| 1649. |
17 CÆCILIUS Lord BALTIMORE
|
CHAP.
I.
|
reproachful Manner, relating to matter of Religion, to
forfeit 10 s. Sterling for each Offence;
one half to the Person reproached, the other half to
his Lordship: Or, in default of Payment,
to be publicly Whipped, and suffer Imprisonment without
Bail or Mainprize, until the Offender
shall satisfy the Party reproached, by asking him or
her respectively Forgiveness publicly for such
Offence, before the chief Officer, or Magistrate of the
Town or Place where the Offence shall
be given. (4.) Person profaning the Lord's-Day,
by frequent Swearing, Drunkenness, or by any
uncivil or disorderly Recreation, or by Working on the
Day (unless in case of absolute Necessity)
to forfeit, for the 1st Offence 2 s. 6 d.
Sterling, for the 2d Offence 5 s. Sterling, and for the 3d
Offence, and every other Offence afterwards 10 s.
Sterling; and in default of Payment for the
1st and 2d Offence, to be imprisoned 'til he or she shall
publicly, in open Court, before the chief
Commander, Judge, or Magistrate, of that County, Town,
or Precinct, wherein such Offence
shall be committed, acknowledge the Scandal and Offence
he hath in that respect given against
GOD, and the good and civil Government of this Province;
and for the 3d Offence, and every
Time after, to be publicly Whipped. (5.)
And whereas the enforcing of the Conscience in
Matters of Religion, hath frequently fallen out to be
of dangerous Consequence in those Common
Wealths where it hath been practiced, and for the more
quiet and peaceable Government
of this Province, and the better to preserve mutual Love
and Unity among the Inhabitants, &c.
No Person or Persons whatsoever, within this Province,
or the Islands, Ports, Harbours, Creeks,
or Havens, thereunto belonging, professing to believe
in JESUS CHRIST, shall from henceforth
be any Ways troubled, molested, or discountenanced, for,
or in respect of his or her Religion,
nor in the free Exercise thereof, within this Province,
or the Islands thereunto belonging,
nor any Way compelled to the Belief or Exercise of any
other Religion, against his or her Consent,
so as they be not unfaithful to the Lord Proprietary,
or molest or conspire against the Civil
Government established, or to be established, in this
Province, under him or his Heirs. And
any Person presuming, contrary to this Act and the true
Intent and meaning thereof, directly or
indirectly, either in person or Estate, wilfully to disturb,
wrong, trouble, or molest, any Person
whatsoever within this Province professing to believe
in Jesus Christ, for or in respect
of his or her Religion, or the free Exercise thereof
within this Province, otherwise than is provided
for in this Act, shall pay treble Damages to the Party
so wronged and molested, and also
forfeit 20 s. Sterling for every such Offence,
&c. one half to his Lordship, the other half to the
party molested, and on default of paying the Damage or
Fine, be punished by public Whipping,
and Imprisonment at the Pleasure of the Lord Proprietary,
&c. |
|
CHAP. II. [ ** ]
|
Passed 21st of
April 1649.
|
An Act for Punishment of such as shall Counterfeit the Lord Proprietary,
or his
Heirs, Lords and proprietaries of this Province,
Great Seal of this Province.
Lib. C and WH. fol. 118.
Lib. WH. fol. 147. and Lib. WH and L. fol.
8. |
|
Confirmed among the perpetual Acts, 1676, ch.
2.
|
|
CHAP. III. [ ** ]
|
| Ditto. |
An Act concerning purchasing Lands from the Indians.
Lib. C and WH. fol.
114. Lib. WH. fol. 116
and Lib. WH and L. fol. 5. |
|
Confirmed among the perpetual Laws,
1676, ch. 2.
N.B. The Preamble recites,
that divers Persons have heretofore purchased or accepted of
Lands, &c. from the Indians, and made use
of and possessed the same, without any lawful Title
and Authority derived from the Lord Proprietary, neglecting
also to take out Grants from his
Lordship, under the Great Seal, for such Lands as have
been due to them by virtue of his Lordship's
Conditions of Plantations, or other Warrant from his
Lordship, which Proceedings are not
only very great Contempts and Prejudice to his Lordship's
Dignity and Rights, but also of such
dangerous Consequence, if not timely prevented, that
they may hereafter bring a great Confusion
in the Government and public Peace of this Province.
Be it therefore Enacted by the Lord
Proprietary, with the Assent and Approbation of the
Upper and Lower House of this Assembly, &c.
(1.) All Purchases or Acquisitions whatsoever,
of any Lands, &c. within this Province, made or
to be made, from any Person whatsoever, not deriving
at the same Time a lawful Title thereto,
by, from, or under, his Lordship or his Heirs, under
the Great seal, shall be void and null.
(2.) It shall be lawful for his Lordship to enter
upon, seize, possess and dispose of, any such
Lands, &c. so purchased or acquired from any Indian
or other, at his Will and Pleasure, unless
such Purchaser, at the Time of such Purchase or Acquisition,
have some lawful Right or Title
to such Lands, &c. by some Grant form his Lordship,
&c. under the Great Seal. |
|
CHAP. IV. [ ** ]
|
| Ditto. |
An Act for the Punishment of certain Offences against the Peace
and Safety of the
Province. Lib. C and WH.
fol. 116. Lib. WH fol. 146. and Lib. WH
and L. fol. 7. |
|
Confirmed among the perpetual Laws, 1676, ch.
2.
|
|
CHAP. V. [ ** ]
|
| Ditto. |
An Act against Fugitives. REP. 1676, ch. 2 and
1678,
ch. 16. |
|
CHAP. VI. [ ** ]
|
| Ditto. |
An Act touching Indians. Lib. C and WH.
fol. 121. Lib. WH. fol. 147. and
Lib. WH and L. fol. 10.
Confirmed among the perpetual Laws,
1676,
ch. 2.
N.B. By this Law it was Felony
of Death (without forfeiture of Estate) to take, entice,
surprize, transport or sell, any Friend Indian:
And a Penalty of 1000 lb Tobacco laid on such
as should deliver any Gun or Ammunition to any Indian,
&c. |
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