# Escape of Debtors, etc. Act 1696, Section XIII: Copy of Declaration may be delivered to Prisoner, &c. and after Rule to plead be out and Affidavit made thereof, Plaintiff may sign Judgement.


And for the more easie and quick obtaining of Judgement against any Person or Persons who now is or hereafter shall be a Prisoner or Prisoners in the aforesaid Prison of the Fleet Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the First Day of May it shall and may be lawfull to & for any Person or Persons who hath or shall have any cause of Action against any Prisoner or Prisoners who now is or are or hereafter shall be co[m]mitted to the said Prison of the Fleet after filing or entring of a Declaration in such Action with the proper Officer to deliver a Coppy of such Declaration or Declarations to any such Defendant or Defendants in any personal Action or Actions, or to the Turn-key or Porter of the said Fleet Prison and after Rule given thereupon to plead to be out att Eight Days att most after delivery of such Copy of Declaration or Declarac[i]ons and Affidavitt made of such delivery before the Lord Chief Justice or one other of the Justices of the Co[m]mon Pleas or before the Lord Chief Baron or some other of the Barons of the Coif of the Exchequer att Westminster of the delivery of such Declaration or Declarations to the Defendant or Defendts in such Action or Actions or to the Turn-key or Porter of the said Fleet Prison as aforesaid to sign Judgement in such Action or Actions against such Defendant or Defendants as if such Defendant or Defendants had been actually charged att the Barr of the Co[m]mon Pleas or Exchequer with such Action or Actions Any Law Statute Usage or Custome to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Will3/8-9/27/section/XIII (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/escape-of-debtors-etc-act-1696/section-XIII
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.