the whole exceed not Forty shillings which said Gaoler is hereby impowered and commanded to receive such Run-away or Run-aways and to pay unto the bringer Eight pence per Mile as aforesaid for every such Run-away so brought to him on Penalty of Forty shillings and that it shall and may be Lawful for the Marshal to detain and keep in Custody the Bodies of all such Run-aways so brought unto him until the Master or Mistress of them or their Assigns shall pay unto him the full Sum of what he hath so paid for them with Two shillings six pence per pound for laying out the Money and so proportionably and also six pence for every Twenty four Hours the said Run-away hath been in his Custody and if the said Marshall shall suffer any Run-away so brought to him to escape before he be duly delivered to his Master or Mistress or his or her Assigns that then the said Marshal shall pay unto the Master or Mistress of the said Run-away so much as he shall be Condemned in by the Verdict of a Jury at Common Law also any one may take up any suspected Persons and carry him or her to any Justice to be Examined That the Captain or any other Commission-Officer shall at the Head of every their respective Company and Troop Publish or cause to be Published this present Act once every Twelve Months under the Penalty of Five pounds Provided also That the several Fines Forfeitures and Penalties before mentioned in this Act and not declared where they shall be Recovered and how Disposed of be one Moyety to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors for and towards the Support of the Government of this Island and Contingent Charges thereof the other to the Informer to be Recovered by Action of Debt if not exceeding Forty shillings as all Penalties of Service before any Justice of the Peace and if above Forty shillings and not for Service in any Court of Record within this Island wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed any Law Custom or Usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And be it further provided That no Person or Persons shall be sued molested or troubled for any Fine or Forfeiture against this present Act unless the Party so Offending shall be sued or impleaded for the same within two Years at the most after the said Offence shall be committed An ACT For the High-Ways FOR the better amending and keeping clear the Common High-ways and known broad Paths within this Island leading to Church and Market and for laying out New High-ways and turning Old High-ways where it shall be needful be it Enacted and Ordained by the Governour Council and Assembly and it is hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Authority of the same that the Vestry of each Parish or the Major part of them shall on every third Monday in January before Noon at their Parish Church or other Convenient place choose four or more Freeholders each seized of at least Thirty Acres Free-hold in Right of himself or Wife to be Surveyors for the Year ensuing if the Vestry neglects each Person absent or negligent shall forfeit forty shillings and the Justices at their next Sessions being informed thereof shall appoint four or more such Surveyors as aforesaid every Person so Chosen or Appointed shall within Ten Days due Notice being given him by the Clerk of the Vestry procure himself to be Sworn before some Justice in the said Parish Diligently and Faithfully to perform the said Office for the Year ensuing and give a just Account to the Justices and Vestry if required of what he shall receive pay or do by virtue of his Office on Penalty of Ten pounds Sterling That the Surveyor being Sworn as aforesaid shall within sixteen Days after their having viewed and considered the High-ways and Bridges inform the Justices and Vestry of the Defects Wants and Alterations needful in the same to the end as they are hereby empowered the said Justices and Vestry may lay a Tax of such Money Labour or other things as to them shall seem convenient and necessary which if the Justices and Vestry shall not do before the last day of February in each Year then the said Surveyor shall make such Tax in Writing which being Confirmed by any two Justices in the said Parish shall stand good till some Complaint be made at the Quarter-Sessions in that Parish and the Justices then and there to confirm or alter the same without Appeal from thence That the High-ways be sixty foot wide in standing Wood forty foot where the Wood is onely on one side and twenty four foot in open Ground and that the Surveyors have Power to cut down dig up or remove as well all sorts of Trees Bushes Prickle Fences Rails Gates or Inclosures or other thing or things as may any ways straighten hurt hinder or incommode the High-ways as also to dig for Stone or Gravel Clay Marl Sand or Earth in any Land not Planted or Inclosed as Yard or Garden to a House or to Press any Cart Carriage Workman or other thing fit to be employed in the High-ways for such Reasonable satisfaction to the Parties concerned as such Surveyor can agree for and in case of Disagreement such as the next or any Justice in the Parish shall appoint Provided Nevertheless that where Gates are or shall be erected of at least Ten foot between Post and Post or the High-way streightned by Inclosure on both sides but the way so well kept by Causey-way or otherwise that two Carriages may meet and pass each other and the Ground as firm as is necessary then the said Surveyors shall forbear to pull down or remove such Gates or Fences any thing herein seeming to the contrary notwithstanding But if any Person