Abridgement of laws relating to Run-aways.

I. Anno 1663. Ch.8. Pursuit after Run-away Servants shall be made at the charge of the Country. For effecting whereof any Justice of Peace may issue out his Warrant for pressing any dispatches to make pursuit. In case the Fugitives shall escape to any of the Dutch Plantations, Letters shall be writ to the respective Governours of whole(?) Plantations to make seizure of them, and return them by the next convenient Passage, who shall be paid the Charges of sending them back.

II. The Servant being restored to his Master, shall serve for the time of his absence, and charge disbursed. In case the Master refuses to pay the Charge, the Servant shall be sold, or hired out for so long as may reimburse the Publick Disbursement: after which the Servant shall be return'd to his Master, &c.

III. An. 1666. Sess. 2. Ch. 11.  Whoever shall entertain a Run-away Servant, shall be fined and pay 60 l. of Tobacco for every Day and Night he shall so harbour him, to be recover'd by the Master by Action of Debt in any Court of Judicature. This Act to extend thole(?) Servants that serve by their first Indendture.

IV. Anno 1668. Ch. 4. Corporal Punishment moderately inflicted on a Run-away Servant, by Master or Magistrate, shall not deprive the Master of the Satisfaction allow'd him by Law, viz. the prolonging the time of Service.

V. Anno 1670. Ch. 1. A reward of 200 l. of and no more shall be given to the Apprehender of a Run-away, if found above 10 Miles from his Masters House,  and 100 l. of Tobacco if found 5 Miles from home, to be paid by the Publick, for which the Servant (not being a Slave) shall after the expiration of his Service to his Master, serve any Person to whom he shall be assigned by the Assembly, the term of 4 Months for every  200 l. of Tobacco paid for him, the assign(?) giving Commission to repay the Tobacco to the Publick.

VI. Every Master that hath a Servant that hath run-away twice, shall keep his Hair close cut, and not so doing, shall be fined 100 l. of Tobacco for every time the said Fugitive shall after the second time, be taken up.

VII. Every Constable to whole Hands the said Fugitive shall be first committed, shall, by virtue of this Act, whip him feverely, and so deliver him to the next Constable towards his Masters House, who is to give him the like Correction, and so every Constable through whole Precincts he passes to do the like.

VIII. Every Constable receiving a Run-away shall give a Receipt to the Constable or Part he receives him from, that if by negligence such Run-away should escape,  such negligence may be discover'd, and the Constable for such neglect pay 400 l. of Tobacco half to the Publick, half to the Informer.

IX. Every Master of such Servants, indebted to the publick, shall immediately after the time of his Service is expired, deliver him to the next Sheriff to be proceeded with as the Law directs, unless such Servant can give security to pay the penalty laid on him by the Act, &c.

X. Anno 1672. Ch.8. If any Negro, Mulatto, Indian Slave or Servant for life, run away, and shall be pursued by hue(?) and cry, it shall be lawful for any Person endeavouring to take them, to kill or wound them, if they resist; provided such Negro, &c. be named and described in the hue and cry, and that the same signed by the Master or Owner of the Run-away. An if it happen that such Negro, &c. die of such Wound received, the Master or Owner shall receive satisfaction from the Publick for his Negro, &c. so dying, and the party killing or wounding by virtue of such, &c. shall not be question'd for the same (?), he forthwith giving notice thereof.

XI. And all such Negroes shall be valued as 4500 l. of Tobacco and Cask a piece, Indians at 3000 l. of Tobacco and Cask.

XII. If any such Negro, &c. do not die of his Wound, but lie sick and disabled, then the Master shall also receive from the Publick a reasonable satisfaction for such Damage as he shall make appear to have sustain'd thereby.

XIII. The Neighbouring Indians are hereby enjoyn'd to seize all Run-aways whatsoever that come among them and bring them before some Justice of Peace, who shall give to the said Indians as a Recompence 20 Arms length of Rhoanoke and the said Justice to receive from the Publick 250 l. of Tobacco, and cause the Run-away to be convey'd to his Master.

XIV. This Act to be in force till the next Assembly, and no longer, unless continued.