300 Assembly Proceedings, October 3-November 2, 1728.

Session
Laws

Year of the Reign of his late Majesty, to any Court before whom
any Felons and Offenders, tried for and convicted of any Offence,
for which they might be sent or transported to any of his Majesty's
Colonies or Plantations in America, should and might be observed
and executed by any other subsequent Court with like Authority,
held for the same County, Riding, Division, or Liberty, where such
Offenders were or should be tried or convicted: And that such
Court might appoint, if they should think fit, two or more Justices
of the Peace of the said County, Riding, Liberty, or Place, where
such Offenders were, or should be convicted; who should have Power
and Authority to contract with any Person or Persons, for the Per-
formance of the Transportation of such Felons and Offenders, who
by Order of such Court or Courts were to be sent to any of the
Colonies or Plantations aforesaid, and to order such like sufficient
Security to be given, (as the aforesaid recited Act directs, to be taken
by Order of Court) and also to cause such Felons, pursuant to such
Contract, to be delivered by the respective Coalers, in whose Custody
they were, or should be, or might be, to the Person or Persons con-
tracting for the same, or to his or their Assigns.
III. And whereas several Masters of Ships, and other Vessels,
importing the said Felons and Offenders into this Province, have
neglected to bring any Testimonial of the Offences whereof the said
Felons, and Offenders, have been convict; or whereby it might ap-
pear whether they were obliged to serve Seven Years, or Fourteen
Years, which hath already occasioned Disputes and Controversies
between the Persons entitled to the Service of such Felons, and
Offenders, and the Felons and Offenders themselves, concerning
their Terms of Servitude, and may occasion many more, as well as
give some of the said Felons, and Offenders, opportunities of re-
turning from their Transportation before the Expiration of the
Terms they have been or may be transported for, contrary to the
true Intent and Meaning of the said Statutes.

p. 21

IV. And whereas several other Masters of Ships, and Vessels,
have imported several Felons, and other Offenders, into this Prov-
ince, and made private Contracts with such Felons, and Offenders,
for a less Time of Servitude than is prescribed by the said Acts, and
disposed of the said Felons, and other Offenders, to several of the
Inhabitants of this Province, as Servants of good Reputations, and
not convict of any Crime or Offences; by which Practices several of
the said Felons and Offenders, whose Testimony ought not to be
received in any Court of Record, or before any Magistrate, because
not known to be such, may be received as Witnesses, to the manifest
Danger of the Lives, Liberties, and Properties, of his Majesty's
Subjects of this Province, and the true Intent and Meaning of the
said Statutes, is eluded; For the Prevention of which Evils,