WHEREAS Divers Sheriffs of Coun­ties within this Kingdom of IRE­LAND, have beén often Troubled and Vexed long time after they have Respectively passed their Accounts, and obtained their Quietus est; and Charged a-new with Arrearages, Debts, and Sums of Money pretended to have beén by them Levied or Re­ceived, and not by them formerly Accounted for, to the great Discouragement of others to take upon them the said Office. His Most Excellent Majesty is therefore Graciously pleased that it may be Enacted.

And be it Enacted by the Kings Most Ex­cellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in this present Parliament As­sembled, and by Authority of the same, That all and every Sheriff or Sheriffs who already have passed their Accounts, and obtained their Quietus: And all and every Sheriff or She­riffs who hereafter shall pass his or their Ac­counts, and have his or their Quietus est, that then and from thenceforth the said Sheriff and Sheriffs, his and their Heirs, Executors and Ad­ministrators, Lands, Tenements, Goods and Chattles are, and shall be Absolutely Dischar­ged [Page 4] of and from all manner of Sum and Sums of Money which he or they shall have so Levyed or Received, and pretended not to be Accounted for within the said Account whereupon he or they had his or their Quietus est, unless such Sheriff or Sheriffs, their Executors or Administrators have beén or shall be called in Question for such Sum or Sums of Money to be Levyed or Re­ceived, and not Accounted for within the space of Four Years after the time of such Account passed, and Quietus est obtained.

And that Every Officer or Minister that shall send out, or Cause to be sent out, any Writ or Process, or by whose Default any Writ or Process shall be sent out, Contrary to the Te­nour of this Act, shall for Every such Offence Forfeit and Pay to the Party Grieved, by such Writ or Process, the Sum of Forty Pounds, with his Costs and Damages the said Sum of Forty Pounds: And the said Costs and Da­mages to be Recovered by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in any of His Majesties Courts of Record at Dublin at the Election of the Plantiffs or Prosecutors, wherein no Privi­ledge, Protection, Essoyn, or Wager of Law shall be allowed to the Defendant.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every such Offender being threé Times Lawfully Convicted of any such Offence or Offences, Contrary to the True Meaning of this Act, shall from and after such their said Con­viction be utterly Disabled to hold or Execute by himself, his Deputy or Deputies any Office or Imployment in any Court of Iustice what­soever.

And whereas Divers Persons being in Com­mission [Page 5] of the Peace have beén made Sheriffs or Sub-Sheriffs of the same County where they were in such Commission, or being Sheriffs or Sub-Sheriffs, have beén after put into the Commis­sion of the Peace in the County where they were Sheriff or Sub-Sheriffs; and have Exercised both the said Offices at once in the same County, which is found to be Inconvenient. For Reme­dy whereof,

Be it Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person or Persons, Having, Vsing or Exerci­sing the Office of Sheriff or Sub-Sheriff, of or in any County or Counties, shall Vse or Exercise the Office of Iustice of the Peace in the same County or Counties where he or they shall be Sheriff or Sub-Sheriff, during the time that he or they shall Vse or Exercise the said Office of Sheriff or Sub-Sheriff: And that all and Every Act and Acts to be Done, from and after the End of this present Sessions of Parliament, as a Iustice of the Peace by any such Sheriff or Sub-Sheriff, during the time of his being Sheriff or Sub-Sheriff, shall be Void and of none Effect, and shall Lose and Forfeit for Every such Offence the sum of Twenty Pounds, one Moyety thereof to be to the Vse of His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors; the other Moyety to him who shall sue for and Recover the same by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, in any of His Majesties Courts of Record at Dub­lin, wherein no Essoyn, Protection, or Wager of Law shall be Allowed.