to the informer, one-third to the town where the seizure shall be made; and the said forfeitures for illegally importing any goods into any his Majesty's plantations.

And it is further enacted, That the respective officers, viz.: Town Sergeants that are employed in the premises, shall be paid for their charge and trouble in said seizure, ten shillings in every hundred pounds that shall be by them seized; or at that rate for a greater or lesser sum. But if the said officers shall neglect their duty in the premises, they shall forfeit for the use of this Collony, the sum of ten pounds current money for every neglect.

Nevertheless, it is hereby enacted, That all and every the said traders that shall not sell in said Collony the goods by them imported, or any part thereof, upon oath made thereof, in manner aforesaid, shall have re-paid from the Town Clerk, or Town Treasurer, five per cent. for every the goods by them imported and not sold in said Collony, upon their going out of the same; any Act or Acts, clause or clauses, to the contrary notwithstanding.

An Act to empower the Town Councills of each respective town in this Collony to compell any man that has, or shall marry any woman, being an executrix, to give bond to perform the will of the said testator so far as the estate shall extend; and upon his neglect or refusall, to commit him to his Majesty's jail, in this Collony, untill he shall give bond, with two sureties, &c.: as also to compell executors to account before said Town Councill for the goods, chattels, and moveable estate of the testator, upon complaint of a legatare, or any other that hath an interest in the said estate.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Councill and House of Representives convened, and the authority thereof, That if any man have, or shall marry any woman executrix, wherein any other person hath an interest, by the will of the testator, he shall give in bond, with two sufficient securities, to perform the will of the testator, so far as the testator's estate shall extend. But if the said person shall refuse, or not give bond, as aforesaid, upon the request of said Councill, then the said Town

Council to committ him to his Majesty's jail untill he shall give in bond, as aforesaid, to the Town Councill, where he shall abide or reside.

Also be it further enacted, That if any executor shall refuse or neglect to appear and fully account before the Town Councill, upon the complaint of a legatory, or any other, that hath an interest by the will of the testator, he shall for his first neglect, be fined for his first contempt therein, not exceeding five pounds current money; and for the second neglect, not exceed ing ten pounds, and not less than five pounds; to be levied by Town Sergeant on the goods of the executor so refusing, by virtue of a precept from said Councill to the said Town Sergeant for the same, for the use of the poor of the respective

town.

Be it further enacted, That if he shall refuse or neglect the third time, that he shall be summoned to account before the said Town Councill, and it shall be lawfull by this Act, to commit the said persons that shall so refuse or neglect, to his Majesty's jail, untill he give in security to account before the ordinary, being the Town Councill, in one month after the said commitment, or when he shall be thereunto called by the aforesaid Town Councill; any Act or Acts, clause or clauses to the contrary notwithstanding.

An Act for the settling a Constable's watch in every respective town in this Collony, and for punishing those that shall neglect the same.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Councill and House of Representatives, It shall and may be lawful for the Governor, Deputy Governor, or any two Assistants, or Justices for their respective town to issue forth their warrant to the respective Constables of their towns, to summons in the house-keepers and any other person, that shall reside in any town in this Collony, for the space of a month, not being servants, &c., to watch, or send some sufficient person to watch for them; and each of them as the Constable shall require them, on the forfeiture of each person neglecting two shillings for every their neglect. But if the persons so neglecting, will not wil

lingly pay for their neglect, then the respective Constables to make complaint to some Assistant or Justice of their respective town, who shall issue forth his warrant for distraint, with sixpence more than the aforesaid two shillings fine, which shall be to defray the charges on the distraint; any Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

An Act for the putting in execution the laws of England in this Collony, where no provision be made by the Acts of this Collony.

Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That where the laws of this Collony or custom shall not reach or comprehend any matter, cause or causes, that it shall be lawful to put in execution the laws of England, &c.; any Act or Acts, to the contrary notwithstanding.

