America, by virtue of acts, orders, refolutions, or votes of affembly," making and declaring fuch bills of credit to be legal tender in payment of money and whereas fuch bills of credit have greatly depreciated in their value, by means whereof debts have been difcharged with a much lefs value than was contracted for, to the great difcouragement and prejudice of the trade and commerce of his Majesty's fubjects, by occafioning confufion in dealings, and lessening credit in the faid colonies or plantations for remedy whereof, may it please your most excellent Majefty, that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's moft excellent majesty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal, and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That from and after the first day of September, one thousand seven hundred and fixty four, no act, order, refolution, or vote of affembly, in any of his Majesty's colonies or plantations in America, fhall be made, for creating or iffuing any paper bills, or bills of credit of any kind or denomination whatsoever, dedit, declaring claring fuch paper bills, or bills of credit, to be legal tender in legal tender payment of any bargains, contracts, debts, dues, or demands in payment of whatsoever; and every clause or provision which shall hereafter be inserted in any act, order, refolution, or vote of affembly, contrary to this act, fhall be null and void.

After 1 Sept. 1764, all fu

ture acts of affembly, &c. for creating, &c. paper

bills of cre

them to be a

money; are void.

II. And whereas the great quantities of paper bills, or bills of credit, which are now actually in circulation and currency in several colonies or plantations in America, emitted in pursuance of acts of affembly declaring such bills a legal tender, make it highly expedient that the conditions and terms, upon which fuch bills have been emitted, should not be varied or prolonged, fo as to continue the legal tender thereof beyond the terms respectively fixed by fuch acts for calling in and discharging fuch bills; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforefaid, That every act, order, refolution, or vote of affembly, in any of the which fhall be faid colonies or plantations, which fhall be made to prolong the long the legal legal tender of any paper bills, or bills of credit, which are now tender of fuch fubfifting and current in any of the faid colonies or plantations bills now fub- in America, beyond the times fixed for the calling in, finking, fifting, beyond and discharging of fuch paper bills, or bills of credit, shall be the periods

as are alfo all acts, &c.

made to pro

limited for

null and void.

calling in and finking the fame.

Governor, giving his afTent to any

fuch act, for

feits roool. and is incapacitated.

This act not

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any governor or commander in chief for the time being, in all or any of the faid colonies or plantations, fhall, from and after the faid first day of September, one thousand seven hundred and fixty four, give his affent to any act or order of affembly contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, every such governor or commander in chief fhall, for every fuch offence, forfeit and pay the fum of one thousand pounds, and shall be immediately difmiffed from his government, and for ever after rendered incapable of any public office or place of trust.

IV. Provided always, That nothing in this act shall extend to alter or re- to alter or repeal an act paffed in the twenty fourth year of the

reign of his late majefty King George the Second, intituled, An peal the act to regulate and reftrain paper bills of credit in his Majesty's colo- act 24 Geo. II. nies or plantations of Rhode Island and Providence plantations, Connecticut, the Maffachufet's Bay, and New Hampshire, in America, and to prevent the fame being legal tenders in payments of

money.

V. Provided also, That nothing herein contained fhall ex- nor to make tend, or be construed to extend, to make any of the bills now any bills now fubfifting in any of the faid colonies a legal tender. fubfifting a legal tender.

CAP. XXXV.

An act for making compenfation to the proprietors of fuch lands and bereditaments as have been purchafed upon the fea coafts in the counties of Kent, Suffex, and Southampton, on which forts and batteries have been erected for defence of the faid coafts, in pursuance of an act passed in the fecond year of the reign of his prefent Majesty, and for other purposes therein mentioned.

W HEREAS in pursuance of an act of parliament paffed in Preamble, re

III.

vefting certain lands, tenements, and hereditaments upon the in act a Geo. fea coafts in the counties of Kent, Suffex, and Southampton, on which forts and batteries have been erected for the defence of the faid coafts, in trustees, for certain uses, and for other purposes therein mentioned; his Majefty was most graciously pleased to iffue a commiffion by his letters patent under the great feal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster the nineteenth day of July, in the fecond year of his reign, to impower and authorize certain perfons therein named to be commiffioners for putting in execution the faid act, and did give to them, or any five or more of them, full power and authority to do, perform, and execute all and every the matters and things whatsoever, which by the faid act fuch commiffioners were authorized and required to do, perform, and execute, thereby willing them, or any five or more of them, from time to time, to proceed and act according to the rules and directions of the faid aft of parliament: and whereas by virtue of the faid commiffion, and in purfuance of the faid at, eleven of the faid commiffioners, in the faid commiffion named, did, on the fixth day of September, in the faid fecond year of his Majefty's reign, meet, pursuant to notice thereof given and fixed up at the door of the Guild ball of the city of Canterbury in the faid county of Kent, and at the principal gates of, and entrances into, the respective forts and batteries at Folkeftone and Hyth, and likewife published in the London Gazette, thirty days and more before fuch meeting, at the Old Castle of Canterbury aforefaid; and did then and there, in a fummary manner, proceed and act by and upon the testimony of witnesses, infpection and examination of deeds, writings, and records, and by and upon the inqueft of feventeen good and lawful men qualified to ferve upon juries at the affizes for the faid county of Kent, impanelled, fummoned, and returned by George Kelly efquire, Sheriff of the faid county, to take the inqueft, who, upon their oaths duly admi

