Full Transcript
Preamble. Whereas the Plantations and Estates of this Island cannot be fully managed, and brought into Use without the Labour and Service of great Numbers of Negroes and other Slaves: And for as much as the said Negroes and other Slaves brought unto the People of this Island for that purpose are of barbarous, wild, and salvage Natures, sickand such as renders them wholly unqualified, to be governed by the Laws, Customs and Practices of our Nations. It therefore becoming absolutely necessary, that such other Constitutions, Laws and Orders should be in this Island framed and enacted for the good regulating and ordering of them, as may both restrain the Disorders, Rapines and Inhumanities to which they are naturally prone and inclined, with such Encouragements and Allowances as are git and needful to their Support, that from both this Island through the Blessing if God thereon, may be preserved , His Majesty's Subjects in their Lives and Fortunes secured, and the Negroes and other Slaves be well provided for, and guarded from the Cruelties and Insolences of themselves or other ill-tempered People or Owners. To which purpose,
Be it Enacted and Ordained by the Right Honourable Edwin Steed, his Majesty's Lieutenant Governour, and Commander in Chief of this and other Charribee-Islands, the Honourable the Council and General Assembly of this Island, and by Authority of the same, That no Master, Mistress, Commissioner or Overseer, of any Family in this Island, shall give their Negroes or other Slaves leave on Sabbath-Days, Holy-Days or any other time, to go out of their Plantations, except such Negro or other Slaves as usually wait upon them at Home or Abroad, and wearing a Livery, And no other Negro or Slave, except with a Ticket under the Master or Mistress Hand, or some other Person by his or her appointment, specifying the time allowed for his or her return, upon pain of forfeiting for every Negro or other Slave so licensed to go Abroad, Two Shillings, and Six Pence Sterling, half of the said Fine to be to the Informer, and the other to the Publick Treasury. And if any Master, Mistress, Commissioner or Overseer of a Plantation shall find any Negro, or other Slave in their Plantation at any time, without a Ticket or Business from his said Master and doth not apprehend them, or endeavour [157] so to do, and having apprehended them, shall not punish them with a Moderate Whipping, shall forfeit Ten Shillings Sterling, to be disposed of as aforesaid.
And for that as it is absolutely necessary to the safety of this Place that all due care be taken to restrain the Wandrings and Meetings of Negroes and other Slaves at all times, more especially on Saturday Nights, Sundays and other Holy-days, and their using, and carrying of Clubs, Wooden-Swords, or other mischevious and dangerous Weapons, or using or keeping of Drums, Horns , or other loud Instruments, which may call together, or give Sign or Notice to one another of their wicked Designs and Purposes; and that all masters, Overseers, and others may be encouraged and enjoyned diligently and carefully to prevent the same,
Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That is Shall be lawful for all Masters, Overseers, and other Persons whatsoever, to apprehend and take up any Negro, or other Slave that shall be found out of the Plantation of his, or their Master or Owner, at any time, especially on Saturday Nights, Sundays or other Holy-days not being on lawful business, and with a Letter from their Master, or a Ticket, or not having a white Man with them (except only such Negroes or other Slaves as usually attend their Masters, and have on a Livery) and the said Negro or other Slave or Slaves, correct by a moderate Whipping; and after Notice given to their Master, Owner or Overseer, him or them detain, until the said Master ,Owner or Overseer pay to the said Person that took him up, Two Shillings and Six Pence for every such Negro or other Slave; he making Oath before the next Justice of the Peace (if thereunto required) by the Owner of such Negro or other Slave, that he found or saw no Letter or Ticket with him, as also any Negro or other Slave or Slaves met or found out of the Plantation of his or their Master or Mistress, though with a Letter or Ticket with him, If he or they be armed with such Clubs or other Offensive weapons aforesaid, him or them so disarmed, take up and whip, and shall receive the same Reward as aforesaid, from the Master or Owner of such Negro or other Slave or Slaves; And whatsoever Master, Owner or Overseer shall permit or suffer his or their Negro or other Slave or Slaves, at ay time hereafter to beat Drums, blow Horns, or use any other loud Instruments, and shall not cause his Negro-Houses once every Week to be diligently searched, and such instruments if any be found, cause to be burned; or whosoever shall suffer and countenance any publick Meeting or Feastng of Strange Negroes or other Slaves in their Plantations, shall forfeit Fifty Shillings Sterling for every such Offence, upon Conviction, or Proof as aforesaid, Provided an Information or other Suit be commenced within One Month after Forfeiture thereof for the same.