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No. 14
Liber H. S.
No. 1
p. 326
[Preamble.]
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An Act for the Relief of sundry Inhabitants of this Province who
have had their Servants Enlisted into his Majesty's Service.
Whereas, since the Commencement of Hostilities with his Maj-
esty's Enemies in America, many of the good People of this Province
have had their Servants enticed from them by Recruiting Officers,
to enter into his Majesty's Service, and have not received Satisfaction
for their Time of Service, uncompleated at the Time of their Enlist-
ment, which greatly tends to discourage the Importation of useful
Labourers and Handicraft Men into this Province; and as it is
humbly hoped that his Most Sacred Majesty will be graciously pleased
to order, that whatever Sums this Province may pay on that Account,
may be refunded at such Time as shall be most agreeable to his
Royal Pleasure :
Be it therefore Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Pro-
prietary, by and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's
Governor, and the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and the
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[Justices
to value
Servants
Enlisted, in
Proportion
to the
Original
Purchase-
Money, and
give Certifi-
cate to the
Owner
of their
Valuation.]
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Authority of the same, That upon Application of any Person or
Persons, Inhabitants of this Province, or who was or were Inhabi-
tants thereof, at any Time between the Commencement of Hostilities
with any of his Majesty's Enemies in America and the First Day
of September, Seventeen Hundred and Fifty-six, to the Justices of
any of the County Courts within this Province, and making appear
to them by undoubted Testimony, that he, she, or they, have had
a Servant or Servants Enlisted into his Majesty's Service, and
taken away from his, her, or their Service between the Times
aforesaid; and upon such Person or Persons making Oath, or
Affirmation if a Quaker, in open Court, that he, she, or they, have
not received Satisfaction, (or if any received, how much) for such
Servant or Servants, or his or their Time of Service uncompleated
at the Time of such Enlistment, or any Security for the same, and
was or were not apprized of the late Act of Parliament for Enlisting
Servants, or being apprized thereof, did use his, her, or their utmost
Endeavour to procure Satisfaction, agreeable to the said Act of
Parliament, then the said Justices shall, and they are hereby required
forthwith to value such uncompleted Time of Service, in Proportion
to the original Purchase-Money given by the Person who first pur-
chased the said Servant, deducting therefrom any Satisfaction that
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p. 327
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may appear to them to have been received in Part; and shall imme-
diately give to such Person or Persons a Certificate of their Valua-
tion thereupon, attested by the Clerk of such Court without Fee or
Reward; which Certificate being produced to the General Assembly
of this Province, the Sum mentioned in such Valuation shall be
allowed in the Public Levy thereof. Provided always, and be it
Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall be the Duty of
the said Justices, and they are hereby strictly enjoined and required,
before they shall grant such Certificate as aforesaid, by all probable
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