II.  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 Vessel 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 Affirmation if a Quaker, which
Oath, or Affirmation, such Naval-Officer or Officers are hereby impowered
to administer, viz. " I A.B. Commander 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 Servants or Slaves, belonging to any Inhabitants or
" Inhabitants thereof, nor will wittingly or willingly carry away out of this Province,
" any Servant or Slave, or Servants or Slaves, belonging to any Inhabitant
" or Inhabitants therein, or any Person or Persons Indebted therein, common
" Sailors excepted, contrary to the Laws of this Province.  So help me GOD."

    III.  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 Vessel or Vessels., or come on
board or conceal such Servant or Servants, 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, Vessel 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 suffered 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.

    IV.  Provided always, That it shall and may be lawful for any Master or
Commander of any Ship or Vessel coming into, or trading within, this Province,
to hire any Servant or Slave, Servants or Slaves, from any Inhabitant
within this Province, to Work on board such his or their Ship and Vessel, or
Ships and Vessels; any Thing in this Act contained to the contrary thereof
in any wise notwithstanding.

    V.  Provided nevertheless, and it is hereby Enacted and Declared, That
where it shall happen, the Master of such Ship or Vessel as aforesaid, shall, by
reason of Sickness, be rendered unable to attend on such Naval-Officer, that
then, and in such Case the Chief-Mate, or next Officer of such Ship or Vessel,
shall be admitted to make Entry of the said Ship or Vessel; and that afterwards
the said Master, as soon as he is Able, and before the Clearing of
the said Ship or Vessel, shall be, and is hereby obliged, to take the said Oath,
or Affirmation if a Quaker, as aforementioned.

    VI.  This Act to continue for Three Years, and unto the End of the next
Session of Assembly which shall happen after the Expiration of the said Three
Years.
                                Examined and Compared with the Original Act, REVERDY GHISELIN,
                                                                                                                        THOMAS BACON.
    Farther continued by 1757, ch. 9; and 1760, ch. 2; for 3 years, &c.  But by 1763, ch. 10,
        is made PERPETUAL.
 

Masters of
Vessels above
18 Feet Keel,
shall not Enter,
or obtain
Permit., till
they have taken
the following
 
 
 
 
 
 

Oath.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Penalty on
Masters, &c.
suffering Servants
or
Slaves to frequent
their
Ships, or
concealing
them on
board.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

But Servants
or Slaves may
be hired to
Work on
board.
 
 
 

In case of the
Master's Sickness,
the
Mate, &c.
may Enter;
but the Master
before
Clearing,
shall make
Oath as above.
 
 

Continuance.