WHereas the four first Re­torns of Easter Term, in the Year 1660. of late cal­led, from Easter day in fif­teen days, from Easter day in three weeks, from Easter day in one moneth, and from Easter day in five weeks, or any of them, cannot be conveniently kept or holden: Now for avoiding all manner of discontinuances whatsoever, which by occa­sion thereof should or might happen, or be in any matter or Cause whatsoever, in any the Courts at VVestminster: Be it Enacted by the Kings Most Excellent Majesty, and the Lords and [Page] Commons Assembled in Parliament, That no Pleas, Writs, Bills, Actions, Suits, Plaints, Process, Precepts, or other thing or things what­soever, Pleaded, Retorned, or Depending, or having day or days in any of the said Courts, in or at the said several Retorns, or any of them, or at any other day or days certam after any of the said Retorns, shall be in any wise disconti­nued, or put without day, for or by reason of the not keeping or holding of the said Retorns, or days, or any of them; but that all and singular the said Pleas, Writs, Bills, Actions, Suits, Plaints, Process, Precepts, and other the Pre­mises aforesaid, shall stand, continue, and be good and effectual in Law, to all Intents and Purposes, as if the said Retorns and days, and every of them, had been actually kept and hold­en in all and every the said Courts; any Law, Statute, Custom, or Vsage to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority a­foresaid, That all Pleas, Writs, Bills, Actions, Suits, Plaints, Processe, Precepts, and other thing or things whatsoever aforesaid, pleadable, or to be pleaded, Retornable, or to be Retorned, or having day in any manner whatsoever at any of the said Retorns, or any day or days certain after any of the said Retorns, Be and are here­by continued and adjourned, unto (and shall or may be Pleaded, Retorned, Heard, and Deter­mined in the Respective Courts aforesaid) at, or on the fifth Retorn of the said Term, of late called, In the morrow of the Ascension of our Lord, And that all Parties in any Pleas, [Page] Writs, Bills, Actions, Suits, Plaints, Pro­cess, or other thing or things whatsoever, having daies given them at any of the said four first Retorns, or at any other day or dayes certain, after any of the said Retorns in the said Courts, or any of them, by virtue of this present Act, have the said Retorn of late called, In the morrow of the Ascension of our Lord, prefixed them therein; And that all Sheriffs, Officers, and other Ministers whatsoever, and every of them respectively, keep in their hands all Writs, Bills, Process and Precepts, and all other things whatsoever to them directed respe­ctively Retornable, or to be Retorned in the se­veral Courts aforesaid, at the said four first Retorns, or any of them, in or at any day cer­tain, as aforesaid, until the said fifth Retorn, of late called, The morrow of the Ascension of our Lord, and then Retorn the same into the said se­veral Courts respectively, That such proceed­ings may be then had thereupon, as should have been had, in case the said four first Retorns had been kept and holden.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Writs, Process, Plaints, Pleas, Informations, Indictments, or Iudi­cial Proceedings, had, Commenced, or Prosecu­ted before the fifth day of May, in the said Year of our Lord 1660. in the Name, Stile, Title, or Test of Custodes Libertatis Angliae Authoritate Parliamenti; or in the Name, Stile, Title, or Test of The Keepers of the Liberty of England by Authority of Parliament; or in the Name, Stile, Title or Test of Oliver Lord Protector of the Com­monwealth [Page] of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions thereto belonging; or in the Name, Stile, Title, or Test of Oliver Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions and Territories thereunto be­longing; or in the Name, Stile, Title, or Test of Richard Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Domi­nions and Territories thereto belonging, shall be put without day, abated, quashed, or discoutinued by His Majesties most just re-assumption of the actual Exercise of His Kingly Government in this Kingdom; nor shall the same be cause of Er­rour, Abarement, or Discontinuance, but that all such Writs, Process, Plaints, Pleas, Informa­tions, Indictments, and Iudicial Proceédings, and all Commissions for taking of Answers, or Examination of Witnesses, Commission for ta­king of Fines, and Warrants of Attorney, Guardians, or Procheinamy, shall stand and be continued, and shall and may be proceéded upon, prosecuted, and retorned, notwithstanding the same were commenced or prosecuted in English, and notwithstanding the present happy Change and Restitution of His Majesties Name and Stile in Iudicial Proceédings.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That one pretended Act made in the Year of our Lord, 1650. Entituled, An Act for turning the Books of the Law, and all Process and Proceedings in Courts of Justice, into English, shall stand and be in force, as if the same had been a good and effectual Act, from the first Re­torn of Easter Term, in the Year of our Lord [Page] 1651. until the first day of August, in the Year of our Lord 1660. and no longer. And whereas by one other pretended Act, made in the said Year of our Lord 1650. Entituled, An Act touching Corn and Meal, It was Enacted, or mentioned to be Enacted, That from and after the 20^th day of November, 1650. It should and might be lawful to and for any Person or Persons, De­fendant or Tenant, for or by reason of any mat­ter to be Pleaded, set forth, or alledged in Bar to any Action Real, Personal, or mixt in any Court of Record, to plead the General Issue of Not Guilty, or the like General Issue proper to the Nature of the Action or Suit Commenced; and for his or their Discharge or Acquitting to give any such matter in evidence to the Iury that shall try the same, And that the said m [...]tter shall be as available to such person or persons Detendant or Tenant to all intents and purposes, as if the said matter had been specially pleaded, set forth, or alledged in Barr of such Action.

Be it further Enacted, That the said preten­ded Act, as touching the pleading of the general Issue, shall by Authority hereof, stand and be in full force and effect according to the Tenor there­of, untill the said first day of August, as if the same had beén a good and effectual Act of Par­liament, and no longer.

Provided alwaies, That where the general Issue hath beén since the said 20^th day of No­vember 1650. pleaded, or shall before the said first day of August in the said Year of our Lord 1660. be pleaded in any Action, That then up­on the Tryal of the said Cause, such Evidence [Page] shall and may be allowed as if the said pretended Act touching the pleading of the General Issue had beén and continued a good and effectual Act of Parliament not determined or discontinued.

Provided also, That His Majesties Royal Assent to the passing of this Bill, shall not ex­tend, or be construed to extend to the determining of the Session of this present Parliament.

Provided nevertheless, and be it Enacted, That all Writs, Patents, and Commissions for Constituting Iustices of either Bench, and Ba­rons of the Exchequer, Commissions of Oyer and Terminer and Goal Delivery, and Precepts upon Commissions of Oyer and Terminer and Goal Delivery, and all other Commissions here­after to be made by the Clerk of the Crown in the Chancery [...], Charters, and Letters Patens under the Great Seal, of Lands, Liberties, Ho­nours, or Offices, do or may Issue in the Kings Majesties Name, in the same manner as was usual before the making of the said first recited pretended Act, any thing in this present Act to the contrary thereof before expressed, in any wise notwithstanding.