Chapter XIV: Appendix: A

SOME OBSOLETE ALIEN ACTS.[38]

STATUTES OF RICHARD II.

In 1390, by a statute of Richard II., it was declared "That no alien person should trade without proof given that he would expend half the value of his merchandise in other merchandise here."

In 1392, after stating that the Free Trade Acts of Edward III. were a great hindrance and damage to cities of the realm, it was declared that "no foreign merchant shall sell or buy within the realm to any other foreign merchant to sell again. That no foreign merchant should sell at retail within the realm, except provisions, and as to some provisions only in large quantities."

ACT OF HENRY IV.

This Act was followed in 1402 (Henry IV.), by provisions forbidding any carrying of the proceeds of such trade out of the country, except in the shape of other merchandise bought in exchange.

ACT OF HENRY VI. _re_ "HOSTS."

By an Act of 1439 (Henry VI., not repealed until this century), it was enacted, "That all alien merchants shall be under the survey of certain persons, to be called Hosts or surveyors, to be appointed by the mayors of the several cities, and to be good and creditable natives expert in merchandise; such Hosts to be privy to all sales and contracts of the aliens. Aliens to sell all their merchandise within six months on paying a forfeiture. The Hosts to keep books only to register all contracts, etc., of aliens, and deliver a transcript thereto to the Exchequer. The Hosts to have two shillings in the pound on all such contracts, and to be sworn to be faithful, and any alien refusing to submit to these regulations, to be imprisoned until security be given to comply with them."

ACT OF RICHARD III.

In 1543, in the reign of Richard III., it was enacted--"That no person not born under the King's obeysance shall exercise or occupy any handicraft, or the occupation of any handicraftsman, in this realm of England; and shall (after date then fixed) depart into their own country again; or else be servants of such of the King's subjects only as be expert and cunning in such feats, wits, and crafts, which the said stranger can occupy."

PROCLAMATION HENRY VII. EXPULSION OF SCOTS.

In the reign of Henry VII. 1491, when the death of James III. of Scotland had strained the relations between the two kingdoms, an Act was passed simply in these words--"All Scots, not made denizens, shall depart this realm within forty days after proclamation, upon paying a forfeiture of all their goods."

MARY I. EXPULSION OF THE FRENCH.

In the reign of Queen Mary there is a Statute against the French, which also directed their departure from the realm, and based it by the preamble not only on political grounds, but because the influx of such strangers tended to the diminishing of subjects of the realm, and the treasury of the sovereign.

ELIZABETH.

By simple proclamation Elizabeth expelled the Scots.

ALIEN ACTS OF THE GEORGIAN ERA.

Provisions as to aliens in the Georgian and Victorian eras are of three kinds--(_a_) War Alien Acts; (_b_) Peace Alien Acts; (_c_) Registration Acts. The Alien Acts contain regulations for expulsion of aliens, if the State requires it. In war time it is more stringent. All these Acts contain provisions as to registration. The history of these Acts briefly is as follows:--In 1793 (the French Revolution) first Alien Act, which being of a stringent character became the model. War Alien Act; this continued with amendments until the Peace of Amiens, 1802. Then for a year there was a Peace Alien Act, followed in the following year by a War Alien Act, when the Peninsular War began. With the French Restoration there was in 1814 a Peace Alien Act, followed again in the year ensuing by a War Alien Act, with the temporary restoration of the French Empire, and again by a Peace Alien Act, when the power of Napoleon was finally crushed. This last Statute was renewed by biennial Continuance Acts, until in 1826 expulsion clauses were entirely removed, and registration only remained.

CHARTIST ACT, 1848.

The registration was modified by the Alien Act of William IV. in 1836, and the only interruption to its course has been the Chartist Act of 1848, which was an Expulsion Act, passed for one year.