Acts Not Previously Printed. 583

the building and finishing the new Court-House, to be built at or
near the said Williams's old Field, as aforesaid, and the Records
removed, as aforesaid) to make Sale of the said old Court-House
and Prison, with the Land thereto belonging, to the best Purchaser
or Purchasers, and to convey an Estate thereof in Fee-Simple, to
them, their Heirs and Assigns for ever. And that the Money or
Tobacco that shall arise by the Sale thereof, shall be applied to the
Use of the County, towards defraying the Charge thereof; any
Law, Statute, Usage or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding.

Session
Laws

An Act to encourage the Takers up of run-away Slaves, that
shall be taken up by any Person and brought in from the Back-
Woods :

Whereas sundry of the Slaves belonging to several of the Inhabi-
tants of this Province, have of late Years runaway into the Back-
Woods, some of which have there perished, and others who held it
out (as to their Lives) have been entertained and encouraged to
live and inhabit with the Shewan-Indians; And forasmuch as many
Negroes (upon hearing the Success some of their Fellow-Slaves
have met with) are daily making Attempts to go the same Way,
which if not timely and effectually prevented, may be of very ill and
fatal Consequences to the Inhabitants of this Province: For Pre-
vention whereof, it is humbly prayed that it may be Enacted,

And be it Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietor
of this Province, by and with the Advice and Consent of His Lord-

1725
Chap. XII
[Wm Parks
compilation,
1727, p. 280]

ship's Governour, and the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly,
and the Authority of the same, That any Person whatsoever, either
Indian or others, that shall take up any Run-away Slave (already
run away, or that shall hereafter run away) in any Part of the back
Woods, to the Northwestward of Monocacy River, from the Mouth
thereof up the said River, to the fording Place where the Conestogo-
Path crosses the same, near one Albine's Plantation, and then to the
Northwestward of the said Conestogo-Path, until it meet with Sus-
quehannah-River, and by them shall be brought in and delivered to
the Person to be appointed and commission'd (according to the
Directions of this Act) to receive such Run-away Negroe, shall be
paid by the said Commissioner, as a Reward for each Run-away
Slave taken up, brought in, and delivered as aforesaid, the Sum of
Five Pounds Current Money.
And be it further Enacted, by the Authority, Advice and, Con-
sent aforesaid, That such Person as the Governour of this Province
for the Time being, with the Advice of his Lordship's Council of
State, shall think fit to appoint and commission for that End; be
and is hereby authorized, impowered and required to receive all
Run-away Slaves, from such Person or Persons as shall take them
up in the Back- Woods as aforementioned, and shall immediately

p. 281