ernments, severally ordered the imprinting and signing a certain number of Bills of Publick Credit, for answering the demands of soldiers and seamen by them severally employed for their necessary defence; all which Bills have obtained a good currency, and have very much facilitated the carrying on the present war: nevertheless, some wicked persons, intending to defraud the inhabitants of the Colonies aforesaid, and for the sake of base and unlawful gain, have forged, altered, and uttered several Counterfeit Notes and Bills of the same, in imitation of the true Notes and Bills of this Colony, thereby imposing a vile cheat on unwary and less discerning persons: For the prevention of which evils in future,

Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That whosoever shall presume to forge or counterfeit any Note or Notes, Bill or Bills, of the tenor, or in imitation of the Bills of Credit of the United Colonies, established by any resolve of the American Congress, or the Convention, Congress, or Government of this, or any of the United Colonies of America, heretofore emitted, or that may hereafter be emitted, or that shall utter any such counterfeit and forged Notes or Bills, knowing them to be such, or that shall counsel, advise, assist in, or procure the forging, counterfeiting, imprinting, or signing of any such false Notes or Bills, or engrave any plate, or make any instrument to be used in forging and counterfeiting such Notes or Bills, every person so offending, and being thereof convicted before the Superior Court of Judicature, Court of Assize, and General Jail Delivery for said Colony, shall be punished by being set on the gallows for the space of one hour, with a rope round the neck, and pay a fine for the use of this Colony not exceeding fifty pounds, and suffer six months imprisonment, and be publickly whipped, not exceeding thirty-nine stripes, and be incapable of holding any office under the Government of this Colony, or shall suffer all or any of the foregoing punishments in the discretion of the Court before whom the trial shall be, according to the nature and circumstances of the offence, and shall pay to the person or persons that shall be defrauded by such forgery, treble damages. And if such offender or offenders shall not be able to pay the charges of his or their imprisonment, the Court before whom the conviction is, shall order that, at the expiration of said term of imprisonment, such person or persons shall be sold in service a time sufficient to pay the same.

And it is also enacted by the authority aforesaid, That whosoever shall make discovery and give information of such vile and wicked practice of making or knowingly putting off any false and counterfeit Note or Bill, as aforesaid, so that the person or persons guilty thereof may be rendered to justice and convicted, every such informer shall have and receive, as a reward for his good services, on every such conviction, the sum of ten pounds, to be ordered out of the publick Treasury of this Colony by the President of the Council for the time being, on a certificate from the Court before whom the conviction shall be, that such person did inform of such offence according to this act.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every person convicted of altering or increasing the sum or figures set and expressed in the Notes or Bills of Credit of the said United Colonies, or either of them, or of forging or counterfeiting any hand, name, or stamps, or other private mark, that shall be or has been made, or set thereon, shall be, for either of said offences, punished in the same manner as is provided by this act against those who shall forge or counterfeit such Notes or Bills.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons shall, directly or indirectly, receive or pay any of the Bills aforesaid for a less sum than is in them expressed, such person shall be incapable ever after of holding any civil or military office in this Colony: and for every such offence pay a fine of fifty pounds, to be recovered before any court of record in the County where the same offence may be committed, by bill, plaint, or indictment; one moiety whereof shall be to the use of the person who shall sue or inform for the same, and the other moiety to the use of this Colony.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons shall set, or offer his, her, or their goods, wares, or merchandise, at a smaller or less price in gold or silver than what they are by him, her, or them, set at in the paper currency of the United Colonies, or either of them, he, she, or they, shall pay a fine of fifty pounds; one moiety thereof to the use of the person who shall sue for and recover the same, and the other moiety to the use of the town where the offence is committed.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Bills of Credit of the United Colonies that are or shall be established by the American Congress, and the Bills of this Government, that are or shall be emitted, shall be received in all payments within this Colony, and a tender of the same may be pleaded in bar to any action brought for the recovery of any money, or species of money, due by deed or simple contract, or in any way and manner whatever. And all Justices, Sheriffs, Grand Jurors, and Tithingmen, are hereby strictly commanded to bring to justice all persons offending against this act, or any part of it.

An Act to abolish the Court of Appeals in this Colony, and to empower the Superior Court of Judicature to sustain and determine all matters pending in said Court of Appeals, and to prevent the absurd, practice of granting appeals to the King of GREAT BRITAIN in Council from judgments of any Courts in this Colony in future.

Whereas the granting such a multiplicity of appeals from Court to Court and trials consequent thereupon as hath been heretofore practised within this Colony hath been found to promote litigation, protract suits, and increase the charges thereof, rather than to serve the ends of justice in this Colony: And whereas the allowance of appeals in any cases to said Court of Appeals or to the King of Great Britain is depriving the people of this Colony of their great, inestimable, and inherent right of trial by jury, and opening a door for arbitrary decisions of their property, even in the causes of the greatest moment: Therefore,

Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives for said Colony, in General Court assembled, That the said Court of Appeals heretofore held in this Colony shall be, and hereby is, totally abolished, and that no appeal heretofore granted by the laws of this Colony to the said Court of Appeals or to the King of Great Britain in Council from the judgment or sentence of any Court whatever in this Colony shall be granted; and that all appeals from any sentence of any Judge of Probate for any County in this Colony, which heretofore might by the laws thereof be granted to said Court of Appeals, shall for the future be granted only to the Superior Court of Judicature next to be holden for the same County wherein the same appeal may be granted, which said Superior Court shall hear and finally determine all causes and matters as may be brought before them by appeals from any Court of Probate within this Colony.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all appeals heretofore granted to, and matters now pending in, said Court of Appeals, may and shall be sustained, heard, and determined by the said Superior Court in the County where the action or appeal originated. All causes and matters now pending before said Court of Appeals by appeals from the Superior Court heretofore held in this Colony, may be brought before the Superior Court of Judicature established in this Colony, by writ of review, any time within three years from the passing of this act; and all causes or matters now pending in said Court of Appeals by appeal from any Court of Probate in this Colony may, and shall be, brought before the last-mentioned Superior Court, by entering the appeal there any time within two years, in the same manner as if it had been first granted to that Court.

An Act for encouraging the fixing out of Armed Vessels to defend the seacoast of AMERICA, and to cruise on the enemies of the United Colonies, as also for erecting a Court to try and condemn all Ships and other Vessels, their tadcle, apparel, and furniture, and all goods, wares, and merchandises belonging to any inhabitant or inhabitants of GREAT BRITAIN talcen on the high seas.

Whereas it has been expressly resolved by the Grand Congress of America, "That each Colony, at their own expense, make such provision by armed vessels, or otherwise, as their respective Assemblies, Conventions, or Committees of Safety shall judge expedient and suitable to their circumstances and situations, for the protection of their har-