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An Act for the Encouragement of an Iron Manufacture,
within this Province.
Whereas it is represented to this present General Assembly,
That there are very great Conveniencies of carrying on Iron-
Works within this Province, which have not hitherto been
embraced for want of proper Encouragements to some first
Undertakers, altho the Consequences thereof might not only
be considerably advantageous to the Persons immediately
concerned therewith, but also to the Public Trade of Great-
Britain, and this Province ; and for that it may so happen that
the Lands or Places most proper for the fixing Forge-Mills,
and other Conveniencies for the carrying on such considerable
Works, may happen to be within the Bounds of any Lands
already reserved to his Lordship's Use, or such Lands as are
in the Hands or Possession of Persons under Age, or unable to
be at the Charge of carrying on such considerable Works, or
else such as are wilfully obstinate, to the Hinderance of such
Persons as would purchase such Lands or Places as should be
fit for the carrying on so great Works, and setting them up,
to the Increase of our Trade and Navigation, the Peopling of
this Province, and to the Advantage of his Lordship, by the
Encouraging the Taking-up such remote and barren Lands
as are now entirely useless and uncultivated ;
II. Be it Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord
Proprietary, by and with the Advice and Consent of his said
Lordship's Governor, and the Upper and Lower Houses of
this present General Assembly, and the Authority of the
same, That if any Person or Persons from and after the
Publication hereof, shall desire to set up such Forging-Mill,
and other Conveniencies for the carrying on such Iron- Works,
upon any Land not before cultivated, next adjoining to any
Run of Water within this Province, not being the Estate oi
Inheritance of such Undertakers, nor leased to them, to the
Intent thereon to set such Forging-Mill, and other Conven-
iencies for the carrying on such Iron- Works, they may pur-
chase a Writ out of Chancery, directed to the Sheriff of the
County where such Land lieth, requiring him by the Oath oi
Twelve Men of his County, to inquire what Damage it would
be to his Lordship, or others, to have such Builders or Under-
takers invested with an absolute Estate of Inheritance in One
Hundred Acres of such Land, proper for the setting up such
Forging-Mill, and other Conveniencies for the carrying or
such Iron- Works as aforesaid: The Form of which Writ
followeth, viz.
" Charles, absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces
" of Maryland and Avalon, Lord Baron of Baltimore &c
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Bacon
Chap. XV
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