Great Britain -- Emigration and immigration; Noncitizens -- Great Britain
By an Act of 1439 (Henry VI., not repealed until this century), it was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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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