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Overseer of a Family in this Island, shall cause all his Negro Houses to be searched diligently and effectually once every Fourteen Days for Fugitive and Run-away Slaves, Clubs, Wooden-Swords, and other mischievous Weapons; and finding any so, to take them away, and cause them to be burned; and also for Cloaths, Goods and any other things and Commodities that are not given them by their Master, Mistress, Commander or Overseer, and honestly come by; in whose Custody they find any thing of that kind, and suspect or know to be Stolen Goods, the same they shall seize and take into their Custody; and a full and ample [158] Decription of the particulars thereof in Writing, within Six Days after the Discovery thereof, to send to the Clerk of the Parish for the time being, who is hereby required to receive the same, and to enter upon it the day of its receipt, and the particulars to file and keep to himself; and shall set upon the Posts of the Church Door, a short Brief that such lost Goods are found; whereby any Person that hath lost his Goods, may the better come to the Knowledge where they are, by further enquiring for Stollen Goods, until he shall first declare what he hath lost, and the Marks and Descriptions thereof, and paid him Twelve Pence for the same; by which, if the Clerk shall be convinced, that any part of the Goods certified to him to be found, appertains to the Party enquiring, he is to direct the said Party enquiring, to the Place and Party where his Goods be, who is hereby required to make Restitution of what is in being, to the true Owner, upon the Penalties of the Forfeitures of Twenty Shillings Sterling for every neglect by the Overseer or Clerks aforesaid in any of the particulars aforesaid.
And for the more effectual detecting and punishing such Persons that trade with any Slaves for Stollen Goods,
Be it further Enacted, that where any Person shall be suspected to trade as aforesaid, any Two Justices of the Peace, or the Justices of the Quarter Sessions of the Place, shall have power to take from him sufficient Recognizance not to trade with any Slaves contrary to the Laws of this Island; and if it shall afterwards appear to the Justices of the Quarter Sessions, that such Person hath, or hath had, or shipped off any Goods suspected to be unlawfully come by, such Person being called before the Justices at the next Quarter Sessions, following, shall there be obliged to make reasonable Proof of whom he bought, or how he came by the said Goods; and unless he do it, his Recognizance shall be forfeited.
And be it further enacted and ordained, that if any Negro or Slave whatsoever, shall offer any violence to any Christian, by striking or the like, such Negro or other Slave shall for his or her first Offence, by Information given upon Oath to the next Justice, be severely whipped by the Constable, by Order of the said Justice. For his Second Offence of that nature, by Order of the said Justice of Peace, he shall be severely whipped, his nose slit, and be burned in some part of his Face with a Hot Iron. And for his Third Offence, he shall receive by Order of the Governour and Council, such greater Punishment as they shall think meet to inflict. Provided always, that such striking or Conflict be not in the Lawful Defence of their Master's, Mistresses or Owners of their Families or of their Goods.
And it is hereby further enacted, that all the slaves within this Island, shall have cloaths once every year (that is to say) drawers and caps for men, and petty-coast and caps for Women, upon pain for forfeiting five shillings for each slave that shall not be cloathed as aforesaid; one Third to the Informer, the other Two Thirds to His Majesty, for the use of the Poor of the Parish where the Offender liveth.
And it is further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that all Persons who shall hereafter take up any Run-away or Fugitive Negro or other Slave or Slaves, not knowing the Master or Owner of such Negro or Slave, and shall bring them unto the Provost-Marshall or his Deputy, shall receive Ten Shillings Sterling from the Treasurer for the time being, who is hereby appointed to pay the same: And in cause he shall refuse to make the said Payment upon presentment of the said Negro, or [159] Slave or Slaves, and thereof Oath to be made before any Justice of the Peace, the said Justice is hereby authorized and required, to direct his Warrant to any Constable, to cause the Value thereof to be immediately levied out of the Goods of the said Treasurer, and the said Goods to be delivered to the said Party. And the Negroes so brought, shall be kept in the Cage at the Stepping-Stones by the Provost Marshall and not in Goal; which said Cage is always to be kept in sufficient Repair, at the Publick Charge of this Island.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for the said Provost Marshal, to retain and keep in his Custody as aforesaid, the Body of all such Run-aways, until the Owner of them shall pay until the said Treasurer, Eleven Shillings Sterling; and also unto the said Provost Marshal, Four Pence for every Four and Twenty Hours the said Fugitive Slave hath been in his Custody, and also until he have a Discharge under the Hand of the said Treasurer or his Clerk. And the Turn-Key shall receive Six Pence for every Negro delivered: Provided always, That the said Provost Marshal do furnish the said Negroes and other Slaves, with sufficient Food and Drink, which it to be proved upon Oath, if by the Owner of the Negro or other Slaves it shall be so required to be done.