shall again erect or cause any Nusance in the High-ways which was by the Surveyor removed for such Offence he or they shall forfeit five pounds And in Case where a New Path or Road is wanting or where Old Ways may with more Conveniency be turned or altered or where to some Plantation or Plantations no High-ways are yet laid out to lead them into the High Roads which go towards the Market or Church or to any convenient Harbour or Landing-place fitting for receiving a Shoar or Shipping off any Goods upon Notice thereof given to any Justice of the Peace he shall on request issue his Warrant to the next Constable in the said Parish to Summon a Jury to meet at some convenient place and Day therein to be mentioned to view and lay out or alter such Path or Roads which said Justice is hereby impowered to administer an Oath to the said Jury that according to the best of their Skills and Judgments and with most Conveniency to the Publick and least Prejudice or Damage to any particular Person they will lay out such Way which having done the Surveyor is to make Return thereof to the Justices at the next
any Person or Persons for taking any Distress or Sale of the same or for turning the Course of the River through any Persons Land or for Cutting a new channel through the same or any other thing done by the Authority of this Act the Defendant in any such Action or Suit shall plead the General Issue give this Act in Evidence whereupon Issue shall be Joyned and the Jury shall find for the Defendant and Assess treble Damage for his wrongful vexation in that behalf Provided always and it is the true Intent and Meaning of this Act that if any new Channel for the Conveyance of the said River be cut through any Persons Lands all such Damages as he receiveth thereby shall be valued by the said Commissioners or any five or more of them and Satisfaction shall be made to the Owners of such Lands out of the Mony so to be Assessed and Levyed as aforesaid and whatsoever Land shall be Recovered by means of Draining what now is overslown shall belong to the first Proprietors and that this Act continue in Force for the Term of Five Years and no longer any thing in this Act or any other seeming to the contrary notwithstanding An ACT For Regulating Building and preventing Fire BE it Enacted by the Governour Council and Assembly and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same That no Person whatsoever presume to Build any House at Port-Royal within thirty Foot of the High-Water Mark and that when any House or Houses are already Built or hereafter shall be Built on the Harbor side nearer than thirty Foot of the High-Water Mark the Wherry Place only accepted such House or Houses so Built or to be Built shall and are hereby adjudged deemed and taken to be publick Nusances and the Proprietor or Proprietors of the same shall cause such House or Houses Built thereon to be taken down and removed within six Months after conviction thereof or otherwise Build or cause to be Built within six Months a strong substantial Wharf so as the same may make a firm Passage or way of Thirty Foot from High-Water Mark. Provided that no House shall be Built further Northward on the Harbour than Major Samuel Bach and Captain Anthony Swimmer on any Land Wharfed or to be Wharfed out between Fort James and Fort Carlisle but that all Land so made out of the Harbour or to be made shall remain unbuilt on And be it further Enacted and Declared by the aforesaid Authority That when any Fire shall happen to break out either at Port-Royal or at any other Town already Built or which hereafter shall be Built within this Island that two or three of the Chief Military or Civil Officers of the same Town or Parish shall or may and hereby are Empowered to give all such directions for the Pulling down or blowing up any such House or Houses that shall be by them adjudged meet to be pulled down or Blown up for the stopping and preventing the further spreading of the same and if it shall happen that the pulling down or blowing up any such House or Houses by the directions aforesaid shall be the Occasion of stopping the said Fire or the Fire stops before it comes to the same then all and every Owner of such House and Houses shall receive Satisfaction and be paid for the same by the rest of the Inhabitants whose Houses shall not be Burnt who are hereby empowered to make such Rate or Rates for the raising and Levying such Sum and Sums of Mony as shall be thought convenient by the Justices and Vestry men of the Parish Provided always That if that House where the Fire shall first begin and break out shall be Adjudged fit to be Pull'd down to hinder the further spreading and increase of the same that then the Owners of such House shall receive no manner of satisfaction for the same any thing in this Act or any other Act to the Contrary Notwithstanding And whereas it may be doubted that the Sea may encroach upon the Southward part of the Town of Port-Royal for the prevention whereof be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that all Proprietors or Owners of Land or Houses their Factors Agents Attorneys and Guardians of Children or any Persons employed by them or any of them that are Interested on the Southermost part of Port-Royal from Fort Rupert to the House and Land now Inhabited by one Edward Watkins and known by the Sign of the Blew Bell be hereby Enjoyned and Obliged by this Act within twelve Months after Publication hereof Substantially to Wharf out and Secure and keep Secured their respective Proportions of Land joining on the Sea with