254 Assembly Proceedings, November 1-12, 1681.

Liber W. H.
p. 193

after expressed, any Law statute vseage or Custome to the
Contrary heereof in any wise notwithstanding, And bee itt
enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any person or psons
shall att any time after the said Twenty ffifth day of December,
one Thousand six hundred Eighty one, offend in any of the
things before Recited, & being thereof duely Convict by Con-
fession or the oathes of Two witnesses, before the Justices of the
Prov^ll Court, or the Justices of the County Courts, for the time
being where the offences were Comitted, shall for his or theire
ffirst offence haue or suffer Imprisonm^t by the space of Two
Months w^thout bayle or Maine prize & all soe shall Loose &
forfeite the value of the goods M^rchandizes or serv^ts soe by
him or them bought or had, & if any pson or psons Lawfully
Convicted or attaynted as aforesaid of or for the said offences,
& bee thereof againe Lawfully in like manner Convicted or
attainted as aforesaid that then euery person & persons, Soe
offending shall haue or suffer for his or theire second offence
Imprisonm^t for the space of one halfe yeare, without baile or
maineprize & shall Loose double the value of all the goods &
M^rchandizes or Serv^ts soe by him or them bought or had as
aforesaid, And bee itt further enacted by the Authority afore-
said that if any person or psons being Lawfully Twice Con-
victed or attaynted as aforesaid of or for the said offence &
shall againe offend the Third time & bee thereof Lawfully
Convicted or Attaynted as aforesaid, that then euery pson for
the Third offence shall bee sett on the Pillory in the Citty
Towne or in the full County where hee shall then Inhabite or
dwell, & Loose & forfeite all the goods & Chatties that hee or
they haue, to theire owne vse, & allsoe to bee Comitted to
prison, there to Remaine dureing the Terme of one whole
yeare the one Moyety of all which forfeitures to bee to the
said Right Honourable the Lord Prop^ry & the other Moyety
thereof to the Informer, or to him or them that shall sue for the
same in the Prov^ll Court of this Province, or in the Respectiue
County Courts within this Province, within whose Jurisdiccon
the said offences or any of them shall happen to bee Comitted
by accon of debt Bill plaint or informacon wherein noe
Essoyne proteccon or wager of Law to bee admitted Pro-
vided that this Act nor any thing therein Contained, shall nott
debarr or bee Construed to debarr or hinder any pson or
psons whatsoeuer within this Province by or out of any goods
or M^rchandizes by him or them soe bought or purchased as
aforesaid to satisfy & pay vnto any workeman or Serv^t the
Hire or wages to him or them due for any worke or service
w^tsoeuer, This Act to endure for the Terme of Three yeares or
to the end of the next Gen^ll Assembly, w^ch shall ffirst happen./