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Rh Kidder v. Barr, 35 N. H. 251; Blythe v. Hinckley (C. C.) 84 Fed. 234. A cross-bill is a species of pleading, used for the purpose of obtaining a discovery necessary to the defense, or to obtain some relief founded on the collateral claims of the party defendant to the original suit. Tison v. Tison, 14 Ga. 167. Also, if a bill of exchange or promissory note be given in consideration of another bill or note, it is called a "cross" or "counter" bill or note.

5. In legislation and constitutional law, the word means a draft of an act of the legislature before it becomes a law; a proposed or projected law. A draft of an act presented to the legislature, but not enacted. An act is the appropriate term for it, after it has been acted on by, and passed by, the legislature. Southwark Bank v. Comm., 26 Pa. 450; Sedgwick County Com'rs v. Bailey, 13 Kan. 608; May v. Rice, 91 Ind. 549; State v. Hegeman, 2 Pennewill (Del.) 147, 44 Atl. 621. Also a special act passed by a legislative body in the exercise of a quasi judicial power. Thus, bills of attainder, bills of pains and penalties, are spoken of.

6. A solemn and formal legislative declaration of popular rights and liberties, promulgated on certain extraordinary occasions, as the famous Bill of Rights in English history.

7. In the law of contracts, an obligation; a deed, whereby the obligor acknowledges himself to owe to the obligee a certain sum of money or some other thing. It may be indented or poll, and with or without a penalty.

8. In commercial law. A written statement of the terms of a contract, or specification of the items of a transaction or of a demand; also a general name for any item of indebtedness, whether receivable or payable.

—Bill-book. In mercantile law. A book in which an account of bills of exchange and promissory notes, whether payable or receivable, is stated.—Bill-head. A printed form on which merchants and traders make out their bills and render accounts to their customers.—Bill of lading. In common law. The written evidence of a contract for the carriage and delivery of goods sent by sea for a certain freight. Mason v. Lickbarrow, 1 H. Bl. 359. A written memorandum, given by the person in command of a merchant vessel, acknowledging the receipt on board the ship of certain specified goods, in good order or "apparent good order," which he undertakes, in consideration of the payment of freight, to deliver in like good order (dangers of the sea excepted) at a designated place to the consignee therein named or to his assigns. Devato v. Barrels (D. C.) 20 Fed. 510; Gage v. Jaqueth, 1 Lans. (N. Y.) 210; The Delaware, 14 Wall. 600, 20 L. Ed. 779. The term is often applied to a similar receipt and undertaking given by a carrier or his agent, describing the freight so as to identify it, stating the name of the consignor, the terms of the contract for carriage, and agreeing or directing that the freight be delivered to the order or assigns of a specified person at a specified place. Civil Code Cal. § 2126; Civil Code Dak. § 1229.—Bill of parcels. A statement sent to the buyer of goods, along with the goods, exhibiting in detail the items composing the parcel and their several prices, to enable him to detect any mistake or omission; an invoice.—Bill of sale. In contracts. A written agreement under seal, by which one person assigns or transfers his right to or interest in goods and personal chattels to another. An instrument by which, in particular, the property in ships and vessels is conveyed. Putnam v. McDonald, 72 Vt. 4, 47 Atl. 159; Young v. Stone, 61 App. Div. 364, 70 N. Y. Supp. 558.—Bill payable. In a merchant's accounts, all bills which he has accepted, and promissory notes which he has made, are called "bills payable," and are entered in a ledger account under that name, and recorded in a book bearing the same title.—Bill receivable. In a merchant's accounts, all notes, drafts, checks, etc., payable to him, or of which he is to receive the proceeds at a future date, are called "bills receivable," and are entered in a ledger-account under that name, and also noted in a book bearing the same title. State v. Robinson, 57 Md. 501.—Bill rendered. A bill of items tendered by a creditor to his debtor; an "account rendered," as distinguished from "an account stated." Hill v. Hatch, 11 Me. 455.—Grand bill of sale. In English law. The name of an instrument used for the transfer of a ship while she is at sea. An expression winch