substantial Wharf of lasting Timber at least one Foot into the Sea under the Penalty of Ten Pounds currant Money of this Island for every Year any such Person or Persons shall Neglect the same one third part thereof to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors for and towards the Support of the Government of this Island and the contingent Charges thereof one third part to the Church-Wardens of the Parish of Port-Royal for the time being for the use of the Poor and the other third part to the Informer or he that shall Sue for the same in any Court of Record within this Island wherein no Essoin Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed And that the Owners or Proprietors of such Land or Houses as aforesaid may be the better Encouraged to Wharf out as is before appointed the Street now called the Church Street shall be no more deemed accounted or taken for a Street but shall be Added or Annexed to each Propriety and Freehold in Proportion to their Respective Interest bounding upon the same for which Consideration they are hereby Obliged to leave a Passage at least eighteen Foot open to the Sea Provided that nothing in any Clause of this Act shall Permit and suffer any Person or Persons whatsoever to Build any House nearer to the Church on the South-side than what are already Built for the whole length of the Church aforesaid And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Person or Persons do fetch or cause to be fetched in any Boat Vessel or Canoa from the Riffs or Shoals or dig up any Stones below High-Water Mark from the Eastermost and Southermost Parts of any of the Cays lying off Port-Royal and that no Stones simall or great be fetched or taken up for balast or any other use from the Eastermost side of the Point on Port-Royal so far as Plum-Point on Penalty of Ten Pounds for every such offence and that no Commander and Master of any Ship or Vessel cast or hoist out any Ballast overboard into the water within the Harbour of Port-Royal or any other Harbour or Bay upon the Penalty of Twenty Pounds for every such offence And be it farther Enacted that no Wreeks be laid up within the Harbour of Port-Royal or if any such
decayd Vessels or Wreeks sink in the Harbour by neglect of the Owner or Owners Possessor or Possessors of the same and not removed within one Month after the sinking thereof the said Owner or Owners Possessor or Possessors of the same shall forfeit Twenty Pounds for every Month such Vessel shall so lye Provided also that the several Fines Forfeitures and Penalties before mentioned in this Act and not declared where they shall be recovered and how disposed of be one third to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs Successors for and towards the support of the Government of this Island Contingent Charges thereof one third to the Church-Wardens for the use of the Respective Parishes and one third to the Informer to be recovered by Action of Debt in any Court of Record within this Island where no Essoins Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed any Law Custom or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding And forasmuch as great and diverse complaints are daily made by Masters and Commanders of Ships and Vessels Trading to this Island that upon their Ships or other Vessels coming into any Harbour of the same the Seamen belonging to the said Ships or Vessels do run on Shore insomuch that they have not left on Board a sufficient Number of men to watch the said Ships or Vessels Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Person or Persons that shall receive or entertain any Seaman or Seamen belonging to any Trading Ships or Vessels Riding in any Harbour of this Island after the Ships Bell Ringing to set Watch at eight of the Clock at night every such Person or Persons receiving or Entertaining of every such Seaman as aforesaid shall forfeit for the Entertainment of every such Seaman the Sum of Forty Shillings one half to the Poor of the Parish where the Offence is or shall be committed and the other half to the Master or Commander that shall Prosecute for the same to be recovered by a Warrant from a Justice of the Peace as in cases of Debt not exceeding Forty Shillings An ACT For the Maintenance of Ministers and the Poor and Erecting and repayring of Churches For raising a convenient maintenance for the Ministers and Poor and Erecting and repairing of Churches within this Island Be it Enacted by the Governour Councel and Assembly and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same That the respective Justices of every Parish within this Island or any two of them shall every Year Issue out their Warrants to the Constables and Tything-men to Summons the Freeholders of that Parish together on the Second Tuesday in January for the Choosing of Ten Vestry-men and two Church-Wardens such as shall conform to the Church of England and if they shall neglect to Issue their Warrant so as the Election be not made that day they shall respectively forfeit five pounds Currant mony of this Island and in Case the said freeholders duly Summoned as aforesaid shall not appear or appearing do not Choose the said Ten Vestry-men and two Church-Wardens that then in their Default the said Justices shall within ten days after the said second Tuesday in January or any day after as to them shall seem convenient lay a reasonable Tax on the said Parish for the maintenance of the Minister and Poor and for Erecting convenient Churches and repairing such as are already made and making convenient seats in them and if the