Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 9, 1692. 455

misdemeanor for the future Be it further Enacted by the
Authority aforesaid, That no person whatsoever shall Trade
Barter Commerce or any wayes deal with any servant whether
hyred or Indented or slave belonging or appertaining to any
Inhabitant in this Province without leave or Lycence first had
and obteined from such servants Masters Mistresses or Dame
or overseer for his so doing under the penalty of two thousand
pounds of Tobacco, the one half thereof to their Majes^ts for
the support of Government, the other half to the Master Mis-
tress or true owner of such Goods so purloyned barter'd or
Conveyed away when proved by sufficient witnesses or Con-
fession of the party to be recovered in any Court of Record in
this Province, by Action of debt bill plaint or Information
wherein no Essoign protection or wager of Law to be allowed.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid by and
with the Advice and Consent aforesaid That if the Goods so
Traded or barter'd for as aforesaid shall exceed the sum of
one thousand pounds of Tobacco that then the Party or Parties
whose goods shall be Embezled or Barter'd away as aforesaid,
shall have his Action at Law for his damages sustained against
the person or persons so dealing or bartering for the same
anything in this Act to the Contrary hereof notwithstanding
And forasmuch as disputes have formerly arose at what time

Lib. L. L.

No. 1.

servants time of Servitude, whether by Indenture or otherwise
should commence, for the better Explanation whereof for the
future Be it Enacted by the authority aforesaid That all
servants Transported into this Province whether by Indenture
or otherwise the time of such servant so bound or adjudged
as aforesaid shall commence from the first Anchoring of the
Vessell within this Province any Law useage or custome to
the contrary notwithstanding And in case such person or
p^rsons so Trading or Bartering as aforesaid shall not be able to
satisfy the same then such person or persons shall be bound
over by some one Justice of the Peace and put in security
either to appear at the Provinciall or County Court Where
upon conviction by Confession or Sufficient witnesses, the
offender shall be punished by whipping on the bare back with
thirty stripes.
And for the just ascertaining and limitting of Servants time
or Servitude Be it Enacted by and with the advice Consent
and authority aforesaid that whatsoever shall Transport any
servant into this Province any servant without Indenture, such
Servant being above the age of one & twenty years shall be
oblieged to serve the full space and Term of five years if
between Eighteen and two and twenty years without Indent-
ures six years, If between fifteen and Eighteen without
Indentures seaven years, If under fifteen without Indenture
shall serve till he or they arrive to the Age of two and twenty

p. 51