150 Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 11, 1748.

Liber B. L. C.

away with and embezel the Goods of their Masters or Owners, by
carrying them to such Entertainments, and to commit many griev-
ous Disorders and Irregularities against the Peace of his Lordship,
and his good Rule and Government, and to the great Damage and
Disquiet of many of his Majesty's liege Subjects within this Prov-
ince: For preventing which Evils for the future ;
Be it Enacted by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary, 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 or Persons, after the End of this

[Entertain-
ing of
Servants and
Slaves.]

Session of Assembly, shall wittingly or willingly entertain any Ser-
vant or Servants, Slave or Slaves, unlawfully absenting him, her or
themselves from his, her or their Master, Owner or Overseer, or
permit or suffer them to be about their Houses or Plantations dur-
ing the Space of one Hour, or longer, such Person or Persons so
entertaining such Servant or Servants, Slave or Slaves, or permit-
ting or suffering them to be about their Houses or Plantations, shall
forfeit and pay at the Rate of One hundred Pounds of Tobacco for
every Hour each Servant or Slave shall be by him, her or them so
entertained or permitted or suffered to be about his, her or their
House or Plantation as aforesaid, to be recovered in a summary

[Penalty.]

Way, before a single Magistrate, with Costs, if the Penalty does not
exceed Six hundred Pounds of Tobacco; and if it does exceed Six
hundred Pounds of Tobacco, then to be recovered by Action of
Debt, Bill of Indictment, Plaint or Information, in the County
Court where the Offence shall be committed, wherein no Essoin,
Protection, Wager of Law, or above one Imparlance, shall be al-
lowed; the one half whereof shall be applyed to the Use of the
public School of the County wherein such Forfeiture shall happen,
and the other half to the Party grieved, provided he or she shall

p. 454

prosecute for the same within three Months next after the Offence
committed, otherwise to the Informer or him or them who shall sue
for the same; Provided such Suit be commenced within twelve
Months after such Offence committed.

[If unable
to pay the
Fine then to
be whipt]

And be it further Enacted, That if it shall appear to any Magis-
trate, before whom any Conviction for Breach of this Act shall be
had, that the Offender is unable to pay or give good Security for
the Penalty aforesaid, it shall and may be lawful for such Magis-
trate to punish such Offender by Whipping on the bare back with
such Number of Stripes, not exceeding thirty-nine for any one
Offence, as to him shall seem meet, and to require Security for the

[In case one
Servant or
Slave enter-
tains another
then to be
punisht by
Whipping.]

good Behaviour of such Offender for and during the Term of six
Months then next following.
And be it further Enacted, That if any Servant or Slave shall
wittingly or willingly harbour or entertain any other Servant or
Servants, Slave or Slaves, unlawfully absent from his, her or their