284 Assembly Proceedings, Oct. 2-Nov. 17, 1753.

No. 8

Liber H. S.
No. I

An Act to prevent Masters of Ships and Vessels from clandestinely
carrying Servants and Slaves, or Persons indebted, out of this
Province.

[Preamble.]

Whereas divers Servants and Slaves, belonging to the People of
this Province, and Persons Indebted therein, have been carried away
out of the same Province, in Ships or Vessels trading therein, to the
great Loss and Damage of his Majesty's Subjects, the good People of
Maryland: To prevent therefore so great an Evil, it is prayed that
it may be enacted ;

[Masters of
Vessels,
when they
enter, to be
sworn, that
they will not
clandestinely
carry away
any Servants
&c.]

And 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 Assembly,
when, and as often as, any Commander, or Master of a Vessel, above
Eighteen Feet by the Keel, shall come to enter with, or take out a
Permit from, any Naval-Officer within this Province, or the Limits
or Precincts thereof, it shall not be lawful for such Naval-Officer, to
suffer such Commander, or Master, to enter such his Vessels with
him or them, or grant him or them a Permit to trade within the said
Province, until such Commander, or Master, shall have taken the
following Oath, on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God, or Affirma-
tion if a Quaker, which Oath, or Affirmation, such Naval-Officer or

[The Oath.]

Officers are hereby impowered to administer, viz. " I A. B. Com-
mander of the Ship or Vessel C. will not clandestinely conceal, or
permit to be concealed, on board my Ship or Vessel, during my stay
within this Province, any Servant, or Slave, belonging to any Inhabi-
tant or Inhabitants thereof, nor will wittingly or willingly carry away,
out of this Province, any Servant or Slave, or Servants or Slaves,

p. 17

belonging to any Inhabitant or Inhabitants thereof, or any Person or
Persons Indebted therein, common Sailors excepted, contrary to the
Laws of this Province. So help me God."

[Slaves, &c.
not to be
suffer'd on
board Ves-
sels;]

And be it likewise Enacted, That no Master of a Vessel coming
into this Province, and entering to trade therein, shall suffer any
Slave or Slaves, Servant or Servants, to frequent his or their Ves-
sel or Vessels, or come on board or conceal such Servant or Ser-
vants, or Slave or Slaves, on board such his or their Ship or Vessel,
or Ships or other Vessels; and in Case any Servant or Servants, Slave
or Slaves, shall be kept or concealed on board any Ship or Ships, Ves-
sel or Vessels, coming into, and trading within this Province, for the
Space of One Hour or longer, the Master or Commander of such
Ship or Vessel, shall forfeit and pay at the rate of Twenty Shillings
Current Money, for every Hour each Servant or Slave shall be suf-
fered to frequent his or their Vessel, or be kept or concealed on board
his or their Vessel, to the Party owning such Servant or Slave, or
Servants or Slaves, the same to be recovered, in a summary Way
before One Justice of the Peace, with Costs.