An Act for the Encouragement of Baptisms and Marriages amongst the Slaves, and for the due Observance of the Lord’s Day, commonly called Sunday, Christmas Day, and Good Friday.

WHEREAS His Majesty has been graciously pleased to erect this and several of the neighbouring colonies into an Episcopal See, and to make effectual provision for the religious instruction of the Negroes of this island. And whereas the encouragement of baptisms and marriages amongst the Slaves, and the due observance of the Lord’s day, commonly called Sunday, and Christmas day, and Good Friday, are essentially necessary to the furtherance of this object: [Clause 1] Be it therefore enacted by his Excellency Sir Henry Warde, Knight Commander of the most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, His Majesty’s Council, and the General Assembly of this island, and by the authority of the same, that from and after the passing of this Act, all owners or possessors of Slaves, and their agents, attornies, and representatives in this island, shall, as much as in them lies, endeavour to instruct their Slaves in the principles of the Christian religion, and shall cause to be baptized by any clergyman of the established church of England, all their Slaves hereafter to be born, and also all such of their Slaves already born, as shall be made sensible of the duties of the Christian faith.

[Clause 2] And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any persons who are in a state of Slavery, being the property of the same owner, shall be desirous to intermarry, any clergyman of the established church shall and may solemnize the marriage on the said Slave’s producing the consent in writing of the owner, his or her attorney, agent, or representative, to the celebration thereof: Provided, nevertheless, that such marriages shall not confer on the parties or their issue, any rights inconsistent with the duties which Slaves owe to their owners or to the government, or at varience with those rights which the owners or the government, are by law entitled to assert over the Slaves and their progeny, or subject such Slaves so intermarrying to any penal infliction, the effects of which might destroy the rights or injure the property of their owners.

[Clause 3] And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the officiating clergyman of the several and respective parishes of this island for the time being shall, and they are hereby directed to keep a register of the several baptisms, marriages, and burials of Slaves, which shall be celebrated and performed in their several and respective parishes according to the rites and ceremonies of the church of England, such register to be kept after the manner and according to the rules, orders, and regulations which the said Lords Bishops of the Diocese shall or may deem requisite for the full and effectual registrations of such baptisms, marriages, and burials.

[Clause 4] And as it has been customary for Slaves to bring the produce of their labours to market on other days than Sundays: Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that from and after the passing of this Act, all Sunday markets throughout this island shall cease, and be absolutely unlawful, and if any person or persons whomsoever shall publicly shew forth or expose for sale any meat, poultry, vegetables, provisions, herbs, fruits, goods, wares, merchandise, or other articles whatsoever one the Lord’s day, called Sunday, or on Christmas day or Good Friday, in any of the streets, highways, wharfs, lanes, or other place within any part of this island, such person or persons shall forfeit the goods or articles so exposed for sale, and it shall be lawful for the clerk of the market or his deputies, or for any constable, and they are respectively hereby required to seize the goods or articles so exposed for sale, and to take or cause them to be taken before any magistrate, who upon view of such goods or articles so exposed, shall order the same to be sold forthwith, and the proceeds thereof applied and disposed of as follows; that is to say, one moiety to the person seizing the same, and the other moiety to be paid into the public treasury.

[Clause 5] And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no person of free condition shall open their shops, or any part of their premises for the sale, barter, or purchase of, nor shall sell, barter, or purchase any meat, poultry, vegetables, provisions, herbs, fruits, goods, wares, merchandise, or other articles whatsoever, (save and except drugs and medicines) on the Lord’s day called Sunday, or on Christmas-day, or Good Friday, under a penalty of five pounds current money, to be recovered on complaint before any justice of the peace as in the case of servants’ wages, one moiety thereof to be to the use of the informer, and the other moiety to be paid into the public treasury; and if any Slave shall be guilty of any offence against the provisions of this clause, such Slave shall and may be whipped by order of any justice of the peace not exceeding twenty-five stripes.

[Clause 6] And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any person or persons within this island, shall work or employ any Slave at any time between the hour of eight of the clock in the evening of any Saturday, and the hour of five of the clock in the morning of any Monday, or shall during that period procure, induce, or compel any Slave to perform or engage in any labour for the profit or advantage of his or her owner, manager, or employer, the person or persons so offending, shall incur and become liable to a fine not exceeding ten pounds, nor less than five pounds, to be recovered on complaint before any justice of the peace, as in the case of servants’ wages; one moiety to the informer, and the other moiety to be paid into the public treasury. Provided, nevertheless, that nothing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend, to any work or labour which any Slave may perform on Sunday in the necessary attendance upon the person, or in the family of his or her owner or employer, or in the necessary and unavoidable tending and preservation of the cattle or live stock, or in the offices of watchmen, cooks or nurses upon any plantation, or in the prevention or repair of any damage arising from irruptions of water, conflagrations, hurricanes, and other casualties of a like nature; nor to the persons who may be employed in the manufacture or casking of sugar, provided that such manufacture shall not be extended beyond ten of the clock on Saturday night, or the casking beyond ten of the clock on Sunday morning; nor to persons employed in the sale of bread, fresh fish, milk, or horse meat; provided the same does not take place during the hours appointed and set apart for divine service; nor to the dressing and selling of meats and other food in inns or taverns. Provided always, that nothing in this Act contained, shall operate to prevent the market-houses in the several towns of this island, and all butchers’ stalls throughout the island, from being kept open until nine o’clock of the morning of any Sunday or Christmas-day, for the sale of butcher’s meat. And provided also, that no person shall be proceeded against for any offence under this Act, unless complaint thereof be made within one calendar month after the commission of such offence. 

Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that this Act, or anything herein contained, shall not be in force until His Majesty’s pleasure on the same shall be known.

Read three times, and passed the Council, this seventeenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.

(Signed)               WM. HUSBANDS, Deputy Clerk of the Council.

Read three times, and passed the General Assembly, nemine contradicente, this third day of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.

(Signed)               JOHN MAYERS, Clerk of the General Assembly.

                (Signed)               HENRY WARDE.

Assented to by his Excellency the Governor, on the twenty-third day of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.

(Signed)               WM. HUSBANDS, Deputy Secretary.