[From Lex Scripta, 1819]

At a Tynwald Court, holden at Castle Rushen, the thirtieth day of September, in the fifty-eighth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith and so forth, and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, before the Honourable Cornelius Smelt, Lieutenant-Governor, the Council, Deemster, and Keys, of the said Isle :

An ACT to prevent the recovery of Tippling Debts.

WHEREAS it is recited in the preamble to an Act of Tynwald, passed in the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty-four, that the great number of petty Alehouses and tippling Houses in this Isle were destructive of the public good ; and that such Houses were so far from being in a condition to perform the tenor of their Licences, that they were in no sort fit to entertain Travellers or Strangers in any decent manner:

And whereas the remedies provided by that and subsequent Acts have been found insufficient for the removal of the before recited evils : And whereas of late years a great accumulation of small Debts has arisen from drinking upon trust at Public Houses, and which has led, as well in the life time of the parties as afterwards, to vexatious and harrassing Suits in the various Courts of this Isle ; We, therefore, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Lieut.-Governor, Council, Deemster, and Keys of the said isle, do humbly beseech your Majesty, that it may be enacted, and be it enacted, by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lieutenant..Governor, Council, Deemster, and Keys of this Isle, in Tynwald assembled, and by the Authority of the same, that from and immediately after the promulgation of this Act, no Debt or Demand which shall exceed the sum of five Shillings British, arising from the sale of Wine, Spirits, Ale, Porter, Beer, Cyder, or Perry, which shall have been drunk or consumed at or in any Public House, or House licenced to sell such Liquors by retail, within this Isle, shall be recoverable in any of the Courts thereof, any law, practice, or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. Provided, always, that nothing herein enacted shall extend to any Debt or Demand arising from the sale of any of the Articles aforesaid, to any Person or Persons lodging or boarding in any Hotel or Inn within this Island.

THE KEYS.