An Act for the making Restitution for Cattle Stolen by Negroes and Licenses for Tapp Houses in Town and Country

Whereas the Authority aforesaid have taken into their Serious consideration the general Complaint of the Inhabitants against the Insolences Robberies and Thefts of the Negroes and Slaves of this Island which if not timely prevented it may prove very prejudicial to the Inhabitants of the same. It is therefore Enacted and Ordained, and be it hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the Publication of this Act That the Owner or Owners of any Negro or Negroes Slave or Slaves upon Sufficient Evidence shall pay unto the Owner or Owners (that is to say) For every Cow Stolen by his, her or their Negroes or Slaves, within Ten days after such Evidence the Sum of Eight hundred Pounds of Sugar for every Beast fit for drawing in the Mill or Cart One Thousand Pounds of Sugar. For every [illegible] Negro four hundred Pounds of Sugar, For every Horse or Mare Two thousand Pounds of Sugar, For a Calf Six Months old two hundred Pounds of Sugar if under twenty Pounds of Sugar, for Hoggs, Goats or Turkeys the owner or owners of such Negro or Negroes Slave or Slaves shall upon Sufficient Testimony of such Thefts or Robberies committed by his Slave or Slaves restore the same Value in Quality; and the Slave so offending immediately to be brought before the next Justice of the Peace and publickly whipped any Usage Law or Custom in this Island heretofore had or made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. 

It is further Enacted and ordained by the authority aforesaid; That after Publication of this Act all persons whatsoever keeping a House of Entertainment or Tapp House in either of the Towns or within half a Mile of the Towns appointed shall Yearly and every year Pay unto the Treasurer of the [several words illegible] towards the repair of the Forts of this Island two thousand Pounds of Sugar, and for all others that follow the same Employment twelve hundred Pounds of Sugar any Law Usage or Custom heretofore had or made in this Island to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. Given in Mountserratt aforesaid this twelfth day of October in the two and thirtieth Year of the Reign of our most Sovereign Lord Charles the Second of England Scotland France and Ireland, King etc. Anno Dom: 1680.