Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 9, 1692. 447

	An Act for the easment of the Inhabitants of this Province in suits at Law for small debts. Whereas the Inhabitants of this Province have been much grieved molested and troubled by being forced by Provinciall Writts to appear at the Provinciall Courts and fee Attorneys there notwithstanding the debts sued for are very small and within the cognizance of the County Courts of this Province, for prevention whereof for the future Be it Enacted by the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties by and with the advice & consent of this present Generall Assembly and the Authority of the same, that from & after the Publication hereof, no accon for a book debt or plain bill for or under the sum of fifteen hundred pounds of Tobacco & Cask shall be prosecuted or comenced against any Inhabitant of this Prov- ince in the Provinciall Court, except only upon Appeals from the County Courts of this Province and Attorneys of the Pro- vinciall and County Courts for their fees only where they are Attorneys, and that no Attorney of the Provinciall Court shall be allowed any priviledge to debarr him from being sued in the County Court where he lives And be it further Enacted by and with the advice and consent aforesaid that if any person Plaintiff shall commence or prosecute any suite or plaint in the Provinciall Court of this Province for or under the sum fifteen hundred pounds of Tobacco & Caske in manner and forme as aforesaid, shall suffer a non suite and pay such Cost to the Debt as are usually granted by the Provinciall Court of this Province.	Lib. L. L. No. 1. p. 37
	And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that an Account Sworn to by the Plaintiff or a Bill proved by his Evidence before any Justice of the Provinciall Court or any two Justices of the County Court within this Province shall be sufficient Evidence to prove the said Debts in any County Court within this Province Provided always that the Party who shall swear or give evidence as aforesaid before one Justice of the Provinciall Court or two Justices of any County Court to prove any Debt as aforesaid shall at the same time declare upon his Oath whither he knows of any payment or discount of any part or parcell of the account or Debt so to be proved, which shall be Certified under the hand or hands of such one Justice of the Provinciall Court or two Justices of the County Court before whom the said Account or debts shall be proved which Certificate made an signed as aforesaid shall be taken and received as Sufficient proof of any such debt or account as aforesaid And be it further Enacted by and with the advice & consent aforesaid that if any defendant upon Tryall can prove either	p. 38