Acts. 733

and also all such Horses and Mares, Cattle and Hogs, shall
likewise be forfeited, one Half to the Informer, the other
Half to be applied as aforesaid.
VII. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid,
by and with the Advice and Consent aforesaid, That whereas
many Negroes and other Slaves, absent themselves from their
Masters Service, and run out into the Woods, and there re-
main killing and destroying of Hogs and Cattle belonging
unto the People of this Province; if that such Negro or
Negroes, or other Slaves so out-lying as aforesaid, shall
refuse to surrender themselves, making Resistance against
such Persons as pursue to apprehend and take them up, being
thereunto legally impowered, it shall be lawful to and for such
Pursuers, upon such Resistance made, to shoot, kill and de-
stroy such Negro or Negroes, or other Slave as aforesaid.
VIII. This Act to be Read at every County Court by the
Sheriff, or his Deputy, on Pain of forfeiting Five Hundred
Pounds of Tobacco for every Omission, to the Lord Pro-
prietor; one Half to the Use of the County where the Omission
shall happen, and the other Half to the Informer; to be recov-
ered by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, wherein
no Essoin, Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed.

Bacon

An Act to punish Blasphemers, Swearers, Drunkards, and
Sabbath-Breakers; and for repealing the Laws heretofore
made for the Punishing such Offenders.
Be it Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprie-
tor, by and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's
Governor, and the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly,
and the Authority of the same, That if any Person shall here-
after, within this Province, wittingly, maliciously, and ad-
visedly, by Writing or Speaking, Blaspheme or Curse God,
or deny our Saviour Jesus Christ to be the Son of God,
or shall deny the Holy Trinity the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost, or the Godhead of any of the Three Persons, or the
Unity of the Godhead, or shall utter any profane Words
concerning the Holy Trinity, or any the Persons thereof, and
shall be thereof convict by Verdict, or Confession, shall, for
the first Offence be bored through the Tongue, and fined
Twenty Pounds Sterling to the Lord Proprietor, to be applied
to the Use of the County where the Offence shall be committed,
to be levied on the Offender's Body, Goods and Chattels,
Lands or Tenements; and in case the said Fine cannot be
levied, the Offender to suffer Six Months Imprisonment with-
out Bail or Mainprize; and that for the second Offence, the Of-

Chap. XVI