nifiered,

niftered, did inquire into and prefent the true and real value of the lands, tenements, and hereditaments, mentioned in the faid act to be fituate at Folkestone and Hyth in the faid county of Kent, and of every part and parcel thereof, and who respectively were the owners and proprietors thereof, and their respective eftates and intereft therein ; and thereupon the faid commiffioners then prefent did adjudge and determine who refpectively were the owners and proprietors of the faid lands, tenements, and hereditaments at Folkeftone and Hyth aforefaid, and their respective eftates and intereft therein, and in every part and parcel thereof, and what each refpective owner and proprietor thereof was intitled to for his refpective eftates and intereft therein, amounting together to the fum of ninety pounds of lawful money of Great Britain: and whereas by virtue of the faid commission, and in pursuance of the faid act, ten of the faid commiffioners in the faid commiffion named, did, on the thirteenth day of September, in the faid fecond year of his Majefty's reign, meet at the town hall of the borough of Lewes in the faid county of Suffex, pursuant to notice given and fixed up at the town ball of the borough of Lewes aforefaid, and at the principal gates of, and entrances into, the refpective forts and batteries at Little Hampton, Brighthelmftone, Newhaven, Blotchington, Seaford, Hafting, and at the Upper Battery and Lower Battery at Rye, and likewife published in the London Gazette thirty days and more before fuch meeting; and did then and there, in a fummary manner, by and upon the teftimony of witnesses, infpection and examination of deeds, writings, and records, and by and upon the inqueft of nineteen good and lawful men qualified to ferve upon juries at the affizes for the faid county of Suffex, impanelled, fummoned, and returned by Thomas Grainger efquire, Sheriff of the faid county of Suffex, to take the inqueft, who, upon their oaths, did enquire into and prefent the true and real value of the faid lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in the faid act mentioned to be fituate in Climpton, Brighthelmftone, Newhaven, Blotchington, Seaford, Hafting, and Rye, in the faid county of Suffex, and of every part and parcel thereof, and who refpectively were the owners and proprietors thereof, and their respective eftates and intereft therein, and thereupon the faid commiffioners then present, did adjudge and determine who respectively were the owners and proprietors of the faid lands and hereditaments in the faid county of Suflex, and their respective eftates and interest therein, and in every part and parcel thereof, and what each refpective owner and proprietor thereof was intitled to, for bis, her, and their respective eftates and intereft therein, amounting together to the fum of one hundred twenty one pounds, thirteen fhillings, of like lawful money of Great Britain: and the faid commiffioners then present at the faid town hall of the faid borough of Lewes, upon the complaint of feveral perfons owners of lands, adjoining to part of the lands by the faid act vefted, that they had refpectively received damage by making the fortifications there, did certify and eftimate the respective damages done to the refpective lands of the feveral perfons complaining, amounting together to the fum of thirty two pounds, and Seventeen Shillings, of like lawful money of Great Britain: and whereas by virtue of the faid commiffion, and in pursuance of the faid act, fix of the

