Perjury Act, 1729

PERJURY ACT 1729

[CHAPTER IV.]

An Act for the more effectual preventing and further punishment of forgery, perjury, and subornation of perjury, and to make it felony to steal bonds, notes, or other securities for payment of money, and for the more effectual transporting felons, vagabonds, and others.

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For perjury or subornation, besides former punishment, to be sent to house of correction, or transported, 7 years,

escaping, breaking prison, or returning, death without benefit of clergy or the statute, tried where escape, or where apprehended.

[II.] And the more effectually to deter persons from committing wilful and corrupt perjury, or subornation of perjury; be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That besides the punishment already to be inflicted by law for so great crimes, it shall and may be lawful for the court or judge, before whom any person shall be convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury, or subornation of perjury according to the laws now in being, to order such person to be sent to some house of correction within the same county for a time not exceeding seven years, there to be kept to hard labour during all the said time or to be transported to some of his Majesty's plantations beyond the seas for a term not exceeding seven years, as the court shall think most proper, and thereupon judgment shall be given, that the person convicted shall be committed or transported accordingly over and besides such punishment, as shall be adjudged to be inflicted on such person agreeable to the laws now in being; and if transportation be directed, the same shall be executed in such manner, as is or shall be provided by law for the transportation of felons; and if any person so committed or transported shall voluntarily escape, or break prison, or return from transportation before the expiration of the time, for which he shall be ordered to be transported as aforesaid, such person being thereof lawfully convicted shall suffer death as a felon without benefit of clergy or of the statute, and shall be tried for such felony in the county, where he so escaped or where he shall be apprehended.

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