T02 C. 17. Anno vicelimo primo Jacobi I. A. D. 1623. 4 Ann. c. 16. Aftions of Debts, Actions of Trefpafs for Aflault, Menace, Battery, Wounding or Imprifonment, Ac- fed. 17, 18. |.j^jjj upon the Cafe for Words, be or Ihall be at the Time of any fuch Caufe of Action given or accrued, I Sid. 453. fallen or come, within the Age of twenty-one Years, Feme Covert, Non compoi mentis, imprifoned or be- » Hod. 7«. yond the Seas ; that then fuch Perfon or Perfons (hall be at Liberty to bring the fame Adtions, fo as they ^rtSin^he^cto"' '^'^^^ ^'^ ^■!iVC.Q within fuch Times as are before limited, after their coming to or being of full Age, Dif- '"jy.l."l^'and covert, of fane Memory, at Lai'ge, and returned from beyond the Seas, as other Perfons having no fuch i^a™. c, 16. Impediment ftiould have done. 20 H. 3. c. 8. 3 Ed. i. c. 39. 32 H. 8. c. 2. i Ma. i. Seil. 2. c. 5. CAP. XVII. An Aft againft Ufury. 37 n %. c- 9. « [T THERE AS at this Time there is a very great Abatement in the Value of Land, and other the >?o^e(ii.iu"ial!o ' VV Merchandizes, Wares and Commodities of this Kingdom, both at Home, and alfo in foreign above the Rale ' Parts whither they are tranfported ; {z) and whereas divers Subje6ts of this Kingdom, as well the of eigijc Pounds ' Gentry as Merchants, Farmers and Tradefmen, both for their urgent and necef&ry Occafions for 2?[i'und?ed" °^ ' ^he following their Trades, Maintenance of their Stocks and Employments, have borrowed, and do Pounds for a * borrow divers Sums of Money, Wares, Merchandizes and other Commodities; (3) but by Reafon Vear. « of ^ht faid general Fall and Abat:ment of the Value of Land, and the Prices of the laid Merchandize, jz Ann. Stat. i. < Waj-gs and Commodities, and Intereft in Loan continuing at fo high a Rate as ten Pounds in the hun- iHai'a.p.C.c.Zz. dred Pounds for a Year, doth not only make Men unable to pay their Debts, and continue the ' Maintenance of Trade, but their Debts daily increafing, they are enforced to fell their Lands and ' Stocks at very low Rates, to forfake the Ufe of Merchandize and Trade, and to give over their ' Leafes and Farms, and fo become unprofitable Members of the Commonwealth, to the great Hurt ' and Hinderance of the fame : IL Be it therefore enadted by the King's moft excellent Majefty, the Lords Spiritual and Tempo- ral, and the Commons, in this prefent Parliament aflembled. Thai no Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, from and after the four and twentieth Day of June, which Ihall be in the Year of our Lord one thou- fand fix hundred twenty and five, upon any Contradt to be made after the faid four and twentieth Day of JuTie, Ihall take direftly or indiredtly, for Loan of any Monies, Wares, Merchandize or other Com- modities whatfoever, above the Value of eight Pounds for the Forbearance of one hundred Pounds for a Year, and fo after that Rate for a greater or leffer Sum, or for a longer or fhorter Time; (2) and that all Bonds, Contradts and Aflurances whatfoever made after the Time aforefaid, for Payment of any Prin- cipal or Money to be lent or covenanted to be performed, upon or for any Ufury, whereupon or where- by there fliall be referved or taken above the Rate of eight Pounds in the hundred as aforefaid, fliall be utterly void; (3) and that all and every Perfon and Perfons whatfoever, which fhall after the Time aforefaid, upon any Contradt to be made after the faid four and twentieth Day of June, which fliall be in the Year of our Lord 1625. take, accept and receive, by Way or Means of any corrupt Bargain, Loan, Exchange, Chevifance, Shift or Intereft of any Wares, Merchandize or other Thing or Things whatfoever, or by any deceitful Way or Means, or by any Covin, Engine or deceitful Conveyance, for the forbearing or giving Day of Paymentfor one whole Year, of and for their Money or other Thing, above the Sum of eight Pounds for the forbearing of one hundred Pounds for a Year, and fo after that Rate for a leffer or greater Sum, or for a longer or Ihorter Time, fliall forfeit and lofe for every fuch Of- fence the treble Value of the Monies, Wares, Merchandizes and other Things fo lent, bargained, fold, exchanged or fliifred. A Scnvener thnt III. And be it further enadted by the Authority aforefaid, That all and every Scrivener and Scrive- take6a-«oveihe ncrs. Broker and Brokers, Solicitor and Solicitors, Driver and Drivers of Bargains for Contradts, who th^'fo°bearin?of *^^'^^' ^'"^^ '■'^^ ^^'^ twenty-fourth Day of June, which Ihall be in the Year of our Lord 1635. take or re- looi.^for a"Year, ceive, diredlly or indiredtly, any Sum or Sums of Money, or other Reward or Thing for Brocage, fo- or above iiH. liciting, driving or procuring the Loan or forbearing of any Sum or Sums of Money, over or above tlie oTa'^Bond'Th'^u -'^^'^'^ ° Value of five Shiltings for the Loan or forbearing of one hundred Pounds for a Year, and fo forfsit »oi.' and ratably, or above twelve Pence for making or renewing of the Bond or Bill for the Loan, or forbearing inpjfontnant thereof, or for any Counter Bond or Bill concerning the fame, (hall forfeit for every fuch Offence for Half a Year, {^^gj^jy Pounds, and have Imprifonment for Half a Year; (2) the one Moiety of all which Forfeitures to be to the King our Sovereign Lord, his Heirs and Succefibrs, and the other Moiety to him. or th^'m that will fue for the fame in the fame County where the feveral Offences are committed, and not elfe- where, by Adlion of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in which no Effoin, Wager of Law or Protec- tion to be allowed. Ti«Continuance IV. This At to continue for the Space of feven Years from the faid four and twentieth Day ofju-u-, orthisAft. which ihall be in the Year of our Lo^ 1625. and fo to the End of the firil Seffion of Parliament' the i next following. V. Provided, That no Words in this Law contained fliall be conflrued or expounded to allow the i['frmvdi^l" Practice of Ufury in Point of Religion or Confcience. [Made perpetual by 3 Car. i. c. 4. §. 5. 2 H. 3. icwr--. _ c. J. 3 H. 7. c. 6. II H. 7. c. 8. 37 H. 8. c. 9. 5 cSi 6 Ed. 6. c. 20. 13 El. c. 8.j /'jj tljfj Frcnii 't«s rcAi'ingi hnti, IS Cw-. t. c. n. and it Jinn St, i. f. l6. CAP.