said Justices and Vestry-men shall neglect their duty herein they shall respectively forfeit five Pounds Currant mony of this Island And Be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That such of the Justices Vestrymen that shall not be present at the time ted to make the said Taxes and thereof be convicted by a Certificate under the hands of such as do appear and have no sufficient excuse for the same shall Respectively forfeit five Pounds Currant Mony of this Island and a Roll of the said Tax so made shall be delivered into the hands of the respective Constables of the said Purishes with a Warrant under the same signed by any two Justices of the Peace impowering him or them to Levy the said Tax and upon refusal to distrain and sell by Publick Outcry and pay the same into the hands of the Church-Wardens retaining to himself Twelvepence per Pound for Levying thereof and if any Person shall refuse to Pay what he is so Assessed and the said Constables Distrain for the same all his Charges shall be paid him with such further allowance for his pains as the said Justices or any one of them shall judge reasonable and if the said Justice or Justices shall neglect to Issue the said Warrant he or they shall respectively forfeit five Pounds Currant Mony of this Island and if the said Constables or any of them fail of their duty herein they shall respectively forfeit five Pounds Currant Mony of this Island and the Church-Wardens so Chosen shall undertake the said Office and receive and keep a good account of the Monies or goods Levyed by Vertue of this Act and the same Issue by Order from the said Iustices and Vestry-men of the Parishes for the purposes and intents aforesaid and the Church-Wardens shall as often as thereunto required yield and give a just and true account unto the Justices and Vestry-men of all their Receits and Disbursements and in case the said Church-Wardens or any of them shall neglect their Duty herein they shall respectively forfeit five Pounds Currant Mony of this Island for every refusal And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the respective Justices of the Parishes of St. Dorothy and St. Thomas in the Vale or any two of them shall every Year Issue out their Warrants to the Constables and Tything-men to Summons in the Freeholders of the said Parishes the Second Tuesday in February for the Choosing of ten Vestry-men and two Church-Wardens as aforesaid and that the said Justices and Vestry-men or the Major part of them are hereby impowered to lay on the Parishioners a reasonable Tax over and above the rate imposed on them by Vertue of this Act by the Justices and Vestry-men of the Parish of St. Catharines Provided it exceed not one Hundred Pounds Currant Mony of this Island for and towards the Building and Erecting Churches and making convenient Seats in them in their respective Parishes and to no other uses whatsoever and that whatsoever Rate or Rates hath been already assessed by the Justices and Vestry-men of the Parish of St. Dorothy's upon their Parishioners or any other Person or Persons having Land Goods or Stock within the said Parish is hereby Ratified Confirmed and Declared Lawful any Clause in this Act seeming to the contrary notwithstanding a Roll of any Taxes so made shall be delivered into the hands of the respective Constables of each Parish with a Warrant under the same signed by any two of the Justices
Impowering him or them to Levy the said Tax and upon refusal to Distrain and Sell by Publick Outcry as aforesaid any thing in this Act seeming to the contrary notwithstanding And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the Justices and Vestry-men of each Parish have full Power to enquire into Arrears of former Subscriptions and Taxes and to Levy the same Arrears by Warrant from the Justices to the Constables aforesaid and that the Minister demand no Fee in his own Parish for Christnings Marriages Churchings or Buryals under the Penalty of five Pounds for every offence unless such as the Justices and Vestry-men shall allow any Law Custom or usage to the contrary notwithstanding the one half of all which Forfeitures shall be to the Poor of the Parish and the other Moyety to him or them that shall sue for the same in any Court of Record within this Island And forasmuch as many Persons who may by Vertue of this Act and the Act for mending and repairing the High-ways be Taxed and have nothing in the Parish where they are Taxed upon which any Distress may be made It is therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That in such Cases from and after the making hereof an Action of Debt shall lye in any Court of Record or before any Justice of the Peace as in other Debts for the several Church-Wardens and Surveyors of each Respective Parish and their Successors to recover against any of the said Persons Rated or Assessed by vertue of this Act or any of them or their Agents or Attorneys here all such Sum and Sums of Mony as are or shall be rated or assessed upon them as aforesaid And that the same Rate or Assessment produced in such Court of Record or before such Justice of the Peace as aforesaid shall be sufficient Evidence and proof for the recovery of all such Sum or Sums of Mony so Rated or Assessed as aforesaid Provided nevertheless and it is the true intent and meaning hereof That no Justices of the Peace and Vestry-men shall have power to assess any such Person or Persons as aforesaid above the Sum of one shilling Per Annum and for every hundred Acres of Land and so proportionable for a greater or lesser quantity And