Persons counterfeiting, or altering bank notes, &c. to suffer death. Persons making frames, &c. for forging notes of the bank of England, or having in their custody moulds notes of the said governor and company, and by the erasing and altering the said bills and notes, and the indorsements thereupon, and by the tendering in payment, uttering, vending, exchanging and bartering, of such altered, forged, counterfeited and erased bills and notes, and the indorsements thereupon, to the prejudice of public credit, and to the great hurt and diminution of trade and commerce;" for redressing whereof for the future, it is ENACTED, "That if any person or persons shall alter, forge or "counterfeit any bank-bill or bank-note, made or given out for "the payment of any sum of money, by or for the said governor " and company, or any bank-note of any sort whatsoever, or shall erase or alter any such bill or note, or any indorsement thereupon, or shall tender in payment, utter, vend, exchange or bar"ter, any such altered, forged, or counterfeited bill or note, or any erased or altered bill or note, or the indorsement thereupon, or demand to have the same exchanged for ready money "by the said governor and company, or their successors, or any other person or persons (knowing such bill or note, or the in"dorsement thereupon, so tendered or demanded to be exchanged, vended or bartered, to be altered, forged, counterfeited "or erased) and with intention to defraud the said governor and company, or their successors, or any other person or persons, "body politic or corporate; then every such person or persons "so offending (being thereof lawfully convicted) shall be, and is "hereby declared and adjudged a felon, and shall suffer as in "cases of felony." 66 Sect. 5. By 15 Geo 2. c. 13. s. 11. it is enacted, "That if any person or persons shall forge, counterfeit or alter any bank"note, bank-bill of exchange, dividend warrant, or any bond or obligation under the common seal of the said company, or any "indorsement thereon, or shall offer or dispose of or put away any such forged, counterfeit, or altered note, bill, dividend "warrant, bond, or obligation, or the indorsement thereon, or "demand the money therein contained or pretended to be due "thereon, or any part thereof, of the said company, or any their "officers or servants, knowing such note, bill, dividend warrant, "bond, or obligation, or the indorsement thereon, to be forged, "counterfeited, or altered, with intent to defraud the said company, or their successors, or any other person or persons whatsoever; every person or persons so offending, and being thereof convicted in due form of law, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall suffer death as a felon, without benefit of clergy." And in order to throw greater difficulties in the way of those who meditated the forgery of bank-notes, it was made penal to fabricate the sort of paper used by the bank for their notes. The Counterfeiting Bank Paper. 66 That + For by statute 13 Geo. 3. c. 79. s. 1. IT IS Recited, frauds have lately been committed by forging the notes and bills of the governor and company of the bank of England, notwithstanding the statutes now in force for punishing and suppressing the same:" and, for the more effectual preventing such 66 66 66 for that purpose, adjudged guilty such practices, IT IS ENACTED," That if any person or persons or instruments (other than the officers, workmen, servants, or agents, for the "time being, of the said governor and company, to be authorised of felony, &c. " and appointed for that purpose by the said governor and company, and for the use of the said governor and company only), "shall make or use, or cause or procure to be made or used, or "knowingly aid or assist in the making or using; or (without being authorised and appointed as aforesaid) shall knowingly “have in his, her, or their custody or possession (without lawful "excuse, the proof whereof shall lie upon the person accused,) any frame, mould, or instrument, for the making of paper, "with the words Bank of England visible in the substance of "such paper; or shall make, or cause or procure to be made, or "knowingly aid or assist in the making any paper, in the substance of which the said words Bank of England shall be visible; or if any person (except as before excepted) shall, by any "art, mystery, or contrivance, cause or procure the said words, "Bank of England, to appear visible in the substance of any paper whatsoever, or knowingly aid or assist in causing the said "words Bank of England, to appear in the substance of any paper whatsoever; every person so offending in any of the cases aforesaid, and being thereof lawfully convicted, shall, for such "offence, be deemed and adjudged a felon, and shall suffer "death as in cases of felony without benefit of clergy." 