Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 9, 1692. 383

An Act concerning Negroes and Slaues, read the Second
time, and putt to the Vote whether in the Act for Negroes
and Slaves, a Clause should be added for the Releife of
Slaues ag^t the severity of their Masters, in Case of Dismem-
bering, or that the same be drawne vp in a Law by it Self,
and Carried by the Majority of Voices that a Clause be added
to the said Act in that behalfe.
Message from the Gouernor & Councill brought by Coll
Hutchings & Coll Browne which was read as follows Viz^t

By the Gouerno^r & Councill in Assembly May 23^th 1692.
With the Severall Bills herewith sent, This board recom-
mend to the house the severall amendm^ts or alterations
treated off at the Conference, particularly in the Acts for
hogstealers & that for the speedy bringing to tryall & Sup-
pressing Criminalls &c. the party with whom the thing
stolen shall be found may be obleiged to prooue how when &
where he or shee came by the same and for want of such
proofe to be Convicted &c: The Act for p^rservation of the
harbours &c^a the obliteration in the terminatiue part rendring
it deficient & imperfect ought to be amended but more neces-
sarily & reasonably totally Excluded in this as in other Acts
to be passed this Sessions for the good & benefitt of the
Countrey. In the Act for marking high wayes &^c a Clause
to be added imposeing a penalty on the Surveyo^rs as well as
on the Commissioners for] their Neglect, A Law to be made
restraineing the [barbarous and inhuman usage] of Negroes
& Slaues by their Mast^rs in this Countrey, The time for
[cutting horses to be in six weeks after] taken vp & their
Stature [to be adjudged by the next magistrate, a] Law to be
provided for [securing their Majestys dues, fines, forfeitures]
&c. what other amendm^ts [were treated of or shall be thought
necessary] The house is desired to [consider of and proceed
accordingly] p Ord^r
[John] LLewellin Clk.

The in the severall bills follow
house the Third reading.
An [Act for payment of fees due from] Criminalls &c.
Read the 2^d time.
An [Act for restraining the unreasonable increase of]
horses read the second time.
The sent by m^r Wynne.
An Act [relating] to [the seizure of Tobacco] by the
Sherriffe, read the third time.
An Act the read the third time.

Original
Journal.