# Thames Navigation Act 1694, Section II: Power to the said Justices of Peace in Sessions to settle the Rates of Water Carriage upon Thames, &c.


Taking more than Rate assessed; Penalty £5.
And bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid That from and after the said First day of May the said Justices of the Peace or any Five of them in their respective General Quarter Sessions next after Easter-Day yearely shall have power and authority and they are hereby enjoyned and required to assesse and rate the prices of the carriage of all sorts of Goods whatsoever from any place in their said respective Counties to any other place or places upon the said Rivers in such Boats Barges or Vessells and shall give publick notice in Writing to the Mayor or other Head Officer in every Markett Towne within their said respective Counties of the rates and prices soe sett and assessed and of all other rates and prices which shall bee rated and assessed by virtue of this Act And if any Owner or Proprietor of any such Barge Boat or Vessell shall att any time after such Notice take for the Water-carriage of any Goods or Merchandizes above the rates and prices soe sett as aforesaid or if any person or persons whatsoever shall break or act contrary to any rules orders or constitutions which shall bee made in pursuance of this Act every such person soe offending shall for every offence forfeit the su[m]m of Five pounds to bee recovered by the party grieved with double costs of suit in any action of debt bill plaint or informac[i]on to bee commenced or prosecuted in any of his Majesties Courts of Record att Westminster wherein noe essoigne protection or wager of Law shall bee allowed.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/WillandMar/6-7/16/section/II (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/thames-navigation-act-1694/section-II
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.