it is hereby further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That any Person or Persons aggrieved or Rated in any such Assessment or Tax have hereby liberty granted to Appeal to the Justices siting in the Quarter Sessions in their Respective Precincts in this Island Provided that such Appeal to them be made at the first or second Quarter Sessions after such Taxes made and not afterwards and that there it Appearing to the said Justices that he she or they were Over-rated Taxed or Assessed the said Justices are hereby Authorized and Impowered if they find him her or them so Over-rated or Assessed to ease him her or them as to their discretion shall seem meet but that no Appeal shall lye further or to any other Court or Place in this Island for any Tax or Rate made or Assessed by the Justices and Vestry-men of each respective Parish in this Island any Law Custom or Usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the Church-wardens of each respective Parish within this Island do buy or cause to be bought one Fair well bound Book wherein the Minister and in case there be no Minister there resident the Respective Church-Wardens upon notice thereof given by the Masters of the several Families who are hereby required to give such notice under the Penalty of five Pounds shall Register or cause to be Registred by the Clark of the Vestry of that Parish the Times of the Births Christnings Marriages and Burials of all such Person or Persons that shall from time to time be Born Christned Marryed or Buried within the said Parish under the Penalty of five Pounds for every such Default And that the said Clark or Person that shall Register the same shall have and receive as a Fee for each Entry Fifteen Pence and no more And it is hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all such entries duly made and kept as aforesaid shall at all times hereafter be Deemed Judged and taken as an Authentique Record of all such Births Christnings Marriages and Burials and in all and every the Courts of Records in this Island But if any Person hereby Authorized to make such Entry or any other whatsoever shall make or cause to be made any false Entry or shall raze our or Imbezel any Entry or Books of Entry he or they so offending shall be proceeded against and Punished in manner and form as the Laws of England provide against such as Steal Raze or Imbezel Records The one Moyety of all which Forfeitures or Penalties or any other mentioned in this Act and not directed how to be disposed of shall be to the Poor of the Parish where the fault is committed the other Moyety or half part to the Informer to be recovered by Bill Plaint or Information in any of his Majesties Courts of Record in this Island wherein no Wager of Law Essoin Protection or Injunction shall be allowed any thing in this Act or in any other Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the Parish of Port-Royal do allow and Pay unto the Minister thereof two Hundred and fifty Pounds Per Annum of Currant Mony of this Island and that the Parish of St. Catharines do allow and pay unto the Ministers thereof One Hundred and forty Pounds of the like Mony Per Annum and not less And that the Parish of St. Thomas St. Andrews and St. Johns do allow and pay unto their Respective Ministers One Hundred Pounds of like mony Per Annum and that all the other Parishes within this His Majesties Island that either have or shall have a Minister do allow and pay Eighty Pounds Currant Mony and not less as a constant Yearly Salary for the support and Maintenance of every of their Ministers to be Paid at their Respective dwelling Houses every six Months without any Charge or defalcation by equal Portions and none to be Capable of being presented to the said Benefices or receiving the Profits of the same unless they produce due Testimonials that they are qualified according to the Canons of the Church of England by having taken Deacon and Priests Orders and the said Testimonials to be Recorded in the Secretaries Office And be it further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid That no Minister not duly qualified as aforesaid Presume to Marry any Person or Persons whatsoever under the Penalty of one Hundred Pounds Currant Mony of this Island one third thereof to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors for and towards the support of the Government of this
Justice of the Peace without giving Notice to the Captain of the said Fort or whosoever shall Command in Chief therein in his Absence which said Notice shall be sufficient Leave to pass the said Fort without any further Charge or trouble whatsoever unless the said Captain or other his Subordinate Officer have reasonable cause to Suspect the Person so desiring leave to have some evil design in going off with or carrying off any Persons contrary to Law in which Case it shall and may be Lawful for the said Captain or his aforesaid Officer to hinder their departure out of the Harbour until the said Captain or Officer be satisfied of the Lawfulness of their occasion any Act Custom or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding Be it also further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Person whatsoever presume to Fire any small Arms after eight of the Clock at Night unless in case of an Alarm Insurrection or other lawful occasion and in either of the said Cases Four Muskets or small Arms distinctly Fired shall be taken for an Alarm from Quarter to Quarter and every Person that shall be duly convicted before a Regimental Court Martial of neglecting his