Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 9, 1692. 531

the said debtors by the Creditors or other persons lawfully
authorized to receive the same, without which it is impossible
for the said Debtors to know where or to whom to pay the
said debt yet severall of the said Creditors through a Vexatious
and avaritious humour do dayly commence their suits at Law
against such their debtors without any demand of such their
debts of their said Debtors whereby the said Debt is much
encreased and the said debtor thereby greatly burthen'd and
Impoverished by means of such their vexatious and unjust
suits in Law Be it therefore Enacted by the King and Queens
most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of
this Generall Assembly and the Authority of the same that from
and after the Publication of the Act, no Person whatsoever his
Executo^rs or Administrator living or Trading into this Province
shall for any debt due or owing to him by Account upon book
or otherwise and for which the Debtor hath not past his hand
and Seal to such his Creditor shall sue or Implead at Law
such debtor for any such debt Contracted as aforesaid and not
under hand and Seale of such Debtor aforesaid unless he shall
first demand and require the same of the said Debtor in the
county where he shall inhabite if at his habitation and if not

then by leaving a note under the hand of such Creditor or

those he shall impower to receive the same, what time and to
whom the same shall be paid and if there upon the same be
not accordingly paid, Then it shall and may be Lawfull for

Lib. L. L.
No. 1.

p. 189

the said Creditor to sue and Implead such his Debtor for the
said debt and recover against him all such Costs and damages
as upon legall Tryall in any Court of this Province shall be
adjudged against him, and in Case any person shall sue or
implead any such his Debtor as aforesaid contrary to this Act,
he shall loose all his Costs of such Suite and be lyable to
satisfy such his debtor all such damages as shall accrew unto
the said Debtor by such his vexatious & unjust suit at Law.
Provided allways that this Act nor any thing herein conteyned
shall be construed & extend to the benefit of any person
Debtor as aforesaid either runaway out of this Province or
wilfully absconding himself within the same from his said
Creditor, but that he may be proceeded against as before this
Law made anything in this Act to the contrary notwith-
standing.
June 2^d 1692 June the 2^d 1692
Assented to by the The house of Assembly
Councill Board have Assented
Signed p Ord^r Signed p Ord^r
John Llewellin Clk. Hen: Denton Clk.

p. 190