202 Assembly Proceedings, 1694-1728.

Liber LL, 4

Acts

that then and in every such Case such Master of Shipps or Vessells for
every Hoggshead of Tobacco so cut or suffered to be cut cropt or
lessened in their Length or Breadth abused defaced or impaired to
be proved by the Oath of any Suff^t person to whome the Tobacco is
consign'd in Great Brittaine or other Sufficient witness taken before
any Magistrate and a Certificate thereof made by any Notary Publick
or Magistrate and sent hither under his hand and Seale or by any
other Legall Proof whatsoever made in this Province or else where
shall forfeit and pay the Sume of Six hundred pounds of Tobacco or
fifty shillings Sterling to the party Grieved to be recovered in any
Court of Record in this Province against such Master or his Sureties
by Accon of Debt or on the Case within two Years after the Date of
the Bill or Bills of ladeing of such Tobacco And be it Enacted by the
Authority af^d that the Security or Securities of any Master of a Ship
or Vessell within this Province shall be lyable to make Satisfaction
according to this Act for the Cropping cutting abuseing defaceing and
impairing of any Hoggshead or Hoggsheads of Tobacco as af^d and
prosecute for the same in any Court of record within this Province
that can hold plea thereof and that every Navall Officer within this
Province shall on pain of Fifty Shillings Sterling certifie under his
Hand and Seale who are the security or Securitys of any such Master
which shall be Sufficient Evidence in any Court of Record where such
Accon is commenced to Prove who are the Security or Securitys of
such Master for which Certificate the Navall Officer may have and
receive, one shilling and no more and that the Severall and respective
Navall Officers within this Province shall hang a fair Copy of this
Law in their respective Offices for the perusall of All Masters of Ships
and Vessells the said Navall Officer to have and receive for the said

p. 306

Copy One Hundred Pounds of Tobacco to be allowed in the County
Levy. And Forasmuch as by the Enlargement of Tob^o Hoggsheads
from the late Gage of Thirty Inches in the Diameter of the Head to
this present Gage a Larger Quantity of Tobacco will be exported
in each Hoggshead whereby the Severall Duties and Imposts on
Tobacco will be evidently retrenched and lessened unless a Just
Regard be had to the preservation of Them in their usuall worth and
Vallue which this present Generall Assembly is highly oblig'd to,
those Duties being generally apply'd to the Support of Government
and for other the most important Affaires of this Province and th^t
therefore it is not only just but necessary that the Duties upon the
Hoggsheads which shall be of the Gage herein directed should be
in some sort Enlarged proportionably to the Enlargem^t of the said
Gage It is therefore most humbly prayed that his Lordship the
Lord Proprietarie will be favourably pleased to Grant that it may
be Enacted And be it Enacted by his said Lordship by and with the
Advice and Consent af^d that from and after the Twenty ninth Day
of September next there shall be levyed Collected and raised to the
right honourable the Lord Proprietarie his Heirs and Successors