwardens Overseers of the Poor or some other Parish Officer or Officers who are hereby required to carry such Person or Persons so seized before some of His Majesties Justices of the Peace of the County or Place where such Offence or Offences shal be co[m]mitted which said Justice of the Peace is hereby authorized and strictly required either upon Confession of the Partie offending or due Proof by Witness upon Oath (which he is hereby impowred to administer) that the Person so brought before him had so traded as aforesaid and that no such Licence shal be produced by such Offender before the said Justice by Warrant under his Hand and Seal to cause the said Sum of Twelve Pounds to be forthwith levyed by Distress and Sale of the Offender or Offenders Goods Wares or Merchandizes rendreing the Overplus if any be to the Owner or Owners thereof after true Deduction of the reasonable Charge for takeing the said Distress and out of the said Sale to pay the said respective Penalties and Forfeitures aforesaid.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Will3/9/27/section/VIII (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/hawkers-act-1697/section-VIII
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.