Voted, That the Acts of this Assembly not yet published, be published under the Seal of the Collony, to-morrow morning, at eight of the clock, at the Collony House, by beat of drum; and that the whole Assembly's Acts be transcribed into copies, and sent to each town in the Collony, according to law, by the Recorder; and he to be paid out of the Generall Treasury the sum of thirteen shillings for each copy: and upon the passing this as an Act, that this Assembly be dissolved.

Proceedings of the Generall Assembly held for the Collony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at Newport, the 29th day of March, 1700-1701.

Major Samuell Cranston, Governor.

Weston Clarke, Recorder.

At a Generall Assembly of his Majesty's Collony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, called by a speciall warrant from the Honored Governor, Samuell Cranston, Esq'r, bearing

date the 20th February, 1700, sitting in Newport the 29th March, 1700-1.

The Assembly taking into mature consideration the great necessity of raising a fund of money for the paying the Collony's debts and defraying of the publick charge, that may arise in said Collony, &c.:

Be it enacted by the Governor, Councill and House of Rep resentatives convened, and the authority thereof, and it is hereby enacted, That by virtue hereof, there is a rate made and to be assessed on the inhabitants of said Collony, for the sum of £400, current money of this Collony, to be proportioned and ordered, viz.: Newport,

Providence,

Portsmouth,

Warwick,

Westerly,

£112 108.

65 00

Kingstown,
Greenwich,

£61 108.

13 00

All and every the abovesaid proportions to be paid unto the Generall Treasurer, in manner and form following, that is to say: Two hundred pounds current money on or before the last day in June, ensuing the date hereof; and two hundred pounds current money, on or before the 20th day of October next, ensuing the date hereof.

And for the more effectuall proceeding, collecting and paying the same in manner aforesaid, it is hereby enacted, That the respective Assistant or Assistants, Justice or Justices, Conservator or Conservators, Warden or Wardens, shall proceed to the choice of persons to inspect as well as rate makers, forthwith on the publication of this Act, according to an Act of Assembly, passed at Warwick, the 25th of October, 1699; and that warrants be issued forth according to the above-recited Act in October, 1699, reference thereunto being had, for the gathering the abovesaid two hundred pounds payable in the last day of June next ensuing; and that warrants issue forth for the same, at or before the second Tuesday in June next ensuing; and that warrants issue forth in manner aforesaid, for the gathering the two hundred pounds, payable on the 20th of

October next, according to the above-recited Act, and warrants issue out for the same on or before the first Tuesday in September next ensuing the date hereof. And if any defect or neglect, then the Generall Councill to proceed according to the before-recited Act, passed at Warwick, &c.; any Act or Acts, clause or clauses, to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.

This Assembly have for a Generall Audit of the Collony, appointed Isaac Martindale, for Newport; William Hopkins, for Providence; John Anthony, for Portsmouth; Benjamin Barton, for Warwick; Joseph Clarke, for Westerly; Andrew Willett, for Kingstown; Joshua Raymond, for Shoreham; Thomas Fry, for Greenwich; Edward Carr, for Jamestown; the said Audit to meet the first Tuesday of May next, at Newport, and so to adjourn from time to time as they shall find occasion, until the 15th of June next; and then to finish what they or the major part shall agree upon, [and which] shall be authentick to all intents and purposes.

And it is further ordered, That each town shall pay son so appointed, three shillings per day, each.

the per

It is ordered, That the Recorder shall forthwith send copies of this Assembly's Acts, to the severall towns in the Collony, under the Collony Seal, by the 15th of April next; and for each copy to be paid four shillings money, out of the Generall Treasury.

Voted, Mr. Giles Slocum, Assistant, being called before this Assembly, for unlawfully marrying of Thomas Simson, and the late Elizabeth Rementon, and being desired to acknowledge his fault for the unlawfull marriage, positively refused to own it as aforesaid; whereupon, this Assembly see just cause to suspend the said Giles Slocum for acting as an Assistant in this Collony, till the next Election.

This Assembly is dissolved.