Conventicle Act 1664

IV. Where Default of Payment of Charges or Security not given, transported Offenders to serve to Merchants as Labourers for Five Years.

Sheriffs to be allowed their Charges upon their Accounts.

And bee it further enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That in defaulte of defraying such Charges by the partyes soe to be transported or some other on their behalfe, or in defaulte of Securitie given to the Sheriffe as aforesaid It shall and may be lawfull for every such Sheriffe to contract with any Master of a Shipp Merchant or other person for the transporting of such Offender at the best rate he can, And that in every such Case it shall and may be lawfull for such persons soe contracting with any Sheriffe for transporting such Offender as aforesaid to and employ every such Offender soe by them transported as a Labourer to them or their Assignes for the space of Five yeares to all intents and purposes as if he or she were bound by Indentures to such person for that purpose, And that the respective Sheriffes shall be allowed or paid from the King upon their respective Accompts in the Exchequer all such charges by them expended for conveying embarguing and transporting of such persons which shall be allowed by the said respective Courts from whence they received their respective Warrants and which shall not have beene by any of the wayes aforementioned paid secured or reimbursed unto them as aforesaid.