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An Act Limitting Servants Times
For asmuch as this Assembly taking into their Serious con-
sideration the great Charge and Hazard that the People of this
Province are at in procuring Servants for their necessary Im-
ploymts and in Reguard that the Time that hath hitherto bene
allowed by the former Law to Such as have transported Ser-
vants into this Province without indentures being above one
and twenty yeares of Age was but Foure yeares Service in
which time it is conceived the Masters and owers of the said
Servants cannot receive that Reasonable Satisfacton for their
charges trouble and great Hazard which all Masters and owers
of Servants are and must of necessity be at with their Servants
This Assembly doe therefore pray That it may be enacted And
bee it therefore enacted by the Right Honoble the Lord Pro-
prytry by and with the advice and consent of the upper and -
Lower House of this Present Generall Assembly. That whoso-
ever shall Transport any Servant into this Province without
Indenture and such Servant being above the Age of Twenty
Two yeares shall be obleiged to serve the full Space and
Tearme of Five yeares if between eighteen and XXII without
indenture six yeares if betweene fivetene and eightene without
Indenture Seaven years if under fiftene and coming in without
Indenture as aforesaid Such Servant shall serve till he or she
arrive to the full age of Two and Twenty Yeares And bee it
also further enacted that all Servants Transported out of Ver-
ginea into this Province shall compleat their Time of Service
here which they ought to have served in Virginia and noe
more. And bee it further enacted That every Master Mistres
Dame Assignee or Trustee of what kind soever owneing or
keeping any Such Servant as aforesaid whether by virtue of
Transportacon Purchase or otherwise shall within six months
after the Receiving such Servant into their Custody within
this Province (Except he shee or they claime but five years Ser-
vice of such servant) bring the said Servant into their Respec-
tive County Court where they doe Inhabite. And every of the
said Courts are hereby empowered and Authorized to Iudge
and Determine of the Age of such servant soe brought and
cause the same to be entred upon Record And if the said
Master Mistris Dame Assignee or Trustee doe not bring the
said servant within six months after his or her Importacon as
aforesaid That then the said Master Mistris dame Assignee or
Trustee Giving such Reason as the court shall approve of why
such servant was not brought before the court within six
months as is aforesaid. Then the court to give longer Time
to the said Master Mistris Dame Assignee or Trustee for
bringing in Such Servant to be judged as in this Act is Ex-
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P. R. O.
Colonial En-
try Book
No. 53
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