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 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 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.