ACTS.

At a Session of Assembly begun and held in the City of
Annapolis, in the County of Ann Arundel, the 2^d Day of June,
and ended the 3^d Day of July, in the 13^th Year of the Reign of
our Sovereign Lady Anne, Queen of Great Britain, France
and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc., Annoq. Domini 1714,
were Enacted the Laws following.
John Hart, Esq., Governor.

An Act for Relieving the Inhabitants of this Province from
some Aggrievances in the Prosecution of Suits at Law.

Whereas during the late long and expensive War, her
Majesty's good Subjects oi this Province have greatly suffered,
any many of them have been utterly ruined, not only by
Losses at Sea of their Tobaccoes (which is their only Staple
Manufacture) being taken by the Enemy, but also by the
European Markets being shut up, by Reason of the Export to
France and Spain in great Measure prohibited, so that very
many honest and industrious Planters, her Majesty's Subjects
here, by the very Charges of necessary Clothing and Tools
for themselves and Families, are become vastly indebted; and
no Prospect as yet appearing of any Means whereby they
may extricate themselves out of their miserable and deplora-
ble Circumstances, which are very much heightened and ag-
gravated by their being sued and brought to Annapolis from
the remotest Parts of this Province, to their manifest Oppres-
sion and Impoverishment: So that many of the good Inhabi-
tants of this Province daily desert their Habitations, and remove
themselves to Plantations and Colonies where they are far less
Serviceable to her sacred Majesty, and her Revenue of Cus-
toms of Tobacco; which calls tor some speedy and proper
Remedy to be applied thereto, Wherefore this present Gen-
eral Assembly humbly Supplicate her most sacred Majesty,
that it may be Enacted ;
II. And be it Enacted, by the Queen's most excellent Maj-
esty, by and with the Advice and Consent of her Majesty's
Governor, Council, and Assembly of this Province, and the
Authority of the same, That from and after the End of this
present Session of Assembly, all Persons whatsoever, residing,
negociating or trading to or within this Province, having any

Bacon