484 Assembly Proceedings, May 8-June 2, 1750.

Liber B. L. C.

or other Inclosure, and the Owner be not known, that then, and in
all such Cases, it shall and may be lawful for the Party grieved to
take up such Horse, Mare or Gelding so trespassing, and the same
to carry before the next Magistrate, who shall be obliged to take an
Account of the Marks of such Beasts, both natural and artificial,
which the Persons aggrieved shall set up in the most public Places
in the same County; and until the Owner shall be known, it shall
and may be lawful for such injured Person to use and employ such
Horses, Mares and Geldings, without incurring the Penalties in this
Act herein after imposed, not injuring such Beast by any careless
or wilful Means; which Beast shall be delivered in good Order to
the Person owning the same, proving his Property by the Testimony
of one Witness, before any Magistrate." Which Method by Experi-
ence is found inconvenient to the Owner or Owners of such Horses,
Mares or Geldings, they being very often kept for a considerable
Time in the Possession of the Party by whom such Horse, Mare or
Gelding are taken up, before the same comes to the Knowledge of
the Owner of such Horse, Mare or Gelding: For Prevention
whereof,

[Accounts
of Strays to
be set up
in public
Places.]

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 from and after the End of this Session of Assem-
bly, the Party grieved, who shall take up such Horse, Mare or Geld-
ing, trespassing as aforesaid, shall be, and is hereby obliged and
directed to set up such Account, so taken by the Magistrate as afore-
said, describing the Marks of such Beasts, both natural and artifi-
cial, at the Court-House Door, and other public Places, in the County
where such Horse, Mare or Gelding shall be taken up, within five
Days after such Account taken; and moreover cause the Marks
natural and artificial of such Horse, Mare or Gelding, to be recorded
amongst the Records of such County Court, within five Days after
such Account shall be taken; and cause the same to be published in
the Maryland Gazette, in six Months after such Account shall be
taken, and the Expences arising thereon shall be paid by the Owner
or Owners of such Horse, Mare or Gelding, at the Time of his
receiving any such Horse, Mare or Gelding; any Law, Usage, or
Custom, to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

[Concern-
ing Persons
now pos-
sessed of
Strays.]

And be it also Enacted, That if any Person within this Province
shall now have in his or her Possession any such Horse, Mare or
Gelding, so taken up as aforesaid, he or she shall be, and is hereby
obliged and directed, within sixty Days after the End of this Ses-
sion of Assembly, to set up an Account of such Horse, Mare or
Gelding, taken by some Magistrate as aforesaid, describing the