282 Assembly Proceedings, March 22-April 11, 1760.

L. H. J.
Liber No. 51
April 8

of the same, or to the Payment of Rents thereupon reserved or
charged, by Reason whereof the Owners, Occupiers and Proprietors
of such Messuages, Manors, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments,
do not in Truth receive to their own Use the true yearly Value of
the same, for which, nevertheless, they are by this Act chargeable
with a Pound-Rate; It is therefore Enacted and Declared by the
Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for
the Owners, Occupiers and Proprietors of such Messuages, Manors,
Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments, and other the Premisses, within
this Province, being charged with a Pound-Rate as aforesaid, to
abate, deduct, and to retain and keep in his, her or their Hands, out
of every such Rent or other annual Payment, so much of the said
Pound-Rate as shall be taxed or assessed upon the said Messuages,
Manors, Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments, and Premisses, as a
like Pound-Rate for every such Rent or other annual Payment
respectively, shall, by a just Proportion, amount unto; That is to
say, Out of every Twenty Shillings of such Rent, Annuity, or other
annual Payment, the Sum of Two Shillings, and so after that Rate
for a greater or lesser Sum; and all and every Person or Persons,
who are or shall be any Ways entitled to such Rents or annual
Payments, their respective Agents, Receivers, and Deputies, are
hereby required to allow such Deduction and Payments, according
to such Rates, or the full Value thereof, upon the Receipt of the

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Residue of such Monies or other Species, in which such Rent as
aforesaid may be reserved or charged, as shall be due and payable
to them for such Rents or annual Payments reserved or charged as
aforesaid. Provided always, That the said Owners, Occupiers and
Proprietors, shall not be allowed to abate, deduct, retain, or keep,
in his or their own Hands, out of such Rent or other annual Pay-
ment, any greater or larger Sum or Sums than what he shall be
taxed or assessed for the same.

XLIX. And be it further Enacted, That if the Person or Persons,
who are or shall be entitled to such Rates or other annual Payments,
their respective Agents, Receivers, or Deputies, shall distrain for,
molest or vex, any Proprietor, Owner or Tenant of such Lands or
Tenements aforesaid, for any Sum or Sums of Money, or other
Species, in which Rent may be reserved or charged, which, by the
true Intent and Meaning of this Act, ought to be retained, deducted
and allowed, or shall refuse, neglect or delay, to allow and discharge
the same in the proper Accounts, wherein the same ought to be
allowed or discharged, that then, and for every such Offence, every
such Person as aforesaid, shall forfeit the Sum of Twenty Pounds
Current Money to the Party grieved, to be recovered by Action of
Debt, or on the Case, with full Costs. Provided always, and it is
hereby Enacted and Declared, That the Tenants or Occupiers of any
Messuages, Manors, Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments, or other the