And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Corporation in their said Court or Assembly, shall have hereby Power to choose and entertain all such other Officers as shall be needful to be employed in and about the Premisses, and them or any of them, from time to time to remove as they shall see Cause; and upon the Death or removal of them, or any of them, to choose others in their Place, and to make and give such reasonable Allowances to them, or any of them, out of the Stock or Revenue belonging to the said Corporation or Hospitals, as they shall think fit.
Provided always, and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Officer or Officers, who shall be elected, chosen, appointed or employed, in the Execution of, or by Virtue of this Act, or any of the Powers or Authorities thereby given, shall be liable for or by reason of such Office or Execution, to any of the Penalties mentioned in an Act made the Five and Twentieth Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second, for the Preventing the Dangers which may hapen from Popish Recusants.
And it is further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Treasurer for the Time being, and all other Officers belonging to the said Corporation, Hospitals, Work-houses, or Houses of Correction, shall, from time to time, before such Person or Persons as the said Corporation shall thereto appoint, account for such Moneys, Stock, and other Things belonging to the said Corporation, Hospitals, Work-houses, or Houses of Correction, as shall come to their respective Hands, or be under their respective Care, upon every reasonable Warning and Notice thereof, by the said Corporation to them respectively given; and on their Neglect or Refusal to Account, as aforesaid, shall or may be, by the said Mayor, or any two of the said Aldermen, committed to the County Goal for the said City and County of Bristol, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize, untill they shall become conformable, and Account, as aforesaid; and if upon such Account there shall appear any Thing to be in their Hands belonging to the said Corporation, Hospitals, Work-houses, or Houses of Correction, they shall pay and deliver the same, as the said Corporation shall direct, or give such Security for the same, as the said Corporation shall approve of, on pain to forfeit double the Value thereof, to be recovered by the said Corporation, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information in which no Protection, Essoign, or Wager in Law, or any more than one Imparlance, shall be admitted or allowed.
And it is further enacted, That all other Pains, Penalties and Forfeitures by this Act appointed, shall be Levied by Distress and Sale of the Offenders Goods, by Warrant under the Hand and Seal of the said Treasurer for the time being, restoring to the Offender the Overplus.
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or Persons shall be sued for any Matter or Thing which he shall do in Execution of this Act, he may plead the General Issue, and give the special Matter in Evidence: And if the Verdict shall pass for the Defendant, or the Plaintiff shall be nonsuited, or discontinue his Suit, the Defendant shall recover his Treble Costs. And this Act shall be taken and be allowed in all Courts within this Kingdom as a Public Act; and all Judges and Justices are hereby required, as such, to take Notice thereof, without specially Pleading the same; and all Mayors, Justices, Sheriffs, Bayliffs, Constables, and all other Officers and Ministers of Justice, are hereby required to be aiding and assisting to the said Corporation, and to such Officers as shall be employed by them, or any of them, in Execution of this Act, or any of the Powers or Authorities hereby given.
AN
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