522 Assembly Proceedings, May — June 1676.

Liber
W H &L

Containing more then what is Justly due to his Lordshipp or
Publick for Rent or Leavyes shall pay for every such default
the Sume of two thousand pounds of Tobacco the one halfe to
the Lord Proprietary the other halfe to the party grieued to be
Recovered by accon att Law Bill Plaint or Informacon in any
Court within this Prouince in which noe proteccon Essoyne or
wager of Law to be allowed this Act to endure for three yeares
or to the end of the next Gen^rall Assembly which shall first
happen

An Act for the Publicacon of Marriages.

Bee itt Enacted by the Right Hon^ble the Lord Proprietary by
and with the advice and Consent of the upper and lower houses
of this present Generall Assembly That all persons who shall
desire Marriage haue Liberty to apply themselues either
to a priest minister Pastor or Magistrate for the Contracting
thereof.
And Bee itt further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all
persons within this Prouince intending Marriage shall make Pub-
licacon thereof either att the Church or Chappell County Court
or meeting house next where they dwell and that att such tymes
as such Church Chappell or meeting house be full and thereby
Capable to take Cognizance thereof And that itt shall and may
be Lawfull uppon Certificate had from the priest minister Pastor
or County Court where such Publicacon shall haue been made
(three weekes after the said Publicacon) for either Minister
Pastor or Magistrate to loyne in Marryage such persons as
aforesaid And if any person shall presume to Contract Marri-
age without such Publicacon be made & Certificate thereof had
as aforesaid or without particular Lycence from the Right Hon^ble
the Lord Proprietary or his Leivtenant Generall or Cheife Gou-
ernour for the time being doe Privately within the Limitts of
this Prouince Contract Marriage Every person soe Contracted
or marryed shall be Lyable to a fine of one Thousand pounds
of Tobacco And every such Preist Minister Pastor or Magis-
trate Joyning in Marriage any persons without such Publicacon
or Lycence or any waies infringeing this Act shall be Lyable
to a ffine of five Thousand pounds of Tobacco one halfe there-
of to the Lord Proprietary the other halfe to the Informer to
be Recovered by bill plaint accon of debt or Informacon in any
Court of Record wherein noe Essoyne Proteccon or wager in
Law to be allowed.
And Bee itt further Enacted That all such Marryages as
shall not be made or Celebrated before some Priest Minister
Pastor or Magistrate with fiue sufficient wittnesses att Least
according to the forme before menconed shall be & are here-
by declared null & voyd.