January 1779

In 1774 by an Act of parliament entitled An
"Act for the relief of prisoners charged with felony or other Crimes who shall
"be acquitted or discharged by proclamation respecting the payment of fees to
"Goalers and giving a Recompence for such fees out of the County Rates"
It is Enacted "That every prisoner who now is or hereafter shall be
charged with any felony or other Crime or as any Accessary thereto before
any Court holding Criminal Jurisdiction within that part of Great
Britain called England and Wales against whom no Bill of Indictm [..]
shall be found by the Grand Jury or who on his or her Trial shall be acquitted
or who shall be discharged by proclamation for want of prosecution shall be
immediately set at large in Open Court without the payment of any fee or Sum
of Money to the Sheriff Goaler or Keeper of the Goal or Prison from whence he
she shall be so discharged and set at Liberty for or in respect of such discharge
That all such fees as have been usually paid or payable to the several Sheriffs [..]
Goalers and Keepers of prisons in England and Wales in any of the Cases
aforesaid shall absolutely cease and the same was thereby abolished and
determined and from and after the passing of the said Act no Goaler or Keeper
of any Goal or Prison shall ask demand take or Receive any Sum or
Sums of Money from any of the said Prisoners as fees for upon or in respect
of his or her discharge And that in lien of such fees so abolished as aforesaid
The Treasurers or other proper Officers of the several Counties or of such
districts Hundreds Ridings or Divisions of a County as are not usually
assessed to the County at large and of such Cities Towns Corporate
Cinque Ports Liberties Franchises and places as do not pay to the
Rates of the several Counties in which they are respectively situated
shall on receiving a Certificate Signed by one or more Judge or Justice
before whom such prisoner shall have been discharged as aforesaid
(which Certificate) the Judge or Justice was thereby required to give) pay
out of the Rates of such County or of such District Hundred Riding)
or Division or out of the publick Stock of such City Town Corporate Cinque
Port Liberty Franchise or place such Sum asked been usually paid
upon that Occasion not Exceeding Thirteen Shillings and four
pence for every Prisoner so discharged as aforesaid to the Sheriff
Goaler or Keeper of the Prison whence the said Prisoner shall have
been discharged as aforesaid which several Sums so paid in pursuance
of the said Act shall be respectively allowed to the said Treasurers and
Officers by the Justices before whom their Accounts shall be passed,

In Consequence of this Act of Parliament the Keeper
of Newgate hath produced to the Treasurer for the County of Middlesex
certain