And it is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any of the said Slaves shall dye for want of Food, the said Provost Marshal shall be responsible for them to the Owners. And if the said Marshal suffer any Slave to escape before he be duly delivered by a Discharge in Writing under the Hand of the abovesaid Treasurer, the Provost Marshal shall pay unto him the aforesaid Treasurer, Eleven Shillings, and shall make further Satisfaction to the Owner, as by the Governour and Council shall be thought fit: And if the said Provost Marshall shall suffer any Slave to be otherwise employed out of the Cage, before due Delivery as aforesaid, he shall forfeit for each Slave so suffered as aforesaid, to the Owner thereof, the Sum of Five Pounds Sterling.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all such Persons as shall apprehend and bring down any Run-away Slave or Slaves to St. Michael's Town, unto the Treasurer for the time being, or to the Cage, shall upon such bringing down of such Run-away Slave or Slaves, deliver upon Oath to the said Treasurer, or in case of his Sickness or Absence, to any Justice of the Peace, to be by him returned to the Treasurer's Office (before he shall receive the Consideration before appointed) and Account of his Name and Place of Aboad, with the Time when, and Place where he apprehended such Fugitive Slave or Slaves; And that he knew of no Ticket the Negro had, nor the Owner of such Negro or Slave, which the said Treasurer is hereby required to take and enter into a Book; to the intent that all Owners of Slaves may come to the right Knowledge and Understanding when their Slaves were Apprehended, and by whom, and whether they might be wrongfully taken up, or not; and that the Keeper of the Cage at the delivery of any Slaves, do take a Receipt of the Person to whom delivered, and there insert the Mark or Description of the Slave Delivered.
And whereas divers Evil and ill-disposed Persons, have hitherto attempted to steal away Slaves by specious Pretence of promising them Freedom in another Country, against which pernicious, no punishment suitable hath been yet provided,
Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, that what Person soever shall directly or indirectly at any time after Publication hereof, tempt or persuade any Negroes or other Slaves to leave their Masters or Mistresses Service to whom they are Slaves, our of an Intent and Design to carry away any of them off this Island, or to conceal or Entertain any of them upon this Island, or howsoever to defraud the said Masters or Mistresses of them, and be thereof convicted by their own Confession, or the Oath of One Credible Witness, shall be by the Two next Justices of the Peace where the Injured Person lives, whereof One to be of the Quorum, adjudged to pay the Master of the said Negro or other Slave, Five and Twenty Pounds Sterling, to be levied as in the case of Servants Wages: But in the case the Party offending shall not be found worth Lands, Goods or Chattels, to the value aforesaid; then shall the Justice for so long time as will recompence the Party injured for the Twenty Five Pounds aforesaid, adjudge him Servant for Five years to the Party injured, and so deliver him over to him, and make a Record thereof. But if any Man shall so tempt and practice with any persons, Negroes or other Slaves, and them actually so attempted, convey away, to send off the Island, and be after Apprehended and convicted for the same in this Island, he shall be by the Two next Justices of the Peace as aforesaid, condemned to pay the Owner of such Negro or other Slave, Three times the Value of him or them, and Execution for the same from the Two Justices, to issue accordingly, as in the case of servants wages: And if the Person so offending, has no Estate, then he shall be ordered by the Justices to serve the Party injured as aforesaid.
