Assembly Proceedings, June 29-July 22, 1699. 529

That from and after the Publication of this Act No person
Whatsoever his Executors or Adm^rs Liveing or Trading into
this Province shall for any Debt due or Owing to him by
Accompt Book or otherwise and for w^ch the Debtor hath not
passed his hand and Seale to Such his Creditor Sue or
Implead att Law such Debtor for any such Debt Contracted
as aforesaid and not under hand and Seale of Such Debtor as
af^d unless he shall first Demand and require the Same of the s^d
Debt^r in the County where he shall Inhabit to prove which
Demand the Creditor or Demandants upon Oath shall be
sufficient but if the Debtor be not att home to be Spoak with
then such Demandant shall leave a Note under the hand of
Such Creditor or Demandant or those he shall Impower to
receive the Same what time and to whom the Same Shall be
paid and if the Same thereupon be not Accordingly Paid then
it shall and may be Lawfull for such Cred^r to Sue and Implead
such his Debtor for the said Debt and recover ag^t him all
Such Cost and Damages as upon Legall Tryall in any Court
of this Province shall be adjudged against him and in Case
any Person or Persons shall Sue and Implead any Such his
Debtor as aforesaid Contrary to this Act he shall loose all his
Cost of such Suite & be lyable to Satisfy Such his Debtor all
such Damages as shall Accrue to the said Debtor by such his
Vexatious and unjust Suite att Law Provided allways that this
Act nor anything herein Conteined shall be Construed to
Intend the benefitt of any Person Debtor as aforesaid either
Runaway out of this Province or Willfully Absconding
himselfe within the same from his said Cred^r but that he may
be proceed Against as before this Law made anything in this
Act to the Contrary Notwithstanding And be it further

Lib. L. L.
p. 289

Enacted by the Authority afores^d by & with the advice and
Consent aforesaid That an Acc^t Sworne to by the Plaintiffe or
a Bill proved by his Evidence before any Justice of the Pro-
vinciall Court or any two Justices of the County Courts of
this Province shall be Sufficient Evidence to prove the said
Debts in the Provinciall or any County Court within this Prov-
ince. Provided allways that the party who shall Swear or give
Evidence as aforesaid to prove any Debt as aforesaid shall att
the time declare upon his Oath whether he knows of any Pay-
ment or discount of any part or Parcell of the Accompt or
Debt so to be Proved which shall be Certifyed under the hand
or hands of such one Justice of the Provinciall Court or Two
Justices of the County Courts before whom the Accompt or
Debt shall be proved which Certificate made and Signed as
afores^d shall be taken and received as Sufficient Prooff of any
Such Debt or Accompt as aforesaid And be it further Enacted
by the Authority aforesaid by and with the Advice and Con-
34

p. 290