Acts. 257

An Act for the Relief of Nicholas Hammond, Peter Topping, Edward
Cooley, Henry Templeman, William Bafoot, Anne Rind Widow,
and Mary Penn, languishing Prisoners in Ann-Arundel County
Goal, Joseph Macclester, a languishing Prisoner in Somerset
County Goal, and Patrick Mac Vay, a languishing Prisoner in
Caecil County Goal.

Session
Laws
Chapter XI
p. 7

Whereas the said Nicholas Hammond, Peter Topping, Edward
Cooley, Henry Templeman, William Bafoot, Anne Rind, Mary
Penn, Joseph Macclester, and Patrick Mac Vay, by their humble
Petition to this present General Assembly, have set forth, that they
have continued Prisoners for Debt in the Custody of the Sheriffs of
the several Counties aforesaid, and still continue in the like deplor-
able Circumstances, and not being able to redeem their Bodies with
all the Estate or Interest that they have in the World, which they
would readily deliver up and part with to their several and respective
Creditors, if they would accept of the same and Grant the said Peti-
tioners their Liberty, which seems so unlikely for them to obtain, that
unless relieved by a particular Act Passed in their Favours, which
by their said Petitions they have humbly prayed, they must inevitably
continue Prisoners for Life. And for that the Truth of the said
Petitioner's Allegations are made appear to this present General
Assembly by sufficient Testimonies, and that the said Petitioners are
fit Objects of Charity, and that their lying in Goal can be no Benefit
to their Creditors, it is humbly Prayed that the said Petitioners may
be Relieved according to their Prayers, and that it may be Enacted,
And be it Enacted by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary,
by and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's Governor, and

Preamble.

the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and the Authority of the
same, That unless all or any of the Creditor or Creditors of the said
Nicholas Hammond, Peter Topping, Edward Cooley, Henry Tem-
pleman, William Bafoot, Anne Rind, Mary Penn, Joseph Macclester,
and Patrick Mac Vay, or the Attorney of such Creditors aforesaid
within this Province, shall within Twenty Days after this Session
of Assembly, go to the Sheriffs of the aforesaid Counties of Anne-
Arundel, Somerset and Caecil, and give good Security to pay the
Imprisonment Fees the Sum of Ten Pounds of Tobacco per Day,
that shall or may become due from the said Nicholas Hammond,
Peter Topping, Edward Cooley, Henry Templeman, William Bafoot,
Anne Rind, Mary Penn, Joseph Macclester, and Patrick Mac Vay,
after the end of the said Twenty Days, and also find the said Nicholas
Hammond, Peter Topping, Edward Cooley, Henry Templeman,
William Bafoot, Anne Rind, Mary Penn, Joseph Macclester, and
Patrick Mac Vay, sufficient Meat, Drink and Cloathing, during their

Creditors to
go to the
Sheriffs in
20 Days,
and give
security for
the Fees, &c.

future Imprisonment; and in Case they the said Nicholas Hammond,
Peter Topping, Edward Cooley, Henry Templeman, William Bafoot,
Anne Rind, Mary Penn, Joseph Macclester, and Patrick Mac Vay,
18

p. 8