Assembly Proceedings, April 1658. 373

5 An act Concearning a Register
of Births Marriages and Burialls

Be it Enacted by the Lord Proprietary by and with the con-
sent of this present Gennerall Assembly, That the Names of all
that shall be borne, Maried, or buried within this Province shall
be exhibited to the Clearck of Every respective County Court
who shall keepe a iust Register thereof, who shalbe allowed
ffiue pounds of Tobacco as a fee due vnto him for Every such
Register made and kept. And every person infringing the
said lawe for the space of Two monethes after such Birth
Marriage or Buriall, Each Person soe infringing shall forfeit
twenty Pounds of Tobacco to the said Clerke. This Act to
continue for three yeares or to the End of the next Gennerall
Assembly, and noe longer

The Vpper howse haue The Burgesses haue assented
assented Philip Calvert Thomas Turner Cler.

6 An act Concearning Servants
that haue Bastards

Whereas divers women Servants w^thin this Province not
haveing Husbands living with them, have bene gotten with
Child in the tyme of their Servitude to the Great dishonnor of

U. H.
Journal
1659-69
p. 60

God and the apparant damage to the Masters, or Owners of
such Servants, and no lawe yet provided where that damage
shalbe recoverable. , For remedy whereof Bee it Enacted by
the Lord Proprietary, by and with the consent of this present
Gennerall Assembly, That Every such Mother of a Bastard
Child not able sufficiently to proue the party charged to be the
begetter of such child, in every such case The mother of such
Child shall onely be lyable to satisfie the damages soe sustained
by Servitude, or other wayes as the Court before whom such
matter is brought shall see convenient Provided that where
the mother of any such child as aforesaid shalbe able to prove
her charge either by sufficient testimony of wittnesses or con-
fession Then the party charged, if a Servant to satisfie halfe the
said damages, if a freeman then the whole damages by Servi-
tude or otherwise as aforesaid. And if any such mother as
aforesaid be able to prove by such testimony or confession as
aforesaid that the party Charged (being a single person and a
ffreeman) did before the begitting of such Child promise her
Marriage, That then hee shall performe his promise to her, or
recompense her abuse, as the Court before whom such matter
is brought shall see Convenient, the quallity and condition of

p. 61