commiffioners in the faid commiffion named did, on the twenty seventh day of September, in the faid Jecond year of his Majesty's reign, meet at the town hall of the borough of Portsmouth, in the faid county of Southampton, pursuant to notice given and fixed up at the door of the town hall of the faid borough of Portsmouth aforesaid, and at the principal gates of, and entrances into, the refpective forts and batteries at Lumps and Eaftney, and likewife published in the London Gazette, thirty days and more before fuch meeting; and did then and there, in a fummary manner, by and upon the teftimony of witnesses, infpection and examination of deeds, writings, and records, and by and upon the inquest of two and twenty good and lawful men qualified to ferve upon juries at the affixes for the faid county of Southampton, impanelled, fummoned, and returned, by Sir Thomas Gatehouse knight, sheriff of the faid county of Southampton, to take the inqueft, who, upon their oaths, did enquire into and prefent the true and real value of the faid lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in the faid att mentioned to be fituate in the parish of Portfea, in the faid county of Southampton, and of every part and parcel thereof, and who reSpectively were the owners and proprietors thereof, and their respective eftates and intereft therein, and thereupon the faid commissioners then prefent did adjudge and determine who refpectively were the owners and proprietors of the faid lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in the faid parish of Portfea, and their respective eftates and intereft therein, and in every part and parcel thereof, and what each refpective owner and proprietor thereof was intitled to, for his respective eftate and intereft therein, amounting together to the fum of three hundred and one pounds, five fillings, of like lawful money of Great Britain: and whereas it is juft and reafonable the owners and proprietors of the reSpective lands, tenements, and hereditaments fhould be paid the reSpective fums to them adjudged, for their eftates and intereft in the faid lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in and by the faid recited act mentioned and vefted in the faid trustees therein named, together with intereft for the fame, after the rate of four pounds per centum per annum, from the time the faid lands were firft made use of for the purposes in the faid act mentioned, to the time of payment of their principal money; for which purpose, and for the more ef fectual carrying the faid act into execution, may it please your Majefty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That A fum not. out of all or any the aids or fupplies granted to his Majefty, for exceeding the service of the year one thoufand feven hundred and fixty 6491. 8s. 9d. four, there shall and may be iffued and applied any fum or fums fued out of of money, not exceeding the fum of fix hundred forty nine the fupplies pounds, eight fhillings, and nine pence farthing, for and to- granted for the wards making a reasonable and just compenfation and fatisfac- fervice of the tion to all and every perfon and perfons, bodies politic and cor- towards makporate, ecclefiaftical and civil, who, at the time of making the ing fatisfaction faid recited act, were the several and refpective owners and pro- to the refpecprietors of the lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in the faid tive proprietors and perrecited fons interested

Iq. to be if

current year,

in the premiffes.

Bills to be made out at the office of ordnance for

the fums due to the refpec

recited act mentioned, according to their several eftates and intereft therein, in poffeffion, reverfion, remainder, or otherwife.

II. And to the intent that all and fingular the proprietors aforesaid may be paid for their respective eftates and interests, all and every fuch fum and fums of money as they have been adjudged and determined by the faid commiffioners to be refpectively intitled unto, together with intereft for the fame after the rate of four pounds per centum per annum, from the time the refpective lands were firft made ufe of for the purposes in the faid recited act mentioned, to the time of payment of the faid principal fums; be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it fhall and may be lawful for the furveyor general of the ordnance for the time being to make out and allow one or more bill or bills to the refpective perfon or perfons, bodies politic or corporate, for fuch fum and fums of money as is or are to them respectively adjudged, together with interest for the fame after the rate of four pounds per centum per annum; which bill or bills, fo made out and allowed, fhall express the respective granted there- lands, and the number of acres, together with the name of the perfon or perfons, bodies politic or corporate, and the respective, fum or fums of money he, she, or they is or are to receive; and thereupon one or more debenture or debentures fhall be prepared for the feveral and respective fums as aforefaid by the clerk of the ordnance for the time being, and figned by three or more of the principal officers of the ordnance for the time being; which debenture or debentures is and are hereby required to be paid by the treasurer of the ordnance for the time being, who fhall take acquittances from the parties indorsed thereon.

tive proprie tors, &c.

and deben

tures to be

upon,

which are to be paid by the treasurer of

the ordnance,

Debentures

refufed to be accepted, may

be left with the clerk of

the peace of

the county wherein the

lands lie, and acquittance to be taken

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or perfons, bodies politic or corporate, shall wilfully refufe to accept of or receive fuch debenture or debentures as aforefaid, that then, and in fuch case, it fhall and may be lawful for the clerk of the ordnance for the time being, to leave and depofit fuch debenture or debentures with the clerk of the peace of the refpective counties where the lands, tenements, or hereditaments do lie, in refpect whereof such sum of money is to be paid, and to take his acquittance or acquittances for the for the fame; fame; which fuch clerk of the peace is hereby required to give without any fee or reward, and which fhall be taken and deemed to be valid; and the lands, tenements, and hereditaments, of fuch perfon or perfons, bodies politic or corporate, fo refufing to accept fuch debenture or debentures, fhall be vefted to the use of his Majefty, his heirs and fucceffors for ever, as if he, fhe, or they had received fuch debenture or debentures, and the money thereon due had been fully fatisfied and paid.

Lands to veft thereupon in his Majefty.

IV. And whereas, the money refpectively adjudged to the feveral perfon and perfons, bodies politic and corporate, are, taken diftributely, fo minute and inconfiderable, that were the fame to be paid into the hands of the deputy of the King's remembrancer of his Majefty's court of Exchequer at Westminster, to be difpofed of, fubject to, and by the orders and direction of

the