Acts. 127

Effectually to all Intents and Purposes, as if the said Executors
were all Liveing and did or Could Joyne in the performing the said
will and that he shall and may and is hereby authorized and Im-
powered and Obliged to Apply the money or tobacco arriseing by
Such Sale or Sales to the Uses in the said will appointed any Law,
Statute useage or Custome or want of Authority so to do by the
words in the said Last will & testament of the said John Edmondson
to the Contrary Notwithstanding Provided that this act nor any
thing herein Contained shall Extend or be Construed to Extend to
Enable the said Thomas to make Sale of any lands tenements or
Hereditaments which were persuant to the Tennor of the will af^d
disposed of Aliened, or Sold to any person or persons whatsoever
Jointly by William and James Edmondson deced two of the Execu-
tors of the testament of the said John Edmondson deceased.

Liber LL, 4
Acts

An Act to reforme the Ill practices of high Sherriffs within this
Province

Whereas Complaint hath been made to this present General Assem-
bly that Severall Sherriffs within this Province being Indebted to all
of the Inhabitants thereof as well for orders drawn on them for Pub-
lic Debts, as for their Private debts will not discount the same out
of any Publique or County Leavy due to such Sherriffs, but will
Compell such to take and receive for such debt or debts Indifferent
tobacco in remote Inconvenient places and take the body or goods,
of such Persons in with Intent to Extort from them their best
and finest tobacco; or some other Illegall and Unreasonable Allow-
ance, or Sallary to the great Prejudice of severall of the Inhabitants
of this Province for prevention whereof
Be it Enacted by the Queens most Excellent Maj^ty with the Advice
and Consent of her Majestyes President Councill and Assembly [of
this] Province and the Authority of the same that if any high sherriff
or high sherriffs, being Indebted to any person or persons, shall refuse
to discount, or the same out of any publeque or County Leavy
due from such Person or Persons but will notwithstanding the same
debt being due from the Sherriff, take the body of such Person
in Execution shall be Lyable to be prosecuted for false Imprison-
ment And in Case such Sherriff do not take the body of such
Persons in Execution but shall take any of his goods or Chattells
in Execution, whilst the Sherriff remains in such Persons Debt he
shall be deemed and taken as a Trespasor And Lyable to the same
Prosecution Payns Penaltys and forfeitures as if any Private person
had taken such Goods.
And be it further Enacted by the authority that the high sherriff
of Every respective County, shall be Lyable to be sued as af^d for his
own or any of his Deputy or Deputy's Offence Or Offences ag^t this
act, and the debts menconed which the sherriff may Owe any In-

Acts of 1711,
ch. 3

p. 5