Assembly Proceedings, June 29-July 22,1699. 551

Province any Law usage or Custom to the Contrary notwith-
standing And be it Enacted also by the Advice Consent and
Authority aforesaid That no Indenture made by any Servant
dureing the time of Service due by former Indenture or by
Determination According to the Tenor of this Act shall any
ways oblige any Servant for longer time then by his first In-
denture or Determination of the Court shall be Limitted and
appointed Provided that this Act nor any thing therein Con-
teined shall not give or be Construed to give any benefitt to
any Negro or Slave Whatsoever And be it further Enacted by
the Authority aforesaid that for all Such Runaway Servants or
Slaves that shall be Apprehended and taken up in the Pro-
vince of Pensilvania or Colony of Virginia and from thence
brought into this Province and Delivered to a Magistrate of
the County into which they shall be brought the Person for so
Doing shall have Paid and allowed him by the Master or
Owner of Such Runaway four hundred Pounds of Tobbacco
and Casque or fourty shillings in money upon his Produceing
a Certificate from the s^d Justice or Sherriffe of the delivery of
such Runaway Except Servants or Runaways brought from
Accomake into Somersett County for Such onely two hundred
pounds of Tobbacco or Twenty Shillings and the like from
that side of Virginia next the River Potomock into this Prov-
ince for which said Sum or Sums paid such Runaways make
Satisfaction when free by Service or otherwise more then the
Tenn days for one as the Court shall adjudge but if Such per-

Lib. L. L.

son So apprehended brought and delivered as aforesaid be a
ffreeman and refuse to pay the said sume or sums of Tobbacco
or money then and in Such Case the Magistrate before whom
he shall be brought shall forthwith Coniitt the said pson so
refuseing to prison till he give Sufficient Security or make full
Satisfaction by Service or otherwise And be it further Enacted
by the Authority aforesaid That if any Master Mistres or
other Owner of any Servant whatsoever or Overseer by the
Order and Consent of any Such Master Mistres or Owner
shall Deny & not Provide Sufficient meat Drink Lodging and
Cloathing or shall unreasonably Burthen them beyond their
Strength with Labour or Debarr them of their Necessary Rest
and Sleep the same being Sufficiently proved before the Jus-
tices of the County'Court the said Justices have hereby full
power and Authority for their first and Second Offence to
leavy Such fine upon Such Offender as to them shall Seem
meet not Exceeding one Thousand pounds of Tobbacco to the
use of his Maty his heires and Successors for the Supporte of
GovernnV and for the third Offence to lett Such Servant so
wronged att Liberty and free from their Servitude And be it
also further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Negros

p. 325