WHereas upon perusal and seri­ous consideration had of one Act of Parlament, Intitu­led, An Act for the Relief of Cre­tors and poor Prisoners; many doubts and difficulties do ap­pear, which must necessarily occasion an Ex­planation of the said Act, for the better in­abling the Iudges in the said Act named and authorized for Sale of such Estates as are to bee Sold by the said Act, for satisfaction of [Page 190] Creditors, which cannot in short time be effe­cted; and without such Explanation and fur­ther direction to bee given to the several & re­spective Iudges, authorized in & by the said Act, several inconveniencies and mischiefs would grow, not onely to the said Creditors and Prisoners, but to divers other persons, not meant or intended to bee included with­in the said Act, and will occasion many trou­bles, and suits in Law, and Equitie; For the prevention whereof, due care is likewise to bee had: And whereas many of the said Prisoners have offered really to endeavour the satisfaction of the said Creditors, if som further time may bee given for that purpose; Bee it therefore Ordeined by His Highness the Lord PROTECTOR, by and with the advice and consent of His Council, That the said several and respective Iudges mention­ed in the said Act, or any of them, shall not proceed to the Sale or Disposition of any the Estates Real or Personal, of any of the said Prisoners, or of any other person or persons whatsoever mentioned or intended in or by the said Act; nor shall otherwise intermeddle in the execution of the said Act, or of any the powers or authorities given by the same, until the 20^th day of April next. And bee it fur­ther Ordeined by the Authoritie aforesaid, That all acts or things to bee don by the said several and respective Iudges, or any of them, by virtue, color, or pretence of the said Act, from henceforth, and before the said 20^th day of April, shall bee utterly void, null, and of none effect; saving onely that it shall and may bee lawful for the said several [Page 191] and respective Iudges that have bailed or let out any Prisoners upon Suerties or otherwise, out of Prison (which Prisoners are to appear again at a certain day before the said Iudges, and are not absolutely dis­charged by any Order of the said Iudges) to sit onely for the remanding and recom­mitting of the said Prisoners into their for­mer Prisons and Goals, where they for­merly were deteined in Prison, there to re­main in safe custodie, and to continue and bee in the same condition as formerly they were at the time of their Bailing or letting out as aforesaid.