Assembly Proceedings, May — June 1676. 529

An Act touching Coopers & Gage of Tobacco Hoggsheads

Whereas Severall Complaints haue been made by divers
marchants masters of Shipps & others of the vnreasonable
Size of Tobacco Caske made in this Prouince whereby they
are disabled to answer such freight as they agree for and there-
by discouraged to bring their ships hither which may turne to
an apparent decay of Trade if not timely prevented And that
the Coopers Imployed to make Casque & sett upp Tobacco
hoggsheads doe for the most part either through idlenesse or
wiltullnesse neglect Refuse or delay to sett upp & finish the
quantity of Hoggsheads & Tobacco Caske to be sett upp &
made till very late in the yeare & till shipping time be almost
done to the great prejudice of Marchants Planters & inhabi-
tants in this Province Bee itt therefore Enacted by the Right
Hon^ble the Lord Proprietary by and with the aduice & Consent
of the upper and lower houses of this present Generall Assem-
bly & the Authority of the same That all Tobacco Hoggsheads
which shall hereafter be made within this Prouince shall be of
the size of forty three inches in length & twenty seven Inches
in the head & not under the size of forty two inches in the
length & twenty six Inches in the head And that what Cooper
or Coopers or other person or persons that shall make Tobacco
Hoggsheads & doe not observe the gage aforesaid shall for-
feit the said Caske and uppon Complaint thereof made be cen-
sured for his or their default by each Respective County Court
where such person or persons doe Inhabitt And that any
Cooper or Coopers person or persons whatsoever that shall
agree w.^th any the Inhabitants of this Prouince and undertake

Liber
W H & L

with him or Them to sett upp or make his or their Tobacco
Hoggsheads or Caske shall & are hereby Enjoyned to make
Sett upp & finish one halfe of the said Tobacco Hoggsheads
or Caske by the tenth day of October next & soe by the tenth
day of October in any yeare And the said Cooper or Coopers
person or persons soe agreeing or vndertakeing to Sett upp
the said Caske as aforesaid shall & are alsoe hereby Enjoyned
to make sett upp & finish the other moyty & halfe part of the
said Tobacco hoggsheads or Caske by or before the tenth day
of December next Comeing or by or before the tenth day of
December in any yeare And if any Cooper or Coopers person
or persons whatsoever within this Prouince soe agreeing & un-
dertaking the same as aforesaid shall wilfully or otherwise neg-
lect or refuse to make sett upp Compleate & finish the said To-
bacco Hoggsheads & Caske aforesaid in such proporcons &
by such tymes as aforesaid shall forfeit the Sume of one hun-
dred pounds of Tobacco for every Tunn of Caske or Tobacco
hoggsheads left att that time aforesaid unmade not sett upp &
unfinished to be Recovered in the severall County Courts

p. 108