66 66 66 66 "That unwary Persons engraving notes to re + By 13 Geo. 3. c. 79. s. 2. IT IS RECITED, and other persons have taken in payment, and otherwise re- semble inland 'ceived, notes, inland bills, and bills of exchange, with certain bills, &c. words and characters so nearly resembling the notes and bills of the said governor and company, as to appear to such persons to be the notes or bills of the bank of England, which, if continued to be done, will be to the great prejudice of public credit:" AND ENACTED, "That if any person or persons, without being autho"rised and appointed as aforesaid, shall engrave, cut, etch, or scrape in mezzotinto, or shall cause or procure to be engraved, "cut, etched, or scraped in mezzotinto, or shall knowingly aid or "assist in the engraving, cutting, etching, or scraping in mezzo❝tinto, in or upon any plate of copper, brass, steel, pewter, or of any other metal or mixture of metals, or upon wood, or any "other material, or any plate whatsoever, any promissory note, “inland bill, or bill of exchange, or blank promissory note, in"land bill, or bill of exchange, or part of a promissory note, “inland bill, or bill of exchange, containing the words, Bank of England, or Bank Post Bill, or any word or words expressing "the sum or amount, or any part of the sum or amount of such promissory note, inland bill, or bill of exchange, in white let"ters or figures on a black ground; or shall use any such plate so engraved, cut, etched, or scraped in mezzotinto, or shall use "any other instrument for the making or printing any such promissory note, inland bill, or bill of exchange, or blank promis"sory note, inland bill, or bill of exchange, or part of a promissory note, inland bill, or bill of exchange; if any person (without being authorised and appointed as aforesaid) shall knowingly "have in his, her, or their custody any such plate or instrument, 66 66 66 66 66 " or sions. 66 66 or shall knowingly and wilfully utter or publish any such promissory note, inland bill, or bill of exchange, blank promissory "note, inland bill, or bill of exchange; every such offender shall, "being convicted thereof, be committed to the common gaol of "the county or place where the offence shall be committed, for any space not exceeding six months." With a proviso (s. 3.) not" to extend to such person, who, being possessed of any such "note or bill, shall only utter the same by carrying the same for "payment to the issuers, drawers, acceptors, or indorsers thereof respectively, or using proper means to compel the payment of any such note or bill." 66 66 66 66 By the 41 Geo. 3. c. 39. RECITING, "that whereas the forgery of bank notes, bank bills of exchange, and bank post bills, had much increased, and that to prevent it and also to facilitate the detection of it; the bank of England had procured to be made for the future issue of bank notes, &c. a new paper of a different manufacture from that formerly used either by the bank Further provi- or any other; in which new paper, instead of the bar lines being straight and parallel to each other, as in the paper heretofore used, the same are curved or waving, and the laying wire lines are also formed in a waved or curved shape; and the numerical account or sum of each bank note, &c. expressed in a word or words in Roman letters, is made to appear visible in the substance of the paper; and whereas it is expedient, for the better prevention of the forgery of bank notes, &c. that the said governor and company should have the exclusive privilege of using, in the issue of their notes and bills, the paper hereinbefore described," IT IS ENACTED, "That if any person or persons (other than the officers, workmen, servants, or agents, for the time being, of the "said governor, &c. to be authorised and appointed for that purpose by the said governor, &c. and for the use of the said governor, &c. only) shall make, or use, or cause, or procure to be "made, or used, or knowingly aid or assist in the making, or "using, or (without being authorised or appointed as aforesaid,) "shall knowingly have in his, her, or their custody, or possession, (without lawful excuse, the proof whereof shall lie upon the person accused,) any frame, mould, or instrument for the making "of paper with curved or waving bar lines, or with the laying "wire lines thereof in a waving or curved shape, or with any number, sum, or amount, expressed in a word or words, in "Roman letters, visible in the substance of such paper; or shall "manufacture, make, use, vend, expose to sale, publish or dispose of, or cause or procure to be manufactured, &c. or aid, "or assist in the manufacturing, &c. or (without being authorised " or appointed, as aforesaid) shall knowingly have in his, her, or "their custody, or possession, any paper whatever with curved "or waving bar lines, &c. or if any person or persons (except as "before excepted) shall by any art, mystery, or contrivance, cause or procure the numerical sum or amount of any bank "note, bank bill of exchange, or bank post bill, blank bank note, "blank bank bill of exchange, or blank bank post bill, in a word "or words to appear visible in the substance of the paper wherein "the same shall be written or printed, or shall knowingly aid or 66 66 66 "assist "assist in carving the numerical sum or amount of any bank note, "&c. in a word or words in Roman letters to appear visible in "the substance of the paper, wherein the same shall be written or printed; every person or persons so offending in any of the "cases aforesaid, and being convicted thereof according to law, "shall be adjudged a felon, and shall be transported for the term "of 14 years." By s. 2. the act was not to extend to notes already issued on the old paper; nor to bills or notes which had the amount expressed in guineas; or having a numerical figure expressing the amount in pounds sterling; nor to the making or using any paper with curved lines, not resembling the bank paper. 