POOR.

matter or thing by him or them done and executed in pur-
suance and execution of this act, or of any matter or thing in
this act contained, such person or persons shall and may plead
the general issue, and give this act and the special matter in
evidence, for his or her defence ; and if upon trial a verdict
shall pass for the defendant or defendants, or if the plaintiff or
plaintiffs shall become non-suit, or discontinue his or their suit,
then such defendant or defendants shall have and recover
treble costs to him or them awarded against such plaintiff or
plaintiffs ; and if the plaintiff or plaintiffs is or are unable to
satisfy the same, then it shall be paid and satisfied by the at-
torney who brought such suit, unless the plaintiff or plaintiffs
shall give security for the costs, to be approved by the court in
which such suit is brought.

2269

SEC. 21. And, to prevent individuals from being unreasona-
bly burthencd with the execution of this act as trustees for the
poor ; Be it enacted, That at the time of the meeting of the said
trustees for the poor in the first week of November yearly, the
said trustees, or the major part of them, in the said county,
shall and may elect and choose one of the principal inhabitants
of said county, to be a trustee for the poor of said county in the
stead of the first named or eldest of the said trustees of the said
county, which said first named or eldest trustee shall be, and
is by virtue hereof, thencefrom discharged from his office.

One trustee
to bo
chosen
annually,
&c.

SEC. 22. And be it enacted, That it shall and may be lawful
for the trustees aforesaid, or a major part of them, to rent an
house or houses in the said county for the reception of such
poor, vagrants, vagabonds or offenders, with the necessary lot
or lots of ground adjoining to such house or houses, as con-
venient to the court-house in said county as may be, for the
reception and accommodation of the said poor, vagrants, vaga-
bonds and offenders, until a sufficient sum of money be raised
in virtue of this act to enable the said trustees to purchase the
land and erect the buildings herein before mentioned ; and the
justices of said county are hereby empowered and enjoined,
annually, at the court for laying the county rate, to assess on
the taxable property of the said county a sufficient sum to dis-
charge the rent aforesaid, with the collector's commission of
six per cent, thereon ; which sum, so as aforesaid assessed,
shall be collected and paid by the collector of said county
to the said trustees, or a majority of them, to be by them ap-
plied to the purposes aforesaid ; and the said trustees, or the
major part of them, are hereby empowered and required, as
soon as such house or houses aforesaid are procured on rent,
to proceed to the appointment of an overseer, and other officers
and servants as are mentioned in this act, and to do and perform
every other matter and thing necessary to carrying the said

Trustees to
rent a house
&c.