Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 9, 1692. 477

An Act against Hogstealers and marking of
Hoggs.

. Be it Enacted by the King and Queens most Excellent Maj-
estys by and with the advice and consent of this present
Generall Assembly and Authority of the same That any
person or persons whatsoever that shall kill any unmarked
swi'ne being above three months old except upon his own
Land in any part of this Province or being in Company w^th his
own Hoggs shall be deemed and taken as a Hogstealer and
suffer such pains and penalties as by this Act or any other Act
is provided against Hogstealers and all the Inhabitants of this

Lib. L. L.
No. 1.

Province who have not already brought in their severall marks
of Hoggs and other Cattle and Recorded them according to
the directions of a former Act intituled an Act touching
Hoggs and marking of Cattle are required by this Act to
bring in their severall marks of Hogs and other Cattle and
cause them to be Recorded either in the County Court where
the Party lives or in the Provinciall Court of this Province
w^thin twelve months after the date of this Act or within twelve
months after the assuming or taking any perticular mark
under penalty of loosing the benefitt of the same And be it
Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, by and with the advice &
consent aforesaid That if any person or persons whatsoever
shall hereafter shall kill any Hogg or Hogs in the Woods as
aforesaid and shall cutt off the Ears thereby to deface or other-
wise to alt^r the marke shall be reputed as a hogstealer and that
any person or persons that shall be reputed by Common fame
Hogsteal^rs and have been formerly warned by the true owner
of any Land whereon there is a Seated Plantation and Inhab-
ited shall yet presume either with dog or Gun to hunt upon
the same, he or they so warned, shall be lyable to pay the
sum of one thous^d pounds of Tobacco for every such Offence,
the one half to the King and Queen for the support of Gov-
ernment and Contingent uses thereof, the other half to the
Owner of the Land to be recov^rd in any Court of Record
within this Province by Action of debt bill plaint or Informa-
tion, wherein no Essoyn Protection or wager of Law to be

p. 91

allowed And for the bett^r Executⁿ of this and all o.ther good
Laws of this Province against offenders Be it Enacted that
every respective County Court at the Courts to be held half
yearly in March and November or oftner as need shall require
at the discretⁿ of the Justices of each County shall by a Grand
Jury enquire of all Offences committed against this and all
other the good Laws of this Province And the sherriff of
every respective County shall of course Empannell and return
a Jury of Enquest at the said half yearly Courts to be held in
March and November or oftner as need shall require as afore-

p. 92