In 1715 the English Parliament enacted a law requiring any group of twelve or more people gathered to disturb the peace to disperse within one hour. What was this law called?

This powerful piece of legislation was a direct response to the political turmoil of early 18th-century Britain. Following the death of Queen Anne, the German-born George I took the throne, a move that infuriated supporters of the rival Stuart dynasty. These "Jacobites" instigated numerous riots and disturbances across the country, prompting the new government to seek a more effective way to quell public disorder without immediately resorting to deadly force.

The resulting law from 1715 gave a local magistrate the authority to command any group of twelve or more people to break up by reading a specific, formal proclamation. After this proclamation was read aloud, the crowd was given exactly one hour to disperse. If they failed to do so, their assembly was declared a felony, and the authorities were legally indemnified—or protected from blame—for any injuries or deaths that occurred while forcefully scattering the crowd.

The formal process of an official reading a warning to an unruly group is the direct origin of the modern phrase "to read someone the riot act," which we now use to mean delivering a stern scolding or warning. The act itself remained a cornerstone of British law for over 250 years before it was eventually repealed in England and Wales in 1973.