Escape of Debtors, etc. Act 1696

XIV.

No Prisoner to pay Chamber Rent longer than while in actual Possession, nor above 2s. 6d. per Week.; Taking or demanding more,; Penalty £20.

And whereas great Summs of Money have been and are still taken of the Prisoners of the aforesaid Prisons of Kings Bench and Fleet and other Prisons under pretence of Chamber Rent although the said Prisoners have not had the actual Possession of any Chamber within the said Prisons or any of them For the avoiding of that Inconvenience for the future be it enacted That from and after the said First Day of May no Prisoner or Prisoners shall pay or be compellable to pay any Chamber Rent for any Chamber within either or any of the said Prisons for any longer Time than hee or they is or are actually in Possession of the said Chamber or Chambers and that dureing such Time as hee or they is or are actually in Possession of any such Chamber or Chambers within either or any of the said Prisons as aforesaid such Prisoner or Prisoners shall not pay above the Su[m]m of Two Shillings and six pence per Week for any such Chamber and if the Marshal of the Kings Bench Prison Warden of the Fleet or Keeper or Keepers of any other Prison or Prisons as aforesaid shall take or demand any greater Su[m]m or Su[m]ms of Money for the Use of such Chamber than the Su[m]m of Two shillings and six pence per Week hee or they so taking or demanding shall in such Case for every such Offence forfeit the Su[m]m of Twenty Pounds.