And whereas many heinous and grievous Crimes, as Murders, Burglaries, Robbing in the High-ways, Rapes, Burning of Houses or Canes, be many times committed by Negroes and other Slaves, and many times maliciously attempted by them to be committed in which, though by divers Accidents they are prevented, yet are their Crimes nevertheless heinous, and therefore deserve the like Punishment: And also do many times Steal wilfully, Kill, Maim or Destroy one or more Horses, Mares, Geldings, Cattel, Sheep or other Quick or Dead thing of the like nature, and of the Value of Twelve Pence or above: And many times by attempting to steal from the inhabitants of the Island, Stock and other Goods before-mentioned, of above or under the value aforesaid, do put such Inhabitants or some of his Family in Terror, Dread and Jeopardy of their Lives, which Several offenders for danger of Escape, are not long to be imprisoned: And being Brutish Slaves, deserve not, for the Baseness of their condition, to be tried by the Legal Trial of Twelve Men of their Peers or Neighbourhood, which neither truly can be rightly done as the Subjects of England are, nor is Execution to be delayed towards them, in cause of such horrid Crimes committed.
It is therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That when any such Crime as aforesaid, shall be committed, or attempted to be committed, by any Negroes, Slave or Slaves, and the said Criminals be apprehended and brought before any of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace within this Island, and the Justices before whom the Criminals are brought, shall take Security for their forth coming, or send them to Prison, and with all convenient speed, shall join with him the next Justice of the Peace; And these two shall by their Warrant or Precept, call to the Three Able, Good and Legal Free-Holders of the [161] Place nearest where the said Crimes were committed, and these Five Persons, viz. The Two Justices and the Three Freeholders, shall hear and examine all Evidences, Proofs and Testimonies, or by violent Circumstances they shall find such Negro or other Slave or Slaves guilty thereof; they shall give Sentence of Death upon them accordingly, the said Freeholders being first Sworn before the Two Justices, who are hereby impowered to administer the same, and forthwith by their Warrant cause Execution to be done upon such Negro or Negroes, Slave or Slaves, by some Negro to be pressed for that purpose, by some Constable, to be appointed by Warrant from the said Justices.
It is further Provided, That if any Free-holder shall make default to appear upon such Summons before the Justices, as is before mentioned, or appearing, refuse to joyn with them as is before appointed, and do shew no cause for such Default, to be approved by the said Justices, then the aforesaid Justices do set a Fine upon him of Fifty Shillings Sterling, forthwith by their Warrant or Precept to the next Constable, or what Constable they shall think fir, to levy the same upon the said Freeholders, their Goods or Chattels accordingly. And if any Person shall send off his Negro that hath killed another, he shall pay unto the Master of such Negro, the value of such Negro so killed as aforesaid. And in regard great Mischiefs daily happen by the Petty Larcenies, committed also by the Negroes and Slave of this Island,
Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Negro or other Slave shall hereafter steal or destroy any Goods, Chattels and Provisions, Canes or green Corn whatsoever of any other Person than his Master's or Mistresses, being under the value of Twelve Pence, every Negro or other Slave so offending, and being brought before some Justice of the Peace of this Island, upon Complaint of the Party injured, and shall be adjudged guilty by Confession, Proof or probably Circumstances, such Negro or Slave so offending (excepting Children, whose Punishment is left wholly to the Discretion of the said Justice, shall be adjudged by such Justice to be publickly and severely whipped, not exceeding Forty Lashes; and the said Justice shall order and cause the Owner of such Negro or other Slave, to make Satisfaction to the Party injured; and if such Negro or other Slave punished as aforesaid, be afterwards found guilty of the like Crimes aforesaid, under the value of Twelve Pence as aforesaid, he or they for such, his or their Second Offence, shall by Order of the Justice of the Peace before whom such Complaint and Proof is made, have his or their Noses slit, and be branded on the Forehead with a hot Iron, that the Mark thereof may remain: And the said Justices shall order the Owner of such Negro or other Slave, to make Satisfaction to the Party injured, double the value of what his Loss shall appear: And if such Negro or other Slave after the Second time as aforesaid, be accused of Petty Larceny, or of any of the Offences before mentioned, such Negro or other Slave shall be tried in such manner as Murther, Burglary, &c. are provided for to be Tryed; and if such Negro or other Slave as shall be Tryed, shall be found guilty a Third time of any the Offences afore-mentioned, then such Negor or other Slave for the Third Offence, shall be adjudged to suffer Death, in the manner as is appointed in Cases of Murder as aforesaid; or other Punishments as the said Justices shall think fit. And in case the said Justices and Freeholders, and any or either of them, shall neglect or refuse to perform the Duties by this Act required of them, they shall severally for such their respective Defaults, forfeit the just Sum of Five and Twenty Pounds Sterling.
