Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June g, 1692. 557

by the Authority aforesaid that from henceforth all such neces-
sary charge of such war & Sold^rs Pay as afores^d shall be paid
discharged & defray'd by a Publick Leavy, by an Equall
Assessment upon the Taxables of this Province by the consent
of the freemen of this Province by their Representatives in a
Generall Assembly and no otherwise whatsoever, according
to the Clause in an Act intituled an Act of gratitude to his
Excellency Charles Calvert Esq^r Captain Gen^ll of Maryland.
7^thly and to the intent that the Inhabitants of this Province
may not be abused by having their Goods and Provisions
prest by loose and Idle fellows who many times abuse their

Lib. L. L.
No. 1.

Comissions and the People. Be it Enacted by the Authority
aforesaid, that from henceforth the Commissioners of each
respective County shall yearly and every year Viz. between
the twenty ninth day of September and twenty fifth day of
December nominate and appoint honest and Substantiall men
of their Counties for every hundred to be Press masters for
the year ensuing, and if any one Dye or depart the Country
or be lame or sick within that time that then the next Justice
of Peace to nominate and appoint another in his Stead, that if
occasion require they and no other shall Impress Victualls or
other things given them in charge to Press by Warrant from
his Excellency the Govern' in Cheif for the time being, And if
any other but such Press master so appointed shall presume
upon ptence of any Power as a Press master to seize take
Press or Carry away any Goods or Commodities of any the
Inhabitants of this Province shall pay to the person Grieved
treble the Value of the Goods or Commoditys so as aforesaid
unjustly Pressed. Provided that no Press master or any Per-
son or Persons whatsoever shall presume' at any time to seize
Press or Carry away from any Inhabitant Resident in this
Province, any Armes or Ammunition of any kind whatsoever
upon any duty or Service, or upon any Account whatsoever

p. 241

under the penalty aforesaid any Law Statute or usuage to the
contrary hereof in anywise notwithstanding,
8^thly And be it likewise Enacted by the Authority aforesaid
that the Commissioners of any County Courts within this
Province who shall not between the twenty seaventh day of
September and the said twenty fifth day of December in each
respective year by precept from the County Court signed by
the Clerk of the Court nominate and appoint such and so
many Press masters for every hundred within their County as
aforesaid, shall each of them forfeit and pay unto their Majes-
ties for support of Government the sum of five hundred
pounds of Tobacco, And such Press Masters who shall be so
nominated & app^td as aforesaid by such precept as aforesaid
to him or them directed and shall thereupon refuse or neglect

p. 242