Acts. 619

And be it further Enacted, That any Slave, who shall attempt to
burn any Dwelling-House, or Outhouse contiguous to, or used with
any Dwelling-House, or any other House wherein there shall be any
Person or Persons, or any Goods, Merchandizes, Tobacco, Indian
Corn, or other Grain or Fodder, and shall be thereof convict as
aforesaid, shall suffer Death as a Felon, without Benefit of Clergy.

Liber B. L. C.

And be it further Enacted, That every Slave committing any of
the Felonies herein before mentioned, or any other Offence which
may by Law Subject such Slave to the Pains of Death, shall be com-
mitted to the Sheriff of the County where the Offence shall be com-
mitted; and that at the next Assizes or County Court, which shall
first happen to be held for the County where the Offence shall be
committed, the Justices of Assize, or either of them, or County Court,
which shall first happen, shall and may, by Virtue of this Act, try
every such Offender or Offenders according to Law; and upon the
Conviction of the Offender or Offenders, upon his, her, or their
voluntary Confession, or the Verdict of a Jury upon the Testimony
of one or more legal or credible Witness or Witnesses, or even the
Testimony or the Evidence of other Slaves, corroborated with such
pregnant Circumstances as shall convince and satisfy the Jury who
shall try the Fact, of the Guilt of such Slave or Slaves, to give Judg-
ment according to the Nature and Quality of the Offence.

[Manner of
trying
Slaves.]

And be it further Enacted, That any Slave or Slaves, who shall
give any false Testimony against any Slave or Slaves who shall be
prosecuted as aforesaid, and shall be thereof legally convict, shall
have one Ear cut off on the Day of his or her Conviction, and re-
ceive thirty-nine Stripes on the bare Back, and that the other Ear
shall be cropp'd the next Day, and the like Number of Stripes given
the Offender on his or her bare Back.
And to the End that such Slave or Slaves, as shall be produced as
a Witness or Witnesses against other Slave or Slaves, may be de-
terred from giving false Testimony, Be it Enacted, That the Justices
of Assize, or either of them, then sitting, or the Justice of the County
Court who shall preside, shall admonish and charge such Witness or
Witnesses to declare the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the

[Punishment
of Slaves
giving false
Testimony.]

Truth; and acquaint him, her, or them, with the Danger and Conse-
quence of giving false Testimony.

p. 537

And be it further Enacted, That when any Slave shall be con-
demned to suffer Death, that such Slave shall be valued by the Jus-
tices of Assize, or either of them, then present, or County Court,
according to the best of their Knowlege; which said whole Value
shall be paid by the Treasurer of the respective Shore on which such
Execution shall be, on the Certificate of such Sheriff, out of the
Public Stock of this Province in the Hands of such Treasurer, with-
out Fee or Reward, to the Master or Owner of such Slave, in case
the said Slave be actually executed,

[Owners of
executed
Slaves to be
paid the
Value of
them.]