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

Lib. L. L.

No. 1.
p. 187

Enacted by and with the advice and consent aforesaid, that
every Clerk of each respective County within this Province
shall at his own proper cost and charges within one Month
after the Publication hereof, provide a good and durable book
wherein he shall Register in a fair Liegable hand the names
Sirnames and places of abode, together with the respective
dates of the day month and year of Our Lord of the birth
marriage or burialls soe Exhibited as aforesaid, for which he
shall have as his fee the sum of five pounds of Tobacco to be
leavyed by way of Execution on the goods and chatties of the
person so requiring the Registring the same as aforesaid or
that shall neglect or refuse to pay the same. And if any
Clerk of any County Court within this Province shall neglect
or refuse to Provide one dureable Book as aforesaid and
therein to Register the names Surnames and places of abode
of such person as shall be born Married or buryed within their
respective Countyes so Exhibited as aforesaid shall forfeit and
pay for every Offence the sum of one thousand pounds of
Tobacco, the one half to their Majesties for support of Gov-
ernment, the other half to the Informer to be recovered in any
Court of Record within this Province by bill plaint or Inform-
ation wherin no Essoyn Protection or Wager of Law to be
allowed And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid
that the Commissioners of each respective County at their
Severall County Courts shall make Speciall Search and
Enquiry into the premisses, that the respective Clerks do their

p. 188

duty as aforesaid Provided that this Act nor any thing
therein contained shall any way countenance the discontinu-
ance of any legall Register of births marriages or burialls
hitherto kept in any County within this Province, but the same
shall be fairly and Methodically transcribed by each respective
County Court Clerk into the said book or Register to be pro-
vided as afores^d and written in the begining of the said Book.
June 2^d 1692 June the 2^d 1692
Assented to by the Councill Board. The house of Assembly
Signed p Ord^r have Assented
John Llewellin Clk. Signed p Ord^r
Hen: Denton Clk.

An Act for preventing vexatious &
unecessary suits at Law.

Whereas divers and Sundry persons within this Province
contracting debts by Accounts w^th Merchants and others for
which they stand and remain only debtor upon their said
Books of Accounts the w^ch tho they be honestly and well dis-
posed to pay the same upon demand first had and required of