A. D. 1 7 14. 39 



Another ftatute made in the fame feffion, [c. 16] for reduchig the 

 tate of intereft without any prejudice to parUamentary fecurities, h:\< 

 the following preamble, viz. ' Whereas the reducing of intereft to ten, 

 * and from thence to eight, and thence to fix, in the hundred, hath from 

 ' time to time, by experience, been found very beneficial to the ad- 

 ' vancement of trade and improvement of lands ; it is become abfo- 

 ' lutely neceffary to reduce the high rate of intereft of 6 per cent to a 

 ' nearer proportion with the intereft allowed for money in foreign 

 ' ftates.' It was therefor enacted, that from the 29th day of Septem- 

 ber, 1 714, no perfon fhould, diredly nor indiredly, take for the loan of 

 monies, goods, or merchandize, above the value of L5 for the forbear- 

 ance of Li 00 for a year; and that all bonds, contrads, and aflurances 

 whatfoever, made after that day, for payment of any principal or mo- 

 ney to be lent, or covenanted to be performed upon, or for any ufury,* 

 whereupon, or whereby, there fliall be referved or taken above the rate 

 of L5 in the hundred, ftiould be utterly void. That all perfons who 

 fhould after that time receive, by means of any corrupt bargain, 

 loan, exchange, chevizance, fhift, or intereft of any wares, merchan- 

 dize, or other thing whatever, or by any deceitful way or means, or 

 by any covin, engine, or deceitful conveyance for the forbearing or 

 giving day of payment, for one whole year, for their money or other 

 thing, above the fum of L5 for Lioo for a year, fliould forfeit for 

 every fuch offence the triple value of the monies or other things fo 

 lent, bargained, &c. And all fcriveners, brokers, folicitors, and driv- 

 ers of bargains for contratls, who fhould, after that day, receive above 

 5/ for negotiating the loan of L 100 for a year, or above 12^ over and 

 above the ftarnp-duties, for renewing the bond or bill for loan, or for 

 any counter bond or bill concerning the fame, fliould forfeit for every 

 fuch offence L20, with cofts of fuit, and fuffer imprifonment for half 

 a year.' 



Another ftatute of the fame fellion, [r. 18] for preferving all fuch 

 fliips and the goods thereof, which fliall happen to be forced on fliore, 

 or ftranded, upon the coafts of this kingdom, or any other of hermajef- 

 ty's dominions, confirmed the ftatute of the third of King Edward I, con- 

 cerning wrecks at lea, which enacts, that where a man, a dog, or a cat, 

 efcape quick (alive) out of the fliip, neither that fliip nor barge, nor 

 any thing in them, Ihall be adjudged a wreck ; but the goods fhall be 

 faved for the proprietors, &c. And alfo a ftatute of the 4th of that 

 king, that if any lay hands on the wreck, he fliall be attached bv fuffi- 

 cicnt pledges, and the price of the wreck ftiall be valued and delivered 

 to the next town. And whereas great complaints have been made by 

 both Britilh and foreign merchants, that their ihips, being unfortunate- 



• The worJ u/ury is Hill rctaiiicil in this aft as the legal tirm for a fair intereft of money, tlioi'^^h in 

 common acceptation it applies only to inttrell above the lawful lalc. 



