or written on vellum, parchment or paper, not marked or
stamped at all; and all persons who shall engross, print
or write any of the matters or things hereby charged on
such vellum, parchment or paper, after the said time,
shall forfeit and suffer as hereinbefore is enacted for per-
sons writing, printing or engrossing on vellum, parch-
ment or paper not marked or stamped; provided always, Proviso.
That the intention of altering the marks or stamps be
made known at least fifty days before the said alteration
take effect.

forging any

used in pursu

Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That Penalty for if any person or persons whatsoever shall at any time or stamp or mark times hereafter, counterfeit or forge any stamp or mark, ance of this act. to resemble any stamp or mark which shall be provided, made or used in pursuance of this act, or shall counterfeit or resemble the impression of the same, upon vellum, parchment or paper, thereby to deprive this Commonwealth of any of the said duties on vellum, parchment or paper; or shall utter, vend or sell any vellum, parchment or paper, with such counterfeit mark or stamp thereupon, knowing such mark or stamp to be counterfeit; or if any person whatsoever shall privately and fraudulently use any stamp provided or used, or to be provided or used in pursuance of this act, so as thereby to defraud this Commonwealth of the duties aforesaid, then every such person so offending, and being thereof convicted in due form of law, shall for every such offence forfeit the sum of One thousand pounds, with treble costs of suit, or be punished by whipping, not exceeding thirty-nine stripes, or by imprisonment, not exceeding one year, or by sitting in the pillory, or be subject to any or all the aforesaid punishments, at the discretion of the Court before whom the conviction shall be had.

take care that

of the Common

stamped vellum,

Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That Secretary to the Secretary of the Commonwealth be, and hereby is, the several parts appointed for the purpose of providing proper marks or wealth be sup stamps, and to take care that the several parts of the plied with Commonwealth be sufficiently furnished with vellum, &c. parchment or paper, stamped and marked as aforesaid, so as the citizens thereof may have it in their election to buy the same of the officer or persons to be employed by the said commissioner, at the usual and most common rates above the said duties, or to bring their own vellum, parchment or paper to be stamped as aforesaid, or to

Penalties, how applied.

furnish themselves or others that shall have done the

same.

Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all penalties hereby imposed, relating to the said duties upon stamped vellum, parchment, or paper, shall be the one moiety thereof, to the use of this Commonwealth, and the other moiety thereof, with full costs of suit, to such person or persons as shall inform and sue for the same, in any Court within this Commonwealth, by action of debt, information or indictment. March 18, 1785.

RESOLVES

OF

MASSACHUSETTS.

1784.

RESOLVES

OF THE

GENERAL COURT

OF THE

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS,

IN NEW-ENGLAND:

BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON, IN THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, ON WEDNESDAY, THE TWENTY-SIXTH DAY OF

MAY, ANNO DOMINI 1784.

BOSTON:

PRINTED BY ADAMS AND NOURSE,

Printers to the Honorable General Court.

M, DCC,LXXXIV.

Reprinted by WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING COMPANY, State Printers.