410 Assembly Proceedings, June 15-July 3, 1773.

Liber R. G.
1773

of such Debtor or Debtors and that the respective Sheriffs in whose
Custody the aforesaid Debtors or any of them are be and are hereby
authorized and obliged to Summon two Justices of the peace in the
respective Counties at the request of the said Prisoners as soon as
conveniently may be after the End of this Session of Assembly and
after giving Ten days Notice at the Court Houses of the respective
Counties of the intended Sale of such Debtor or Debtors expose to
sale in the Presence of the said Justices, such Debtor or Debtors
and the Time of his or their servitude to the highest Bidder and
the Money arising from such sale shall be as Effects of such Debtor

p. 187

or Debtors in the Hands of the respective Sheriffs subject as afore-
said to a distribution in manner aforesaid. And the Sale and Service
of such Debtor or Debtors as aforesaid is hereby directed to be
taken as a full and sufficient Acquittal and discharge against all Debts
due from such Debtor or Debtors before such sale. Provided that
in Case it shall appear to the Satisfaction of the said Justices that
any of the said Debtors have offered since their Confinement to make
satisfaction to their Creditors by Servitude and that their Creditors
have refused to accept the same That the Time such Debtors have
been Confined in Prison shall be deemed and taken as Part of the
aforesaid Five Years and that they shall be obliged to serve only
for such Time as will Compleat Five Years from the Day of such
offer of Servitude and that in Case any such single Persons as afore-
said have been confined in Prison for Five Years or any longer Time
That the said Persons so confined shall be discharged upon the
same terms and in the same manner that Persons having Families
are by this Act directed to be discharged

[Proviso.]

Provided always that this Act shall not extend to the discharging
any Person or Persons herein before mentioned from his her or
their Imprisonment for, or by reason of any Criminal Matter what-
soever anything therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding

By the Lower House of
Assembly July 2.^d 1773.
Read and Assented to
Signed by Order
Jn.° Duckett Cl. Lo. Ho.

On Behalf of the right
Honourable the Lord
Proprietary of this Prov-
ince I will this be a Law.
Rob.^t Eden

By the Upper House of
Assembly July 2.^d 1773.
Read and assented to
Signed by Order
U Scott Cl. Up. Ho.

the great seal
in wax appendant

No. 14

An Act for the better regulating Attachments

[Preamble.]

Whereas it is found by experience that the Laws now in being
directing the manner of suing out Attachments are not framed so
as to afford equal Justice to Creditors but commonly some of the
Creditors secure their whole Claims whilst others suffer a total Loss
and frequently doubtful and suspicious Claims take place of honest
Debts by Contrivance and Fraud between absconding Persons and
their Friends for remedy whereof for the future