338 Assembly Proceedings, Sept. 5-Oct. 3, 1704.

Lib. L. L.
No. 64.

Province from Severall of the Inhabitants of this province And
tho : the Laws of this Province have inflicted a severe penalty
upon any Officer that shall Charge and receive more than his
due ffees Yet the said Officers have most cunningly and
craftilly evaded the said Laws by taking bills or writings obliga-
tory without ever delivering any Account Sign'd under their
hands as the Law directs so that the party greived cannot
Sufficiently prove the said Extortion and so is left without
remedy, for Prevention whereof

Be it enacted by the Queens most excellent Majesty by and
with the Advice and Consent of her Majestys Governour
Councill and Assembly of this Province and the Authority of
the same that no Sheriff Subsheriff or Deputy Comissary within
this Province after the publication of this Act in their severall
and respective Countys wherein they dwell shall take any
Bond bill or any other writing obligatory of any person or
persons upon any pretence whatsoever without endorsing the
Account on the back of the said bond bill or writing obligatory
for which the same was pass'd And if any Sheriff Subsheriff
or Deputy Cofnissary within this Province shall during the
time that he remains in his place or Office upon any pretence
whatsoever take any bond bill or Writing obligatory without
endorsing the Account on the back of the said bond bill or
writing Obligatory as aforesaid by which it may appear upon
what Consideration the same was taken the said bill bond or

p. 143

writing obligatory shall be void and of no Effect And the Officer
and Officers that took the same shall loose his Debt and for-
ever be debarr'd of suing another Action for the recovery of
the same any Law Statute or Usage to the Contrary in any

wise notwithstanding.

And that whereas the said Officers are prohibitted from
taking bills upon any pretence whatsoever during the time
they remain in Office to the Intent the said Officers may receive
no damage by the Act of Assembly for Limitation of Accons.
Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid that the
time the said Officers remaine in Office shall not be reckon'd
or Accounted in the Act of Limitation. And that whereas it
hath been the practice of severall Sheriffs of this province
where a person hath been in prison at the suite of two or three
severall persons or hath lain for the satisfaction of two or more
severall Judgments for the Sheriff to Charge twenty per Day
for each Accon or Judgment, for prevention whereof

Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that if any Sheriff
after the publication of this Act shall exact and take any more
than twenty pounds of Tobacco per Day of any prisoner tho :
he lyes for the Satisfaction of severall Judgments he shall be