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V. And the better to ascertain what Letters shall be ac-
counted Public Letters, Be it Enacted, by the Authority,
Advice and Consent aforesaid, That all Letters directed to the
Governor of this Province, for the Time being, endorsed, For
her Majesty's Service; and all Letters sent by the Governor,
having his, or the Clerk of the Council's Name endorsed, and
For her Majesty's Service, directed to any Person whatsoever;
and all Letters sent by any Member of her Majesty's Council,
with the Subscriber's Name endorsed, and For her Majesty's
Service; all Letters sent by the Speaker, or Clerk of the
House of Delegates, for the Time being, with the Subscriber's
Name endorsed, and For her Majesty's Service; all Letters
sent by a Justice of the Provincial Court, with the Subscriber's
Name endorsed, and For her Majesty's Service; and all Letters
sent by the Public Treasurers of each Shore, to any Naval
Officer, with the Subscriber's Name endorsed, and For her
Majesty's Service, shall be accounted, only, Public Letters.
VI. And whereas, also, the Sheriffs of this Province, whose
Duty it is to convey Letters for her Majesty's Service, are
very much complained of for their Negligence therein; Be it
Enacted, by the Authority, Advice and Consent aforesaid,
That if any High-Sheriff, or his Deputies, receive any Public
Letter, he shall, if required, give a Receipt for the same,
shewing the Day and Hour when he received the same: And
when he delivers the same Letter to the next Sheriff, or Party
to whom directed, the Party that receives the same shall like-
wise, if required, give such like Receipt to the Sheriff that
first received it. And if any High-Sheriff, or his Deputy or
Deputies (for whom the High-Sheriff shall be answerable)
shall refuse to give such Receipt, to be proved by the Oath
of the Person demanding such Receipt; or, having received
such Letter, shall wilfully neglect immediately to forward such
Letter, as directed, so that such Letter is Stopped Twenty-
four Hours longer than it reasonably need be, (respect being
had to the Wind and Weather) the High-Sheriff shall forfeit
the Sum of Two Thousand Pounds of Tobacco in Cask; the
one Moiety thereof to our Sovereign Lady the Queen, her
Heirs and Successors, for the Support of the Government of
this Province, the other Moiety to him or them that will sue
for the same; to be recovered by Action of Debt, in any Court
of Record of this Province. And such Neglect of such Sher-
iffs shall be evidenced by the Dates of the Receipts.
VII. And whereas the Trade and Commerce of this Prov-
ince is, in great Measure confined to England, and the Inhab-
itants of this Province of necessity are obliged to lodge their
Effects, and wholly correspond with the Merchants in England,
by which Means we have great Dependance upon their Advice
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