Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 7.djvu/613

 A. D. 1755. Anno vlceiimo odavo Georgii If* C 13. 593 I A. B. do fwear, That ^was really and truly my Prifoner in my Cuftody, in the Pjifon of to the befl: of my Knowledge and Belief, at or upon the firll Day of January one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five ; and the Warrant or Warrants of his or her Detainer, and the Copy or C pies of the Caufe or Caufes, nov/ by me brought with the Body of the faid is the Warrant of his or her Detainer ; and is or are a true Copy or Copies, without any Fraud or De- ceit by me, or by any other to the beft of my Knowledge, ' SohrlpmeGOD: XI. Provided always, and be it enafied by the Authority aforefaid, That if fuch PerfoJi or Perfons, as Gaolers who was the bheriiT or Sherifis, Gacler or Gaolers, or Keeper of fuch Gaol or Prifon on the faid firft Day of'"'^''*= "°' '° °'- yanuary one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five, flaall not happen to be the Sherift"or Sheriffs, Gaoler '^[[^"'[j^^f'j^Jj^ or Gaolers or Keeper of fuch Gaol or Prifon, at the Time of making fuch Order, that the faid General orjngOath. I on to )llow- '^ingOath. Quarter-Seffions, held as aforefaid, if required as aforefaid, fhall adminifter and giv'e to fuch Perfons as fiiall be Sheriffs, Gaolers or Keepers of fuch Prifon or Prifons, at the Time of making fuch Order an Oath touching the Commitments^ or Books of Commitment, to the EfFedt following ; that is to fay, J. B. do fwear. That I have examined the Commitments, or Books kept of or concerning the _ Commitment of Prifoners to the Prifon of in the County of and I verily believe, that the faid Commitments or Books of Commitment, are really true, and not fiditious, nor calculated for this Purpofe ; and by them, it does appear, that was, on the firfi: Day oi yanuary one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five, really and truly a Prifoner in the aftual Cuftody of the then Sheriff, Gaoler or Keepei- of the faid Prifon, without Fraud or Deceit by me, or the faid or any other Perfon or Perfons to my Knowledge. ' So help me GOD.' ' XII. And whereas great Numbers of Workmen flcilful in the feveral Trades and Manufaftures of this ' Kingdom, and alfo many able Seamen and Mariners, finding themfelves unable to fatisfy the Whole of ' Native Country, and have entered themfelves in Foreign Service: And whereas their Continuance ' Abroad muft be of great Prejudice to the Trade of this Kingdom :' In order therefore to induce and enable fuch Perfons to return ; Be it enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That all and every Debtor and Debtors, who was or were aftually beyond the Seas in Foreign Parts on the faid firft- Day of yanuary one Debtors who thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five, who ihall return and furrender himfelf or themfelves unto the ""^^ ^>'°"'^ Gaoler or Gaolers, Keep.=.r or Keepers, of the Prifons of the King's Bench, Marflialfea or Fleet, or to the ,y?r° n'r^nder- Prifon or Prifons of fuch County or Counties vi^here fuch Debtor or Debtors laft dwelt for the Spaceing.aiidconform- cf fix Months (which faid Gaoler or Gaolers, Keeper or Keepers, are hereby required and impowered toing, to have the receive and detain fuch Debtor or Debtors furrendering as aforefaid, in order to their Difcharge, as herein E"'^"'^' °f ''"^ after-mentioned) fhall, from and immediately after fuch Surrender as aforefaid, be deemed a Prifoner or^ Prifoners within, and be to all Intents and Purpofes intitled to the Benefit of this AiSl, and fliall upon due Proof of the faid Premifies, by the Oath of fuch Debtor or Debtors (not difproved by any credible Witnefs) be difcharged in the fame manner, as if he, ftie or they, had been actually in Prifon on the faid firfl: Day of yanuary one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five, and continued therein as aforefaid, fubje£f neverthelefs to the fam^e Reftriftions and Provifions, and upon Compliance with the fame Terms, Conditions and Qualifications, herein before impofed upon the faid Prifoners actually in Cuftody upon the faid firft Day oi yanuary one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five, and alfo fuhjedl to the Terms and Pro- vifions, relating to the Eftate and Effefls of fuch Prifoner as aforefaid, excepting only fuch Particulars thereof, as require the Name of a Prifoner to be inferted in the Sheriffs, Gaolers or Keepers Lift as afore-, faid, or relate to the Oaths of fuch Sheriff', Gaoler or Keeper herein before appointed to be taken ; which Particulars cannot poflibly be applied to the Cafe of Perfons furrendering themfelves as aforefaid ; and alfo except the faid Oath herein before appointed to be taken by Prifoners in Cuftody upon the faid firft Day oi yanuary one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five, inftead whereof the faid Perfon or Perfons fo furren- derino- fhail take an Oath to the Eff'eft following, which the faid Juftices, authorized to put this Aft in Execution, are hereby required and impowered to adminifter, in fuch manner as the Oaths herein before- nentioned are to be adminiftcred. J. B. do, upon my Corpoi'al Oath, in the Prefence of Almighty God, folemnly fwear, proteft, and Fugitive's Oath. ^ declare. That I was a£lually, on the firft Day oiyanucry one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-five, beyond the Seas in Foreign Parts, videlicet, at _ and that the Schedule now delivered, and by me (ubfcribed, doth contain, to the beft of my Knowledge, Reniernbrance, and Belief, a full, juff, true and perfect Account and Difcovery of all the Eftate, Goods, and Efteds to me in any wife belonging; and fuch Debts as are to me owing, or to any Perfon or Perfons in Truft for me ; and of all the Securities and Contrails, whereby any Money now is, or will or may hereafter be- come payable, or any Benefit or Advantage accrue to me, or to my life, or to any other Perfon or Per- fons in Truft for me ; and the Names and Places of Abode of the feveral Perfons from v/hom fuch Debts are due and owing, and of the Witnefies that can prove fuch Debts or Contrafts; and that nei- ther I, nor any other Perfon or Perfons in Truft for me, have Land, Money, Stock or any Eftate, Vol. VII, 4 G ' Real
 * their refpective Debts, and dreading the Miferies of a Gaol, have chofe to leave their Employments and