66 66 blank notes, Sect. 5. ENACTS, "that if any person shall, from and after the passing of this act, purchase or receive from any other person or persons any forged or counterfeited bank note, bank bill of "exchange, bank post bill, or blank bank note, blank bank bill Purchasing or "of exchange, or blank bank post bill, knowing the same to be receiving bank "forged or counterfeited; or shall knowingly or wittingly have notes, &c. or "in his, her or their custody or possession, or in his, her, or their felony, 14 years dwelling-house, out-house, lodging, or apartments any forged transportation, " or counterfeited bank note, and knowing the same to be forged, "or counterfeited, (without lawful excuse, the proof whereof "shall lie upon the person accused,) every person or persons so offending and being thereof convicted according to law, shall be adjudged a felon and shall be transported for the term of 14 years." 86 66 66 Sect. 6. RECITING, that "Whereas the laws now in force do not inflict a sufficient punishment upon offenders concerned in engraving plates, and printing blank forms for bank notes, bank Engraving bank bills of exchange, and bank post bills, for the purpose of being plates, &c. made use of, in perpetrating the crime of forgery;" ENACTS, "That if any person or persons, from and after the passing of this act, shall engrave, cut, etch, scrape, or, by any other means or "device, make or shall cause or procure to be engraved, &c. or “shall knowingly aid, or assist, in the engraving, &c. in or upon "any plate of copper, brass, steel, pewter, or of any other metal " or mixture of metals, or upon any wood or any other materials, " or any plate whatsoever, any bank note, bank bill of exchange, " or bank post bill, purporting to be the note or bill of exchange, or bank post bill, or blank bank note, or blank bank bill of exchange, or blank bank post bill, or part of the note, or bill of "exchange, or bank post bill, of the governor and company of "the bank of England, without an authority in writing for that "purpose from the governor, &c. or shall use any such plate so 66 66 engraved, cut, etched, scraped, or by any other means or device “make, or shall use any other instrument or device, for the mak❝ing or printing of any such bank note, &c. without such autho"rity in writing as aforesaid; or if any person or persons shall, "after the passing of this act, without such authority as afore"said, knowingly have in his, her, or their custody, any such plate, "instrument, or device; or shall, without such authority as aforesaid, knowingly and wilfully utter, publish, dispose of, or put 66 away, Felony and 7 years transportation. sions. "away, any such bank note, &c. (as last before named ;) every 66 66 66 or By stat. 45 Geo. 3. c. 89. it is ENACTED, "That if any person "or persons shall, from and after the passing of this act, forge, counterfeit, or alter any bank note, bank bill of exchange, dividend warrant, or any bond or obligation under the common seal of the governor and company of the bank of "England, or any indorsement thereon, or shall offer, or dispose of, or put away any such forged, counterfeit or altered “note, bill, dividend warrant, bond, or obligation, or the in"dorsement thereon, or demand the money therein contained, or pretended to be due thereon, or any part thereof, of the said company, or any their officers or servants, knowing such note, "bill, dividend warrant, bond or obligation, or the indorsement thereon, to be forged, counterfeited or altered with intent to "defraud the said governor and company or their successors, "or any other person or persons, body or bodies, politic or corporate whatsoever, every person so offending and being thereof "convicted in due form of law, shall be deemed guilty of felony "and shall suffer death as a felon without benefit of clergy." And by s. 8. the act was to extend to every part of Great Britain, any law, statute, or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. 866 166 The statute 52 Geo. 3. c. 138. RECITING, " that divers frauds have been practised by making and publishing papers with certain words and characters, so nearly resembling the notes and Further provi- bills of the governor and company of the Bank of England, as to appear to ignorant and unwary persons to be the notes or bills of the said governor and company," and then " for prevention thereof," ENACTS, (by s. 5.)" that if any person, from and after "1st August, 1812, shall engrave, cut, etch, scrape, or by any "other means or device make, or shall cause or procure to be "engraved, cut, etched, scraped, or by any other means or device "made, or shall knowingly aid or assist in the engraving, cutting, etching, scraping, or by any other means or device making, in 166 or upon any plate of copper, brass, steel, pewter, or of any "other metal or mixture of metals, or upon wood, or any other materials, or upon any plate whatsoever, any word or words, figure or figures, character or characters, the impression taken "from which shall resemble or be apparently intended to re"semble the whole or any part of any of the notes or bills of "the said governor and company, commonly called bank notes " and bank post bills, or shall contain any word, number, figure, or character in white on a black, sable, or dark ground, without an authority in writing for that purpose from the said governor "and company, to be produced and proved by the party ac"cused; or shall (without such authority as aforesaid) use any "such plate, wood, or other material so engraved, cut, etched, scraped, or by any other means or device made, or shall use "any other instrument or device for the making or printing upon "any paper or other material any word or words, figure or "figures, character or characters, which shall be apparently in"tended to resemble the whole or any part of any of the said "notes |