144 Assembly Proceedings, 1694-1728.

Liber LL, 4
Acts

Marketts being shutt up by reason of the Export to Spain and France
in great Measure prohibited, soe that very many honest and Indus-
trious planters her Majesty's Subjects hereby [for] the very Charges
of necessary Clothing and Tools for themselves and Families are be-
come vastly Indebted and noe prospect As yet appearing of any means
whereby they may Extricate themselves out of their miserable and
deplorable circumstances which are yet very much heigtned and
Aggravated by their being sued and brought to Annapolis from the
remotest parts of this province to their manifest Oppression and
Impoverishment soe that many of the good Inhabitants of this Prov-

p. 30

ince daily desert their habitacons and remove themselves to Plan-
tacons and Collonies where they are far lesse Serviceable to her most
Sacred Majesty and her Revenue of Customes of Tobacco And others
leave their Abodes and skulk into the Woods or otherwise ride
Armed with design to resist the Officers of Justice whereby En-
dangered All which loudly Calls for Some Speedy and propper
Remedy to be Applyed thereto, Wherefore this present Generall
Assembly 'humbly Supplicate her most Sacred Majesty That it may
be Enacted.
And be it Enacted by the Queens most Excellent Majesty by and
with the Advice and Consent of her Majesty's president Councill and
Assembly of this Province and the Authority of the same That from
and after the End of this psent Session of Assembly All persons
whatsoever Resideing, Negotiaeting or Tradeing to or within this
Province haveing any personall Claime or demand against any the
Inhabitants of this Province wherein the Originall or Principall debt
or damages doe not Exceed the value of Twenty pounds sterling or
Five Thousand pounds of Tobacco shall by vertue of this Act be
Obliged to sue and Implead their Severall and respective debtors
in the severall and respective County Courts where such their
debtors Inhabite and Reside And not Elsewhere on penalty of
suffering a nonsuite and paying the defend^t his reasonable Charges
to be Adjudged by the Justices of any other Court wherein they shall
be sued or Impleaded, Any Law Statute usage or Custome to the
Contrary Notwithstanding.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority afores^d by and with
the Advice and Consent afores^d That where any debt or damage is
demanded by virtue of any Bond or Writeing Obligatory the penalty
of such Bond shall not although It Exceed Twenty pounds in Money
or Five Thousand pounds of Tobacco Entitle any Pet to bring his
Accon in any Court but the County Court unlesse the reall Sume due
in the Condiccon of such Bond amounts to Twenty pounds or Five
Thousand pounds of Tobacco Any Thing in this Act or any other
Statute Law Custome or Usage to the Contrary notwithstanding.
Provided always That nothing in this Act shall Extend or be
Construed to Extend to debarr or hinder any pson from bringing
his Accon in the Provinciall or Superior Court on any Coven^t or on