732 A. D. 1704. 



kingdom, Irifh linen therefor might thenceforward be exported from 

 any port of Ireland diredly to any of the Englifli plantations, in Eng- 

 lifh-built {hipping, navigated according to law. The linen manufadure 

 of Ireland was then, and in a great meafure flill is, principally carried 

 on in the province of Ulfler and parts adjacent, where the proteftants 

 are by ftr the majority of the people ; but in mofl: other parts of that 

 kingdom it is well known to be otherwife. 



For the encouragement of trade, a flatute was made, [3, 4 Jiui. c. 9] 

 whereby promiflbry notes were enaded to be aflignable by indovfe- 

 ment ; and actions might be maintained thereon, in like fort as was 

 enaded on inland bills of exchange in the year 1698. And whereas in 

 the ad of 1698 no provifion was made for protefting inland bills of ex- 

 change, in cafe the party on whom fuch inland bill fliall be drawn (hall 

 refufe to accept the fame, it was now enaded, that if hereafter, upon, 

 prefenting any fuch bill, the party on whom it fhall be drawn fliall re- 

 fufe to accept the fame by underwriting it under his hand, the perfon 

 to whom the faid bill is made payable, or his fervant, agent, or afligns, 

 may, and fliall, caufe the fud bill to be protefted for non-acceptance, as 

 was by the faid law of 1698 to be done, when due, for non-payment, 

 and as is the cafe of foreign bills of exchange. Yet no fuch protefl fliall 

 be neceflTary for non-payment of fuch inland bill of exchange, unlefs 

 drawn for L20 or upwards ; and alfo that the protefl for non-accept- 

 ance fliall be made by fuch perfons as are appointed by the faid ad of 

 1698 (i. e. a notary-public, or &c. as already therein recited) to protefl 

 inland bills for non-payment. Alfo, that if any perfon doth accept 

 (i. e. receive and take) any fuch bill of exchange for, and in fatisfadion 

 of, any former debt, the fame fliall be accounted and efleemed a full 

 and complete payment of fuch debt, though the receiver of it doth not 

 take his due courfe to obtain payment thereof, by endeavouring to get 

 the fame accepted and paid, or elfe byprotefting, as aforefaid, either for 

 non-acceptance or non-payment thereof. Laftly, nothing in this ad 

 fliall difcharge any remedy which any perfon may have againft the 

 drawer, accepter, or indorfer, of fucli bill. 



It is fomewhat flrange, that two fuch falutary and important regula- 

 tions as this law has made in promiflbry notes and inland bills of ex- 

 change, were not fooner enaded in a country of fuch confiderable mer- 

 cantile tranladions as England has long been. But to fay the truth, 

 what many have remarked of our national flownefs in reforming abufes 

 and defeds feems but too well grounded. 



This law was made perpetual by an ad 7 ^nn. c. 25. 



Queen Anne this year granted a charter of incorporation to Thomas 

 duke of Leeds, Pawlet earl of Bolingbroke, Francis lord Guildford, Sir 

 Thomas and Sir Humphry Mackworths, and other gentlemen, ' for 

 ' working and managing mines and minerals, and fnielting, refining, 

 ' and manufaduring, the fame ; to be forever a body-politic, by the 



