Assembly Proceedings, April—May 1682. 321

Ann-arrundell Coonty Greeting, at an Assembly begun &
held at S^t Maries the fifth day of Aprill last past by the
Consent of o^r Vpper & Lower houses of Assembly wee
have Ordained & Established Certaine Lawes as followeth.

An act for Encovragem^t of Tillage & Raising Provisions
for Advancem^t of trade w^thin this Province

Whereas by reason of the p^rsent Low & inconsiderable rate
of tob occasioned by the usuall great Cropps planted & made
of the same w^ch hath been the Chiefe & principall Comoditie
w^thin this Province the Inhabitants are Reduced to very great
necessities & want if without some sudden remidy will soone
Involve them in a most deplorable & Calamitous Condicon,
and whereas the planting & sowing of graine & Raising Pro-
vision & Exportacon thereof out of this Province will in some
measure Redress this sore & grievious Evill by encovragem^t of
Navigacon and bringing in some supply to the People w^ch
duering the p^rsent failure of the price of tobb Cannot be had
or expected Bee it Enacted by the R^t Hono^ble the L^d Prop^ry by
& w^th the Advice & Consent of the Vpper & Lower houses of
this p^rsent Gen^ll Assembly and the Authority of the same th^t
from & aft^r the end of this p^rsent Session of Assembly Indian
Corne, Wheate, Oates Barley, Rye, Peas, Porke, Beefe Baccon
be deemed, Reputed, accepted & taken for Lawfull & Currant
paym^t & paym^ts of money or Tobb Debt or Debts, what-
soever from or to any pson or psons whatsoever Debtor or
Creditor Inhabiting or tradeing into this Province his L^pps Rents
& Publique Leavys onely excepted, att such Rates & Prises
and in such manner as hereaff in this p^rsent act is menconed
& Contained (that is to say) Indian Corne shelled shall be
rated at Eighteen pence mony Sterl, or Eighteen lbs of tobb
the Bushell, Wheate at foure shillings or forty Eight lbs of tobb
p bushell, Oates at two shillings or twenty foure pounds of
tobb p bushell, Barley at two shillings six pence or thirty lbs
of tobb p Bushell, Pease at three shillings or thirty six pounds
of tobb "p Bushell, Porcke at two pence, or two pounds of tobb
p pound Beefe at one penny halfe penny or One pound & an
halfe of tobb p pound, Baccon at foure pence or foure pounds
of tobb p pound all w^ch graine or Graines Porcke Beefe and
Baccon as afores^d to be Cleane sound sweete & merchantable
& for the better Carriage & transportacon of Porcke & Beefe,
w^ch upon th^t acco^t may be otherwise subject to some greater
inconvenience then other the Comodities afores^d Bee it Enacted
th^t Porcke & Beefe shall be p^d & received in good & sufficient
Caskque & Barrells Containing thirty two Gallons nearest of
w^ch thirty six pounds to be allowed for tare. And be it further
Enacted by the authority afores^d that it shall & maybe Lawfull

Liber W. H.