Acts. 269

any Inhabitant are to be Understood of such debts as are As-
signed to the Inhabitants in the Publick County or parish
Levy or forty p poll as afd or due from the high Sher by bill,
bond note or Account proved Any Law usuage or Custome
to the Contrary Notwithstanding.

And whereas there have been diverse great Complaints
from Sev^ll parts of this Province to the Gen^ll Assembly of
Sev^ll Sherriffs and Subshers that have Exacted and Extorted
great sumes of Tob^o Above their due and Lawfull ffees As-
certained by the Acts of Assembly of this Province from

C. P.

sev^ll of the Inhabitants thereof and tho the Laws of this
province have Inflicted a Severe penalty upon any Officer that
shall Charge and receive more then his due ffees yett the said
Officers have most Cuningly and Crafftily Evaded the said
Laws by takeing bills or writings Obligatory without Ever De-
livering any Acct signed under their hands as the Law Directs
soe that the party Grieved Cannot Sufficiently prove the said
Extortion And is thereby Left without remedy for prevention
whereof
Be itt Enacted by the Authority Advice and Consent afd that
no Sher or Sub sher. within this province after the publication
of this Act in their Sev^ll And respective County s wherein they
Dwell shall take any bond bill or any other writing obligatory
of any person or persons upon any pretence whatsoever with-
out Endorsing the Acct on the back of the said bond bill or
writeing obligatory for which the same was passed And if
Any Sherriffe or Sub shers within this province shall dureing
the time that he remaines in his place or Office upon any
pretence whatsoever take any bond bill or writing Obligatory
without Endorsing the Acct on the back of the said bond bill
or writing obligatory as afd by which itt may appear upon what
Consideration the same was taken the said bond bill or writing

p. 94

obligatory shall be Void and of no Effect and the Officer or
Officers that took the same shall lose his Debt and forever
be Debared of sueing any other Action for the recovery of the
same any Law Statute or Usuage to the Contrary in any wise
notwithstanding.

And that whereas the said Officers are prohibited from
takeing bills upon any prtence whatsoever otherwise then as
is directed by this Act dureing the time they remaine in Office
to the Intent the said Officers may receive no Damage by the
Act of Assembly for Limittations of Actions,
Be itt further Enacted by the Authority afd that the time the
said Officers remaine in Office shall not be reckoned or Ac
counted in the Act of Limittation and that whereas itt has
been the practice of Sev^ll Sherriffs of this province where a

p. 95