Assembly Proceedings, May — June 1676. 527

seer for his soe doeing vnder the penalty of two thousand
pounds of Tobacco the one halfe thereof to the Lord Proprie-
tary the other halfe to the master mistris or true owner of such
goods soe purloyned bartered & Conveyed away when proved
by sufficient wittnesses or Confession of the party to be Re-
covered in any of his Lordshipps Courts of Record by accon of
debt bill plaint or Informacon wherein noe Essoyne Wager or
Proteccon in Law to be allowed And in case such person or
persons Soe offending shall not be able to Satisfye the same.
Then such person or persons shall be bound over by some one
Iustice of the Peace & putt in Security either to appeare att
the Prouinciall or County Court where uppon Conviction by
Confession or Sufficient wittnes Such offender shall be punished
by whipping on the bare back with thirty Stripes.
And for the Iust ascertaining & Limitting of Servants times
of servitude Bee itt Enacted by the Authority by & with the
aduice & Consent aforesaid That whosoever shall Transport
any Servant into this Prouince without Indenture Such Servant
being aboue the age of two & twenty yeares shall be obliged
to serve the full Space & Terme of fiue yeares if between
Eighteene & two & twenty without Indenture Six yeares if

Liber

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between fifteene & Eighteene without Indenture Seven Yeares
if under fifteen & without Indenture shall serve till he or they
arrive to the full age of two & twenty yeares.
And Bee itt further Enacted by the Authority & by and with
the aduice & Consent aforesaid That all Servants transported
out of Virginia into this Prouince shall Compleat their time of
Servitude here which they ought to haue served in Virginia &
noe more.
And Bee itt further Enacted that every master mistriss or
dame assignee or Trustee of what kind soever owning or keepe-
ing any such Servant as aforesaid whether by vertue of trans-
portacon purchase or otherwise shall within Six moneths after
the Receiving such Servant into their Custody within this Pro-
uince Except he she or they clayme but five yeares service of
such Servant bring the said servant into the Respectiue County
Court where they doe Inhabitt And every of the said Courts
are hereby Authorized to Judge and determine of the ages of
such Servants soe brought and cause the same to be entered
uppon Record And every owner as aforesaid Neglecting or
Refuseing to bring such Servant or Servants before the Court
as aforesaid shall not only stand to the Determinacon of the
Court but alsoe forfeit the sume of one thousand pounds of
Tobacco to the Lord Proprietary for depriveing the Court of
such opportunity of viewing the partyes And if any master or
Servant aforesaid be grieved with the determinacon of the
Court he shall within the time determined for their service pro-

p. 106