CHAP. 4.  An act to explain the act made in the 12th year of king William the
    third, entituled, " An act for the further limitation of the crown, and better securing
    the rights and liberties of the subject.  (Part.)

    See the note on 12 and 13 W. 3, Ch. 2.  It appears in the proceedings of the House of Delegates,
in October 1771, that a report of a committee was read, on the election of J. Hagar, who was not a
natural born subject, nor descended from one; and it was moved that this statute, and that of 12 and
13 W. 3, should be read.
 

CHAP. 11.  An act for the further preventing robbery, burglary, and other felonies,
    and for the more effectual transportation of felons, and unlawful exporters
    of wool, and for declaring the law upon some points relating to pirates.

    The last section of this statute declared, that it should extend to all his majesty's dominions in
America, and should be taken as a public act; but notwithstanding that declaration, it could only
extend to them in a certain degree, and not in regard to offences committed therein.  The meaning
was, that such persons should be received in America as convicts, and the 2d and 3d sections contained
regulations as to the owners and the governors and custom house officers in the colonies.  It
is stated by Barrington, (335,) that transportation was first inflicted as a punishment by the statute
39 Eliz. Ch. 4; and it was allowed by the habeas corpus act, 31 Charles 2, Ch. 2, St. 14.  It appears
however, that there were acts of assembly against their importation in 1676 and 1692, and several
regulations were made concerning them by the act of 1728, Ch. 23, which however recites this statute
and that of 6 Geo. 1, Ch. 23.  The 1st section of this statute, directed that persons convicted of
felony within benefit of clergy, (except receivers and buyers of stolen goods,) should be sent to the
plantations for seven years, and those excluded that benefit, and receivers, &c. for fourteen years.
The 4th section made it felony to take rewards for helping to stolen goods.  It is remarked in 4 Bl.
Com. 132, that the famous Jonathan Wild, was convicted and executed upon this statute; but whatever
may have been the effect of the declaration in the last section, there is no instance of a prosecution
for this offence in the province.  The 5th section related to persons to be transported or sent
to America under contract.  The 6th, to the transportation of persons imprisoned for the exportation
of wool.  As to the 7th relating to piracy, see the note on 11 and 12 W. 3, Ch. 7.

CHAP. 12.  An act for enforcing, &c. the act fo 12th Anne, St. 2, Ch. 18, &c. and
    for inflicting the punishment of death, for burning or destroying ships. (Part.)

    See the note on 12 Anne, St. 2, Ch. 18; but there has been no prosecution under the last part of
this statute.
 

    This statute repealed part of 10 Anne, Ch. 2, and 12 Anne, St. 2, Ch. 7.