Assembly Proceedings, November 1-12, 1681. 253

An act ag^t Ingrossers & Regraters./

ffor as much as hitherto noe Law hath beene made w^thin
this Province for Restraineing & prohibiting Ingrossing &
Regrateing the vndue & to frequenting practice whereof
hath beene & still is highly oppressiue & Injurious to the
greater parte of the Inhabitants of this Province who are by
meanes thereof deprived & wholly p^rvented from the benifitt of
Laying out theire Cropps of Tob, or any parte thereof, with
the Merchant Adventurers theire ffacto^rs & others, bringing in
all sorts of goods Merchandizes & Serv^ts for the purchase
thereof, whilst a Couetuous & actiue presort of people, & butt
few in number of the Inhabitants of this Province doe buy &
purchase all or most parte of the good merchandizes & Serv^ts
yearely brought into this Province w^thout Consignem^t for the
purchase of Tob, & albeitt they haue not Tob of theire owne
whereby to pay for the goods Merchandizes & Serv^ts soe by
them from time to time bought & purchased, Neuerthelesse
such is the neccessity of the Province that within a few days
after such purchase they can Regrate the same goods Mer-
chandizes & Serv^ts & with a small parte of the Tob therewith
purchased pay & satisfy for all the said goods M^rchandizes &
Serv^ts & bee Ready for another markett, thereby not only in
haueing the price of all goods Merchandizes & Serv^ts butt
makeing sundry Retournes in one Shipping season, & in the
meane time the greater number of the Inhabitants of this Prov-
ince are disabled & totally hindred from selling theire Cropps
of Tob, Vnlesse itt bee to & with the aforesaid Hucksters or
some or one of them att theire owne deare Rates & prices, for
the p^rvencon therefore of soe greate a Mischeife for the future,
Bee itt enacted by the Right Honourable the L^d Prop^ry by &
with the advice & Consent of the vpper & Lower houses of
this p^rsent Gen^ll Assembly & the Authority of the same, that
w'soeuer pson or psons, that after the Twenty ffifth day of
Decemb^r one Thousand six hundred eighty one shall Ingrosse
or gett into his her or theire handes or possession by buying
Contracting or promise takeing within this Province any goods
or Merchandizes whatsoeuer, or Serv^ts to the intent to sell the
same againe within the space of Six months, & the same or
any parte thereof, shall within that time sell againe for Ready
Tob, or for Tob to bee paid the Shipping, hapning in the time
of such ffirst sale, or for Tob to bee shippt for paym^t or
secureing the paym^t of any bill or bills of Exchange to bee
drawne for the paym^t of the said goods M^rchandizes or Serv^ts
with intent to Elude the benifitt of this Act, or the same goods
M^rchandizes or Serv^ts shall Transport out of this Province shall
bee accepted Reputed & taken for an vnlawfull Ingross^r &
Regrat^r & shall suffer the paines penaltys & forfeitures heere-

Liber W. H.