76 Assembly Proceedings, October—November 1678.

Liber W. H.
& L.

An Act for keepeing a Register of Birthes Marriages
and Burialls in each Respective County

Bee itt Enacted by the Right Hon^ble the Lord Proprietary by
& with the advice and Consent of this present Generall As-
sembly and the Authority of the same that the names Surnames
and places of abode of all manner of persons within this Prov-
ince Except Negroes Indians & Molottos that shall from and
after the Publicacon of this Act be borne married or buryed
within this Province together with the Respective dates of the
day moneth and yeare of our Lord of their said Birth Mariage
and Buryall shall be Exhibitted to the Clarke of each Respec-
tive County Court by the father of any such Child that shall
be borne, the person marryed or next of kinn Executor Admin-
istrator Master or mistriss to him or them that shall be buryed
as aforesaid within two moneths after such birth marriage or
buriall aforesaid vnder the penalty of twenty pounds of Tobacco
the one halfe to the Clarke of each respective County Court
the other halfe to the poore of the said County wherein shall
happen to be any such default as aforesaid

p. 155

And bee itt further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That
every Clarke of each Respective County Court within this
Province shall att his own Costes and Charges within one
moneth after the Publicacon hereof provide a good and dure-
able booke wherein he shall Register in a faire legible hand
the names Surnames places of abode together with the Re-
spective dates of the day moneth and yeare of our Lord of the
births marriage or burialls spe Exhibitted as aforesaid for which
he shall haue as his fee the sufne of five pounds of Tobacco to
be Levyed by way of Execution on the goods or Chatties of
the person soe Requireing The Registering the same as afore-
said that shall neglect or refuse to pay the same And if any
Clerke of any County Court within this Province shall neglect
or refuse to provide one Dureable booke as aforesaid and
therein to Register the names Surnames and places of abode
of such persons as shall be borne marryed or buryed within
their Respective County soe Exhibitted as aforesaid shall
forfeit and pay for every offence the sufne of two thousand
pounds of Tobacco the one halfe to the Lord Proprietary the
other halfe to the Informer to be Recovered in any Court of
Record within this Province by bill plaint or informacon.
Bee itt Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that the Comis-
sioners of each Respective County att their severall sessions
shall make Speciall Search and inquiry into the premisses that
the Respective Clerkes doe their duty as aforesaid—
Provided that this Act nor any thing therein Conteyned
shall any way Countenance the discontinuance of any legall
Register of Birthes marriages or Burialls hitherto kept in any