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ing, cursing, profaining God's holy name, sabbath abuseing, drunkenness, fornication and adultery, which have not had their desired effect by reason that some of the same lawes seem to be contradictory to the other, for the better regulation whereof for the future, and the better to prevent and deter all offenders from the said offences and sius,

Be it enacted by the Governour, Councell and Burgesses of this present Generall Assembly and the authority thereof, and it is hereby enacted, That the ninth act of assembly in the printed book intituled Sundayes not to be prophained, and the thirteenth act of assembly in Certain enu- the printed book entituled, Church-wardens to make merated laws presentments, and the hundredth act of assembly in the repealed. printed book, entituled in act against fornication, and the twelfth act of assembly made the 23d of December 1662, entituled an act for molar to children being bond or free, according to the condition of the mother, and the 11th at of assembly made att James Citty 1691 entituled an act for the more effectuall suppressing the severall sins and offences of swearing, cursing, prophaining God's holy name, sabbath abuseing, dunkeness, fornication and adultery and every clause and article in the said acts contained, shall bee and are hereby repealed, made void, null and of noe effect, to all intent, constructions and purposes as if the said acts had never been made

And be it further enacted by the authority afores id, and is hereby enacted, That noe person or persons Penalty for shall from henceforth swear, curse or prophaine God's swearing, holy name, and that if any person or persons shall hereafter offend therein and shall thereof be lawfully covicted by the oath of two witnesses or by confession of the party then every such offender shall forfeit and pay for every such offeuce the sum of one shilling, And for the prevention of sabbath breaking,

cursing, or profaning God's name;

Bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that there shall be noe unlawfull meetings or assemblies of people on the Lord's day, and that noe person or persons whatsoever shall travell upon the said day, and for not keep that noe other thing or matter whatsoever shall be ing holy, the done upon that day tending to the breach of the sabbath but that the same in all respect be kept holy, upon pain that every person or persons soe offending and being

sabbath;

convicted as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence, the sume of twenty shillings or two hundred pounds of tobacco att the election of such offender or offenders. And for the suppression of drunkenness,

Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That for drunkenall and every person or persons who shall from hence- ness; forth be drunk and of the same offence of drunkenness shall be lawfully convicted as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay the sume of ten shillings or one hundred pounds of tobacco att the election aforesaid, and if the offender or offenders in any of the aforesaid vices be not able to pay the fines and forfeitures aforementioned then every such offender or offenders therein, shall be committed to the stocks for every such offence there to remaine the space of two full howers. And for the more effectual suppression and prevention of the sins of fornication and adultery,

Bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that for fornicaevery person or persons comitting fornication and be- tion; ing therein lawfully convicted by the oath of two witnesses or confession of the party shall forfeit and pay the sume of five hundred pounds of tobacco and casque for every time soe offending and that every person or persons comitting adultery and being thereof lawfully for adultery. convicted as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sume of one thousand pounds of tobacco and casque, and if the offender or offenders in any or both the aforeasid two sins or offences, be not able to pay theire fines and forfeitures for the said offences mentioned then every offender or offenders therein, shall for every time soe offending receive on his her or their bare backs twenty-five lashes well laid on, or two monthes imprisonment without bayle or mainprize, and if they or either of them comiting fornication as aforesaid be servants, then if the master or mistress of such servant or servants so offending or any other person and adultery, doe pay the aforesaid five hundred pounds of tobacco by servants. the said servant in compensation thereof, shall serve halfe a year after the time by indenture or custome is expired, and if the master or any other person doe not pay the said fine the said servant shall receive upon his er her bare back twenty-five lashes well layed on, and

Fornication

if it happen that a bastard child be gotten in such for Bastards by nication, then the servant if a woman in regard of the servants.

Grand juries, & churchwardens to present of

loss or trouble her master or mistress sustained by her haveing a bastard shall serve one year after her time by indenture or custome is expired or pay one thousand pounds of tobacco to her master or mistress besides the fine or punishment for committing the offence and the reputed father to putt in security to kepp the parrish harmless.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the grand jures and church-wardens and each of them in every respective county or parrish within this fences against dominion, doe twice every year make due presentments of all the sins and offences comitted and perpetrated Justices em. contrary to this act, and that the justices of the said powered to court, are by vertue of this act impowered to punish punish offen- the offender or offenders accordingly, all which fines

this act.

ders.

