Assembly Proceedings, August—September 1681. 205

thinges relateing in the said Act to the marriage of Negroes
with ffreeborne women & theire Issue are firme & valid
according to the true intent & purport of the said Act vntill
this p^rsent time of the Repeale thereof, any thing in this Act
to the Contrary Notwithstanding.

An Act for preventing vexacous and
vnneccessary suites att Law.

Whereas diuerse & Sundry persons within this Province
Contracting debts by acco^t with m^rchants & others for which
they stand & Remaine onely debtors vpon theire said Bookes
of Acco^ts the which though they are honestly & well disposed
to pay the same vpon demand ffirst had & Required of the
said debt by the said Credito^rs or other person Lawfully
authorized to Receiue the same without which itt is Impossible
for the said debto^rs to knowe where or to whom to pay the
said debt, yett seuerall of the said Credito^rs through a vexa-
tious & Avaritious humor doe dayly Comence theire suites att
Law ag^t such theire debto^rs without any demand of such theire
debts of theire said debto^rs whereby the said debt is much
Increased & the said debto^r thereby greately burthened & Im-
pouerished by meanes of such theire vexatious & vnjust suites
in Law, Bee itt therefore enacted by the Lord Prop^ry by &
with the advice & Consent of the vpper & Lower houses of
this p^rsent Assembly & the Authority of the same that from &
after the Twentieth day of decemb^r next, noe person whatsoeuer
his Executo^rs or Adm^rs Liueing or Tradeing into this Province
shall for any debt due or oweing to him by acco^t vpon Booke
or otherwise, & for which the debto^r hath not past his hand &
seale to such his Credito^r shall sue or Implead att Law such
debto^r for any such debt Contracted as aforesaid, & not vnder
hand & Seale of such debto^r aforesaid vnlesse hee shall ffirst
demand and Requier the same of the said debto^r in the County
where hee shall inhabitt, if att his Habitacon, & if not, then by
leaueing a noate vnder the hand of such Credito^r or those hee
shall Impower to Receiue the same, what time & to whome

Liber W. H.

the same shall bee paid, And if therevpon the same bee not
accordingly paid then itt shall & may bee Lawfull for the said
Credito^rs to sue & Implead such debto^r for the said debt, &
Recouer ag^t him all such Costs & damages as vpon Legall
Tryall in any Court of this province shall bee adjudged ag^t
him & in Case any person shall sue or implead any such his
debto^r as aforesaid, Contrary to this Act, hee shall loose all his
Costs of such suite, & bee Liable to satisfy such his debto^r all
such damages as shall accrue vnto the said debto^r by such his

p. 176