Moss Troopers Act 1662
1662 CHAPTER 22 14 Cha 2
An Act for preventing of Theft and Rapine upon the Northern Borders of England

Recital that Moss Troopers have for many Years past frequented the Northern Borders, and escape from one Kingdom into the other to avoid Justice;
that the Inhabitants of the Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland have been obliged to maintain Parties of Horse for their Defence; and that the Inhabitants remote from the Borders have been unwilling to contribute thereto. From Michaelmas 1662, for 5 Years, Justices in Sessions may make Order for charging the Inhabitants for the Safeguard of the said Counties.WHEREAS a great number of lewd disorderly and lawlesse persons being Theives and Robbers who are
comonly called Moss Troopers have successively for many and sundry yeares last past been bred resided
in and frequented the borders of the two respective Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland and the next
adjacent parts of Scotland and they taking the opportunity of the large Waste Grounds Heaths & Mosses and the
many intricate and dangerous Ways and By paths in those parts do usually after the most notorious crimes committed
by them escape over from the one Kingdome into the other respectively and so avoid the hand of Justice in regard
the Offences done and perpetrated in the one Kingdome cannot be punished in the other. And whereas since the time
of the late unhappy distractions such Offences and Offenders as aforesaid have exceedingly more increased and
abounded and the several Inhabitants of the said respective Counties have been for divers years last past necessitated
att theire owne free and voluntary charge to maintain several Parties of Horse for the necessary defence of theire
Persons Families and Goods and to the end the aforesaid evill and pernitious members might be apprehended and
brought to Judgement And whereas the most part of the Inhabitants of the said Counties being more remote from
the borders then other parts and consequently not soe much exposed to imminent dangers as others are therefore
unwilling to contribute theire proportionable parts of the aforesaid Charge and yet notwithstanding it cannot probably
or possibly be avoided but that those Inhabitants of the respective Counties who hold themselves most secure must
certainly sustain much damage and detriment in theire Goods and Estates in case the aforesaid Mosse Troopers be
not timely suppressed but suffered to growe numerous strong and potent which they must needs doe in case there
be no restraint upon them Be it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majestie by and with the advise and consent
of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by Authority thereof
that from and after the Feast of St. Michael the Archangell which shall be in the yeare of our Lord One thousand
six hundred sixty and two for and during the terme of Five yeares next ensuing the date of this present Act it shall
and may be lawfull for the respective Justices of Peace of the said respective Counties or the major part of them
at any General Sessions of the Peace to be holden for the said Counties respectively on the behalfe of the said
Counties or either of them from time to time as they shall see occasion to make an Order in open Court of Sessions
for charging according to theire several p[ro]portions all and every the several Inhabitants of the said respective Counties
for the safeguard and securing of the said several Counties and Inhabitants thereof from all injury violence spoil
and rapine of the Mosse troopers aforesaid
The Amount above which the said Counties are not to be charged. Quarter Sessions may appoint Persons to have the Command of a certain Number of Men;
II. 
and may issue Warrants for levying Money for the Safeguard of the said Counties; may be levied by Distress. Justices may hear Complaints against Persons refusing to obey this Act; and may bind over such Persons.
Provided That the said County of Northumberland be not by force of this Act at any time charged above the
su[m]m of Five hundred pounds in the yeare nor the said County of Cumberland charged above the su[m]m of Two
hundred pounds in the yeare And for this end and purpose the said several Justices of Peace of the respective
Counties aforesaid are hereby impowered and authorized at any theire General Quarter Sessions aforesaid to appoint
and imploy from time to time if occasion require any person or persons to have the Conduct and Command of a
certaine number of men not exceeding the number of Thirty men in the County of Northumberland and Twelve
in the County of Cumberland whereby the Malefactors aforesaid may be searched out discovered pursued apprehended
and brought to tryal of the Law And all and every the said Justices of Peace of the respective Counties aforesaid
or the major part of them at any General Sessions of the Peace to be holden for the said Counties of either of them
respectively are hereby further impowered and authorized by force of this present Act to make and issue forth
theire respective Warrants under theire hands for the levying and collecting any su[m]m or su[m]ms of money ordered
to be paid for and towards the Safeguard and securing of the said Counties respectively as aforesaid and to give
full power to the several Constables and other Officers to raise levy and collect the said money and all and every
the Inhabitants of the said several Counties according to theire respective proportionable Estates in Lands or
Goods by Distresse and Sale of Goods rendring the overplus if there be any to the respective owner or owners And
the said Justices of the Peace in the said several Counties or any one of them respectively are hereby alsoe
authorized to examine any Complaint made against the Collectors and Constables or any other Officers or Ministers
of Justice whatsoever or any of them or any other refractory person or persons whatsoever that at any time hereafter
shall refuse neglect or fail to give obedience to this Act or shall doe any act or acts in disturbance or obstruction
thereof and to bind over such person or persons to the next Quarter Sessions according to the knowne Laws of
the Land to the end such person or persons may be proceeded withall according to Justice
Justices may appoint Treasurers, to receive such Monies; and may agree with Persons to be employed in the said Service.
III. 
And the said respective Justices of Peace as aforesaid are hereby further impowered and authorized on behalfe
of the said several Counties respectively to appoint a Treasurer to receive from the said Collectors the moneys by
them collected and to pay over the same according to the Orders they shall receive from the said Justices at the
General Sessions of the Peace to be holden for the said respective Counties And the said Justices are alsoe impowered
to agree and article with such person or persons yearely as they shall thinke fitt to imploy in the said Service and
to take sufficient Security of them for the faithfull and most effectual performance thereof for the best safeguard
advantage and benefit of the people according to the true intent and meaning of this Act
Persons employed in the Border. Service corruptly forbearing to discover or apprehend Offenders; Disability. Imprisonment.
IV. 
And in case any person or persons shall in pursuance of this Act be imployed in the Border Service and shall
att any time hereafter wilfully and corruptly or for any sinister respect whatsoever neglect or forbeare to discover
or apprehend or to bring to tryall any of the said persons called Moss Troopers as aforesaid and shall be convicted
thereof according to Law he or they shall from thenceforth be disabled and made uncapable for ever after to manage
or take upon him or them the said Imployment and to suffer such Fine and Imprisonment according to the qualityof his or theire offence as the Justices of Peace att theire General Sessions shall thinke fitt to infliof his or theire offence as the Justices of Peace att theire General Sessions shall thinke fitt to inflict
Justices may moderate Charge.
V. 
Provided neverthelesse and be it hereby declared That it shall be lawfull for the Justices of Peace of eithăr of
the said Counties as aforesaid respectively at any time hereafter to moderate or lessen the said Charge if they
see cause
Continuance of Act.
VI. 
Provided that this Act shall continue and be in force for Five yeares and no longer.
4 Jac. I. c. 1. 7 Jac. I. c. 1. revived.
VII. 
Provided alwaies and be it further enacted by Authority aforesaid That for better suppression and punishment
of the said Moss Troopers flying out of England into Scotland or out of Scotland into England the Statutes made
in the several Sessions of Parliam[en]t in the Fourth and Seventh yeares of King James shall be revived and put in
execution according to theire true intent.