Gaols Act 1698

II. Persons neglecting, &c. to pay Assessments, or conveying away Goods, &c. Collectors may distrain; and if Assessment not paid within Four Days, Distress to be sold, &c.

Justices, under Hand and Seal, to appoint a Receiver; Receiver to give Security; Receiver or other Officer refusing to account, Justices may commit to Prison until Account; Receipt of Receiver a Discharge by Constables, &c. and Discharge by Justices, a Release of Receiver in all Courts, &c; Justices empowered to agree for building of Gaols.

And be it further enacted and declared That if any Person or Persons shall refuse or neglect to pay his or their Assessment by the Space of Four Daies after Demand thereof by the proper Officer appointed to collect the same or shall convey away his or their Goods or Estate whereby the Summ or Summs of Money soe assessed cannot be levyed then it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Collectors by Warrants from any one of the Justices of the Peace present at the said Generall Quarter Sessions as aforesaid to levy the Summ soe assessed by Distresse and Sale of the Goods and Chattells of such Persons soe refuseing or neglecting to pay and the Goods and Chattells then and there found and the Distresse soe taken to keepe by the Space of Four Daies at the Costs and Charges of the Owner thereof And if the said Owner doe not pay the Summ or Summs of Money soe rated or assessed within the Space of the said Four Daies then the said Distresse to be appraised by Two or more of the Inhabitants where the same shall be taken or other sufficient Persons and to be sold by the Collector for Payment of the said Money and the Overplus of such Sale (if any be) over and above the Summ soe assessed and Charges of taking and keeping of the Distresse to be immediately returned to the Owner thereof And the said Justices of the Peace are hereby authorized and impowered under their Hands and Seales or under the Hands and Seales of the greater Number of them to constitute and appoint One or more sufficient Person or Persons to be Receiver of the Money soe assessed the said Receiver first giveing Security to be accountable when thereunto required for all Summs of Money received or disbursed by him in pursuance of such Order as he shall have received under the Hands and Seales of the Justices of the Peace or the greater Number of them And if the said Receiver or Receivers High Constable Petty Constable or other Officers shall by the Space of Four Daies after Demand refuse to account for all Summs of Money received by them in pursuance of this Act then it shall and may be lawfull for the Justices of the Peace or the greater Number of them to committ him or them to Prison there to remaine without Baile or Mainprize untill he or they shall have made a true Account satisfied or paid such Summ or Summs of Money as shall appeare to remaine in his or their Hands And the Receipt of such Receiver shall be a sufficient Discharge to all High Constables Petty Constables or other Officer or Officers paying their Proportion of such Assessments And the Discharge under the Hands and Seales of the Justices of the Peace or the greater Number of them at the Assize Great Sessions and generall Goale Delivery to such their Receivers shall be deemed and allowed as a good and sufficient Release Acquittance or Discharge in any Court of Law or Equity to all Intents and Purposes whatever And the said Justices of the Peace are hereby authorized and impowered to convenant contract and agree with any Person or Persons for the well and sufficient building finishing or repairing of the said Goal or Goals