Jurors may depart on taking oath

(1) Whenever it appears to the court that the trial of any person charged with any indictable offence cannot be concluded in one day, or that justice cannot be done if the Juries 33 court proceeds without intermission upon the trial, the court may, without calling upon the accused person to consent, adjourn the trial and permit the jurors to depart from the court during such or any subsequent adjournment. (2) It shall not be necessary on the trial of a cause for a crime punishable with death to keep the jury together during any adjournment prior to the close of the judge’s summing-up, but the court may, if it appears to it to be advisable in the interests of justice, require the jury to be kept together during any adjournment. (3) During such time as the jurors empanelled to try a cause are kept together they shall be provided with food and lodging at the public expense. (4) Whenever the jurors empanelled to try a cause shall have leave to separate during any adjournment of the trial, they shall, together in open court, take the following oath, “We swear that during any adjournment of the trial of the issue joined between our Sovereign Lady the Queen and the prisoner at the Bar [or A.B. (naming the defendant), as the case may be] which we are empanelled and sworn to try, we shall not, whilst separated or until we shall be assembled again in court, speak with or listen to or receive or hold any communication with any person whatsoever, other than our fellows empanelled with us, touching the said issue, or any matter relative to the trial thereof, and that upon the termination of every adjournment thereof and until we are discharged we shall again come into and remain in this court. So help us God.”