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and forfeitures shall be appropriated to the use of the parrish for their ease towards the maintenance of the minister, where such offence or offences shall be committed which fines or forfeitures shall or may be recu Penalties, vered by the church-warden or church-wardens of any how recover parrish or parrishes by action of debt, byll, plaint or information in any court of record in this dominion, in which no essoign protection or wager of law shall be allowed.

ed.

All children

or free ac

And be it enacted and declared by the authority aforeto be bond said, and it is hereby enacted and declared, That all children born in this country be bond or free, accordthe condition ing to the condition of their mother.

cording to

of the moth

er.

ACT II.

Edi. 1733 and An act for altering the court dayes in Acco

1752.

Preamble.

mack county.

WHEREAS the fifth act of assembly made the 20th of October 1686, entituled an act for ascertaining dayes for courts in Accomack county is found verry inconvenient and injurious to the inhabitants of the said county of Accomack, who desire that the said law may be repealed, and that another law may be made more suitable to their conveniency,

Be it therefore enacted by the Governour, Councell and Burgesses of this present Generall Assembly and the authority thereof, and it is hereby enacted, That the said.

act and every clause and article therein contained be repealed and they and every of them are hereby repealed and made null and void.

Accomack

county chan

And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Court day of That for the future the court of the said county of Accomack, be constantly held by the justices thereof on the ged. first Tuesday of the month in such manner as by the law of this country is provided, and shall be by their comissions directed, any law, usage or custome to the contrary notwithstanding.

ACT III.

1752.

An act for giveing a reward to Indians for Edi.1783, and killing of Wolves.

WHEREAS the first act of assembly, made att James Preamble. Citty the 16th day of April 1691, entituled an act for giveing reward for killing of Wolves hath been variously construed, some county courts haveing allowed the reward therein mentioned, and other county courts noe rewards att all unto Indians which have killed Wolves, for the prevention of the like mistakes for the future, and to the end Indians may be also encouraged to use their endeavours to destroy those injurious creatures,

kill Wolves.

Bee it enacted by the Governour, Councell and Burgess- Rewards to es of this present Generall Assembly and the authority Indians to thereof, and it is hereby enacted, That every Indian that shall hereafter destroy and kill Wolves by any way or means whatsoever, shall for every Wolfe he kills be paid in the county where the same is done, one hundred pounds of tobacco and casque for his encouragement and reward and no more, any law, usage or custome to the contrary notwithstanding Provided alwayes. and it is the true intent and meaning of this act, that whatsoever Indian shall kill a Wolfe shall What proof bring in the head of the said Wolfe, to a justice of the necessary. peace, and by some proofe or circumstance att the discretion of the justice, make it probably appear how, when and where he killed the said Wolfe, and also take from the said justice of the neare a certificate thereof, which being produced to the coun, att proportioning the levy, shall be sufficient to cause the said

A

court to raise upon the county the said reward, to be paid to such Indian as by such service shall deserve it, and to the end noe cheat may be putt upon the county by means of an Indian killing a Wolfe in one county and bringing his head to another county for allowance,

Bee it enacted by the authority aforesaid, and it is hereby enacted, That it shall and may bee lawfull for every justice of the peace to whome such Indian shall make Wolfe to be application for a certificate upon the least suspicion he killed in the hath of a fraud to forbear giveing the same, untill the County where Indian can bring him sufficient testimony to convince made. him that he killed the Wolfe in the county where he makes his claime.

the claim is

Edi. 1733 and 1752.

Preamble.

ACT IV.

An act for repealing the prohibition of planting tobacco after the last day of June, annually.

FORASMUCH as the prohibition of planting or replanting tobacco after the last day of June in every year, as is provided by a clause or section of the 7th act of assembly made att James Citty the 20th of October 1686, entituled an act declareing the 107th act of assembly made the 23d day of March 1661-2 to be in force, hath been found to bring great hardshipps upon some part of this his majesties dominion, and not to have those good effects which were generally expected from it,

Be it therefore enacted by the governour, councell and burgesses of this present generall assembly and the authoActs prohib-rity thereof, and it is hereby enacted, That the said clause iting the or section of the said act which prohibits the planting planting, or replanting of or replanting of tobacco directly or indirectly after the tobacco, after last day of June annually under the pain and penalty of the last day forfeiting and paying ten thousand pounds of tobacco for pealed; and soe doeing be from henceforth repealed, annulled and liberty given made utterly voyd, and that it bee lawful for all and to plant, at every person or persons within this his majesties collony any time. and dominion, to plant or replant tobacco att anv time, as if no such restraint or prohibition of planting or replanting tobacco had ever been made.

of June re

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