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Bacon
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before them, of the Practitioners of the Law, and other Of-
ficers and Persons, that have hitherto been so frequent in all
the Courts of this Province, as well as out of Court.
II. Be it therefore Enacted, by the Right Honourable the
Lord Proprietor, by and with the Advice and Consent of his
Lordship's Governor, and the Upper and Lower Houses of
Assembly, and by the Authority of the same, That the several
Magistrates, Judges of the several Courts within this Prov-
ince, be, and are hereby authorized and strictly required, to
observe the Demeanour of all Practitioners of the Law, before
them, as well as all Ministerial Officers, or other Persons who
shall use any undecent Liberties to the lessening the Grandeur
and Authority of their respective Courts, and to discounte-
nance and punish the same, according to the Nature of the
Offence, either by suspending such Practitioner of the Law
from their Practice, Perpetually, or for a Time, or to punish
such Pracititioners, or Ministerial Officers, or other Persons,
by Fine, at the Discretion of such Court before whom such
Offence shall be committed, not exceeding Four Thousand
Pounds of Tobacco in the superior Courts, nor Two Thousand
Pounds of Tobacco in the several County Courts within this
Province, on each Offender, for any one Offence.
III. And likewise, all and every the several Magistrates,
in the Execution of their Office out of Court, are hereby
required, in like Manner, to observe the Carriage and De-
meanour of all Persons whatsoever, that shall come before
them ; and if any Person or Persons shall behave themselves
indecently towards any of them (or contemn their Authority
when lawfully required to assist them) in the Execution of
their Office, or otherwise, it shall and may be lawful for any
of the several Courts within this Province, upon Information
to them made by any such Magistrate or Magistrates, against
any Person or Persons who have so misbehaved themselves,
or contemned their Authority, without any Formality in Law,
to call such Offender or Offenders before them, and punish
them by Fine, Imprisonment, or by Setting in the Stocks, at
their Discretion ; the Fine not to exceed One Thousand Pounds
of Tobacco each Offender; the Imprisonment not to exceed
Two Days, nor the Setting in the Stocks above Two Hours,
for any one Offence ; all which Fines to be levied by Way of
Execution, and by such Court applied towards the maintaining
a Public School in the County where such Offence is com-
mitted.
IV. Provided always, That nothing in this Act shall be
construed to lessen the Authorities vested by Law in the sev-
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