454 NEGROES. [AKT. 66.

CARRYING GUNS.

22. No slave shall carry a gun, or any other offensive weapon,
from off his master's land, without a license from his said master;
and any slave so offending shall be whipped, and the gun or
other weapon (unless stolen by such slave) shall be forfeited to
whoever will seize the same, and carry such slave before a justice
of the peace.

23. Any slave guilty of pilfering or petty larceny may, on con-
viction thereof before a justice of the peace, or before the Circuit
Court of any county, or the Criminal Court of Baltimore, be
whipped not exceeding forty lashes.

ASSAULT BY SLAVE, AND ILL TREATMENT OF SLAVES.

24. If any negro slave shall strike any white person, any jus-
tice, upon the oath of the party struck, or upon other sufficient
evidence, shall cause the offender to be whipped not exceeding
thirty-nine lashes.

25. If any master shall not provide his slave sufficient meat,
drink, lodging and clothing, or shall unreasonably burthen him
beyond his strength with labor, or debar him his necessary rest
and sleep, or excessively beat and abuse him, he shall on convic-
tion in the court having criminal jurisdiction, be fined for the
first and second offence in any sum not exceeding twenty dollars,
for the use of the State; and for the third offence, the servant so
wronged may be set free.

ALLOWING SLAVES TO GO AT LARGE AND HIRING.

26. If any owner of a negro in his own right, or as adminis-
trator, shall suffer him to remain at large begging or becoming
burdensome to the neighborhood, or to any person, the Circuit
Court of the county where such owner resides, or the Criminal
Court of Baltimore, if the owner resides in Baltimore, upon
complaint on oath, shall cause such owner to appear before such
court.

27. If on examination in a summary way, the court shall be
satisfied that said owner has suffered such negro to depart and
wander and remain at large, the court shall order said owner to
enter into recognizance, with security, in the penalty of one hun-