An act for regulating the manumission of negro, mulatto, and other slaves; and to oblige the owners to make a provision for them during their lives.

WHEREAS the frequent manumission of negro, mulatto, and other slaves, by persons not making a provision for them, is a great nuisance to the community, and promotes frequent thefts: For the remedy thereof, May it please your majesty that it may be enacted; Be it therefore enacted by the governor, council, and assembly, of this your majesty's island of Jamaica, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That, from and after the passing this act, no person or persons whatsoever, save and except the legislative body of this island, shall have power or authority to manumise, enfranchise, or set free, either by deed, will, or otherwise, any negro, mulatto, sambo, or other slave whatsoever, until such person or persons shall have first given good and sufficient security, to the churchwarden or churchwardens of the parish in which the owner of such negro, mulatto, or sambo, shall reside, for the payment, to such negro, mulatto, or sambo, [of] an annual sum of five pounds, for and during the natural life of such negro, mulatto, or sambo, that shall be so manumised and set free.