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COOMBS v. JORDAN. 305
removed a long train of difficulties and inconveniences, and was
accordingly adopted almost immediately without opposition and
books in use among us, that I have deemed it proper to insert it here entire and
verbatim from the British statute book.—5 George 2, c. 7.
*An act for the more easy Recovery of Debts in his Majesty's Plantations and
Colonies in America.'
'Whereas his Majesty's subjects trading to the British Plantations in America lie
under great difficulties, for want of more easy methods of proving, recovering and
levying of debts due to them, than are now used in some of the said Plantations;
And whereas, it will tend very much to the retrieving of the credit formerly given
by the trading subjects of Great Britain to the natives and inhabitants of the said
Plantations, and to the advancing of the trade of this kingdom thither if such incon-
veniences were remedied.
'May it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted, And be it enacted by the
King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lord's Spiri-
tual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the
authority of the same, That from and after the twenty-ninth day of September which
shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-two, in any
action or suit then depending, or thereafter to be brought in any court of law or
equity in any of the said Plantations, for, or relating to any debt or account wherein
any person residing in Great Britain shall be a party, it shall and may be lawful to
and for the plaintiff or defendant, and also to and for any witness to be examined or
made use of in such action or suit, to verify or prove any matter or thing by affidavit
or affidavits in writing upon oath, or in case the person making such affidavit be one
of the people called Quakers, then upon his or her solemn affirmation, made before
any mayor, or other chief magistrate of the city, borough or town corporate in
Great Britain, where or near to which the person making such affidavit or affirma-
tion shall reside, and certified and transmitted under the common seal of such city,
borough, or town corporate, or the seal of the office of such mayor, or other chief
magistrate, which oath and solemn affirmation every such mayor and chief magis-
trate shall be, and is hereby authorized and empowered to administer; and every
affidavit or affirmation so made, certified and transmitted, shall in all such actions
and suits, be allowed to be of the same force and effect, as if the person or persons
making the same upon oath or solemn affirmation as aforesaid, had appeared and
sworn or affirmed the matters contained in such affidavit or affirmation viva voce in
open court, or upon a commission issued for the examination of witnesses, or of any
party in any such action or suit respectively; provided that in every such affidavit
and affirmation, there shall be expressed the addition of the party making such
affidavit or affirmation, and the particular place of his or her abode.
*2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in all suits now de-
pending, or hereafter to be brought in any court of law or equity, by or in behalf of
his majesty, his heirs and successors, in any of the said Plantations, for or relating
to any debt or account, that his majesty, his heirs and successors, shall and may
prove his and their debts and accounts, and examine his or their witness or wit-
nesses, by affidavit or affirmation, in like manner as any subject or subjects it or are
empowered, or may do by this present act.
*S. Provided always, and it it hereby enacted, That if any person making such affi-
davit upon oath or solemn affirmation as aforesaid, shall be guilty of falsely and
wilfully swearing or affirming any matter or thing in such affidavit or affirmation,
which, if the same had been sworn upon on examination in the usual form, would
39 v.3
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