And it is further Enacted, Ordained and Published by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Negroes or other Slaves, shall make Mutiny or Insurrection, or rise in Rebellion against this Place or People, or make preparation of Arms, Powder, Bullets, or Offensive Weapons, or hold any Council or Conspiracy of, or raising Mutiny or Rebellion against this Island, as hath been formerly attempted; that then for speedy Remedy thereof, the Governour of the Island, or Superior Officer for the time being, appoint a Colonel and the Field Officers of the Regiment of this Island, or any Four of them, to meet in Council, and proceed by the Marshall Law against the Actors, Contrivers, Raisers, Fomenters and Concealers of such Mutiny or Rebellion, and them punish by Death or other Pains as their Crimes shall deserve; As to the aforesaid Colonel and Field Officers, or any Four of them shall seem fit. Now forasmuch as the Loss of the Negroes and other Slaves that shall suffer Death by this Act, would prove so heavy for the Owner of them only to bear, and that the Owners of Negroes may not be discouraged to detect and discover the Offences of their Negroes; and that the Loss may be born by the Publick, whose safety by such Punishments is hereby provided forand intended.
Be it Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, that in all cases whatsoever, where any Negro or other Slave, by the appointment and Provision of this Act shall suffer Death, then shall such Justices and Freeholders, Colonel and Field Officers, who adjudged such Negro or other Slave to suffer Death, immediately after Sentence thereof given, inquire by the best means they are able, of the Value of such Negro or other Slave, in which Value they shall never exceed the Sum of Give and Twenty Five Pounds Sterling, for any One Negro or other Slave, and also the Damage of the Party injured, and make Certificate thereof to the Treasurer for the Time being, therein requiring the said Treasurer to pay out of the Value of the said Negro or Negroes, the Value of the Damage to the Party injured: And the overplus if any be, to the Owner or Owners of such Negro or other Slaves; and if there be no Party injured, then the whole Value to the Owner or Owners of the said Negroes or other Slaves, and if there be no Party injured, then the whole Value of the Danger or Dangers of the said Negroe or other Slave out of the Publick Treasury of this Island. But in regard there are some Masters and Owners of Negroes and other Slaves in this Island, who do not make sufficient Conscience of providing what is necessary for their Negroes or other Slaves, or allowing them time to Plant or Provide for themselves; for which cause such Negroes or other Slaves, are necessitated to commit Crimes contrary to the Law; and yet the safety of this Island requiring, that such Negroes and other slaves shall suffer as the Law hath appointed, rather then the poor inhabitants of this Island be ruined, and driven from hence by their means. That therefore such Masters and Owners of Negroes and other Slaves who neglect of Negroes and other Slaves, make them in some measure guilty of their Crimes, may not be countenanced therein at the Charge of the Publick.
Be it hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that the Justices and Freeholders appointed as aforesaid, to enquire into the Value of such Negro or other Slave as they shall sentence to Death, shall also further enquire by Witnesses examined on their Oaths, or by their good Information, how the Owner or Owners of such Negro or other Slave, condemned as aforesaid, was provided with Provision and other Necessaries, and what Allowances those Negroes and other Slaves had received. And if it shall appear to the said justices and Freeholders, or the Major part of them, that the said master or Owner had not provided reasonably and as is generally accustomed for Negroes and other Slaves, and that necessity might have compelled the said Negro or other Slave to the Offences they have committed, Then and in that case, the Justices and Freeholders as aforesaid, shall certify the same to the Treasurer aforesaid, and only appoint the said Treasurer to pay the Damage to the Party injured, out of the Value of the said Negro or other Slave, and nothing to such Master of Owner. And if the Treasurer for the time being (having sufficient Publick Stock in his Hands) shall fail to make satisfaction and payment to such master or Owner of any Negro or other Slave, he having the Governour's Warrant for the same, the Party injured shall have an Action of Debt upon such Certificate as aforesaid, against the said Treasurer in the Court of Common Pleas for the Precincts of St. Michael's &c. And the Treasurer being thereto duly summoned, shall at the First Court after Summons, plead and come to Tryal, or else Judgment to pass against him by Default; and after Judgment, Execution immediately to issue for Satisfaction. And in regard the Planters necessity doth compel them for the managemnt only of their Lands, to keep so vast a Stock of Negroes and other Slaves, whose desperate Lives and great numbers become dangerous to them, and all other inhabitants. That therefore such who are not bound up by that necessity in having Plantations of their own, and hired Land, may not increase the danger to this Island, by keeping Negroes and other Slaves to hire out to others.
Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person of the Hebrew Nation residing in any Sea Port town of this Island, shall keep or imploy and Negro or other Slave, be he Man or Boy, for any Use or Service whatsoever, more than one Negro or other Slave, Man or Boy to be allowed to each of the Persons of the said Nation, except such as are Denizen'd by His Majesty's Letters Patents, and not otherwise, who are to keep no more than for their own use, as shall be approved by the Governour, Council and Assembly: And it any Negro, Man or Boy, more than is before allowed by this Act, shall be found Three Months are Publication hereof, in the Custody, Possession or Use of any the Persons aforesaid, then every such Person or Persons, shall forfeit such Negro or other Slave, one Moyety of the Value thereof to whomsoever shall inform, and the other Moyety to His Majesty, to the uses in this Act appointed
And whereas divers Negroes and other Slaves at this present are, and have been long since run away into Woods and other Fastness of this Island, doing continually much Mischief to the Inhabitants of this Island, hiding themselves sometimes in one Place, and sometimes in another, so that they are not to be found without much difficulty,
Be it therefore enacted, That from and after Publication hereof, it shall and may be lawful for any Justice of the Peace, Constable or Captain of a Company within this Island, that shall have notice of the Residency or Hiding-place of any Run-away Negroes, or other Fugitive Slaves, to Raise and Arm any number of Men, not exceeding Twenty, to apprehend and take them, either Alive or Dead. And for every Negro or other Slave that they shall take alive, having been run away above six months from this Master, they shall receive Fifty Shillings Sterling; and for every Negro or other Slave that they shall take alive, having [164] been run away above Twelve Months Five Pound from the Master or Commanders of the said Negro or other Slave; if killed in taking, they shall receive Fifty Shillings Sterling from the Publick; any Act or Statute heretofore to the contrary notwithstanding.
And it is further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Negro or other Slave under Punishment by his Master or his Order for running away, or any other Crimes or Misdemeanors towards his said Master, unfortunately shall suffer in Life or Member, which seldom happens; no person whatsoever shall be liable to any Fine therefore. But if any Man shall of wantonness, or only of Bloody Mindedness, or Cruel Intention, willfully kill a Negro or other Slave of his own, he shall pay into the Publick Treasury, fifteen Pounds Sterling: But if he shall so kill another Man's, he shall pay to the Owner of the Negro, double the Value, and into the Publick Treasury, Twenty Five Pounds Sterling. And he shall further by the next Justice of the Peace, be bound to the good Behaviour during the Pleasure of the Governour and Council, and no be liable to any other Punishment or Forfeiture for the same; neither is he that kills another Man's Negro or other Slave by Accident, liable to any other Penalty but the Owner's Action at Law. But if any poor small Freeholder or other Person, kill a Negro or other Slave by Night, out of the Road or Common Path, and Stealing, or attempting to Steal, his Provision, Swine or other Goods, he shall not be accountable for it: Any Law, Statute or Ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that all the Fines and Forfeitures arising by this Act, shall be to His Majesty for the use of this Island, according to such uses and proportion that in the aforesaid clauses are respectively appointed; and such thereof as are not otherwise limited and appointed to this Act, as are above the Sum of Five Pounds Sterling, shall be recovered before any Justice of the Peace within this Island, who is hereby required to grant Execution for the same, as in the case of Servants Wages, Provided the same be commenced within Thirty Days after the same be forfeited.
And lastly, to the intent this Act and every Clause and Branch thereof may receive full Execution, and no Person plead Ignorance therein,
It is Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, that this Act be Read and Published in all respective Parish Churches in this Island, the first Sunday in February, and the first Sunday in August in every year ensuing.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Acts heretofore made concerning, or any ways relating to the Governing of Negroes, Enacted before the Date of this Act, shall be repealed, and here by repealed to all intents and purposes whatsoever.
read and pass'd the Council 8th of August, 1688 Pass'd the Assembly, the 10th of July 1688