July 1650
[11 July, 1650.]
Sheriffs to appoint one deputy at least yearly; His duties.; Penalty for not making such deputies.; Act to continue one year only.
Whereas by the Laws and Statutes now in force, Sheriffs of each
County within this Commonwealth, are each of them to make
yearly a Deputy in the Chancery, the Upper Bench, Common
Pleas, and Exchequer of Record, to receive all maner of Writs and
Warrants to be delivered to them; viz: All such Writs and Warrants as shall be directed to the Sheriffs for whom such Deputy is
appointed, and such Sheriffs as shall do to the contrary, to incur
the penalties in these Statutes mentioned, as by those Acts (relation
thereto being had) may appear. And whereas the Acts and Orders
of Parliament which are of general concernment, ought upon the
printing and publishing thereof to be taken notice of, observed
and obeyed by all the Members of this Commonwealth therein
interested, according to the several exigencies of the same Acts and
Orders, which may with the more facility and certainty be transmitted to their knowledge, and put in execution, if like course be
taken for communication thereof, as in the said other ordinary cases
of Writs and Warrants is observed and used: The Parliament of
England taking the same into consideration, think fit to Enact
and Ordain, and be it by the Authority of the same Enacted and
Ordained, That all the Sheriffs of Counties within this Commonwealth, shall each of them within one Moneth after their respective
Elections to their several Offices, make yearly one sufficient Deputy
at the least, whose name or names shall be Recorded in two several
Registers to be kept for that purpose, one of them by the Clerk of the
Parliament, and the other of them by the Secretary to the Councel
of State for the time being, from time to time to receive and transmit to each respective Sheriff for whom he or they serve as Deputy,
All Warrants, Orders, Acts and Proclamations directed to be sent
from the Parliament, or from the Councel of State appointed by
their Authority, to do therewith and thereupon, as they shall be
Enjoyned and Ordered by the Authority which causeth the same
to be transmitted unto them; And that each Sheriff respectively
shall make due return of all such Commands, and how they have
been executed, to the Clerk of the Parliament, or Secretary to the
Councel of State, accordingly as he receives Orders from the Parliament or Councel of State, which the said Clerk and Secretary
are to make entries of in their several Registers, as there shall be
occasion; for want of making which Deputy or Deputies, or due
returns as aforesaid, every such Sheriff shall forfeit to the Keepers
of the Liberties of England, for the use of the Commonwealth, All
such Sums and Penalties as by the said former Statutes are Ordained
against Sheriffs, who neglect to make Deputies in the said Courts of
Record at Westminster, to be prosecuted and Recovered by the
Attorney General for the Commonwealth, in such way as other
Penalties and Forfeitures are to be prosecuted on behalf of the
Commonwealth. This Act to have continuance from henceforth
for the space of one year and no longer.
Sheriff's charges
Provided always, That what Charges or Expence extraordinary,
any High Sheriff shall be put unto by reason of this Act, the same
shall be allowed unto him upon his Accompt in the Publique
Exchequer.