Duty in taking and giving forward any Alarm by Firing Four Muskets or small Arms as aforesaid or shall be Guilty of Firing any small Arms after Eight of the Clock at Night unless as aforesaid shall be Fined or otherwise punished at the discretion of a Court Martial not extending to Life or Limb. And whosoever shall be found to be a Transgressor herein by the next Commission Officer under Penalty of Five Pounds be caused to be Apprehended and sent under a Guard to the next Marshal who is hereby obliged under Penalty of Twenty Pounds to receive and secure the said Offender until he shall be Tryed or Discharged by a Court Marshal as aforesaid And for the better Prevention of False Alarms That no Captain Master or Commander of any Ship or Vessel Riding at Anchor in the Harbour of Port-Royal or any other Bay or Harbour or any other Person Fire any Gun after Sun set under Penalty of Forty Shillings for every Gun so Fired to be Levyed by Warrant from the Chief Officer not under the Degree of a Captain who is hereby Impowered to Administer an Oath and give Judgment thereupon by Distress or Sale of the offenders Goods and for want of Distress the said Chief Officer is hereby Impowered to Commit such Offender to Goal there to remain until payment of the same and that in Case the said Chief Officer shall not perform his Duty therein he shall forfeit Ten Pounds to be levyed by Warrant from the Governour or Commander in Chief for the time being Provided always that this Clause shall in no ways concern or extend to any Captain or Officer of any of His Majesties Ships of War for their Firing of one Gun for the setting of the Watch. Provided always and it is hereby further Enacted and declared by the Authority aforesaid That nothing in this Act contained be expounded construed or understood to diminish alter or abridge the power of the Governour or Commander in Chief for the time being but that in all things and upon all occasions he may act as fully and freely as Captain General and Chief Governour to all Intents and purposes as if this Act had never been made any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding Provided also And it is hereby Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid That nothing within this Act or any clause therein contained shall be deemed construed or understood to give any Captain General or Commander in Chief any Power or Authority for the sending any Person or Persons of this Island against their will or to do any other act or thing contrary or repugnant unto the known Laws of England or this Island An ACT For prevention of Law Suits BE it Enacted and Ordained by the Governour Council and Assembly And it is hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Authority of the same That all Possessions of or Titles to any Lands or Houses whatsoever derived by or from any Sales for Valuable considerations made either by the Brovost Marshals Creditors or by the Executors or Administrators of any Persons Deceased or by the Husbands in Right of their Wives or by the Endorsments or Delivery up of Patents or by any Decrees in Chancery or by any Last Wills and Testaments or by any Patent Granted upon Judgment given in Writs of Escheat or Cessavit and the said Person or any claiming under them now being in Possession of the same be by this present Act Ratified Confirmed and Declared good and Legal to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever Provided always that such Possessors or Purchasors their Heirs or Assigns have or shall continue in quiet or peaceable Possession of the same for the space of Seven Years without any Claim or Interruption and the said Sales Patents Decrees and Possessions as aforesaid to be a perpetual Bar against all manner of Persons Claiming or to Claim any Right or Title by Descent Purchase Marriage or Limitation for or by reason of any former Grant Gift Patent or Conveyance any Law Custom or Usage in any wise to the contrary notwithstanding And it is hereby Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid That in all Writs of Escheat hereafter to be Granted the Provost Marshal be commanded to Inquire by a Jury of Twelve Free and Lawful Men upon their Oaths they then being upon the Premises the true Value of all and singular the Real Estate which any Person so Dying without Heirs was at the time of his Death Sei zed of and that after Office found and returned into the Supreme Court and Judgment hereupon given and Recorded It be Lawful for the Governour for the time being or in his absence the Commander in Chief to pass any Grant of the said Escheated Estate under the Broad Seal of this Island Provided that a Clause be therein Inserted that the said Grant shall determine and be Voyd in case any Right Heir appears and Claims the same and Legally approves himself to be Heir within Three Years after the Date of the said Patent and that the Value of the said Escheated Estate as it was Apprised at shall be secured to be paid unto the Treasury of this Island after the Expiration of Three Years from the Date of the Patent If no Heir in the mean time shall Obtain the same by such Person or Persons to whom the Governour or Commander in Chief as aforesaid shall by Patent under the Broad Seal of this Island grant the same and that the Treasurer or Receiver be hereby required to pay or cause to be paid the Sum or Sums of Mony the said Escheated Estate was Valued at out of the Treasury unto or for the Use of such Heir who shall Claim the same and Approve Himself to be Heir before any other Payment whatsoever which Proof of the Heirs