Timber Act 1783

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A map of which inclosure lodged in six months with clerk, & following affidavit.

V. And be it further enacted, That in order to entitle himself to any benefit from said inclosure, the tenant shall also within six calendar months after such inclosure, lodge with the said clerk of the peace, a map of the ground so inclosed, and an affidavit sworn before some justice of the peace for said county, in form following:

The affidavit.

I A. B. do swear, that I have inclosed acres, roods, perches of the lands of in the parish of which I hold from and that I have counted the number of trees exceeding six feet in heighth, and which are now standing thereon, according to the best of my skill and judgment, and that they amount to no more than trees of the following kinds (here naming the kinds of trees, and the number of each kind which they do not exceed) or else, and that there are no trees exceeding six feet in heighth, growing upon said lands so inclosed by me (as the case may be) and that I intend to preserve said lands so inclosed from cattle, for the space of five years, that the copse may grow.

Trees standing the property of the person, as before notice, &c.

notice, &c. filed with the former affidavits for planting,

fees as aforesaid,

read every sessions,

under penalty 20s. by civil bill.

And the trees so standing as aforefaid, shall continue to be the property of the person to whom they belonged before said registry; and the clerk of the peace is hereby required to keep the aforesaid notice, and the aforesaid map and affidavit, on the same file with the affidavits of trees planted and registered by virtue of this act, and to enter the same in the same alphabetical book; for filing which notice, and map, and affidavit of such inclosure, alphabeting the same, and making and attesting a copy thereof, the clerk of the peace shall receive one shilling, and for a copy of the notice and affidavit given at any time after, six pence each, and to which notice, map, affidavit, and book, any person may refort at any quarter sessions of the peace for said county; and such clerk of the peace is hereby directed to read in open court, at every quarter sessions, all affidavits of inclosures having been actually made as aforesaid, which shall have been lodged with him at any time since the general quarter sessions next preceding the same, under the penalty of twenty shillings for every omission, to be recovered by civil bill, by any person who shall sue for the same, within twelve calendar months after the quarter sessions at which he ought to have publickly read such affidavit.