An Act for the more effectual raising Parties, to pursue and destroy Rebellious and Runaway Slaves.

Whereas diverse Rebellious and Runaway Slaves have formed themselves into several Bodies and Parties, and have killed several of the Inhabitants of this Island, burnt and destroyed several Houses, Plantations and Out Settlements, daily committing Robberies and other Mischiefs, increasing constantly in their Number; which if not speedily prevented, and due Care taken for the suppressing of them, may prove of fatal Consequence to this Island, be it therefore enacted by her Majesty's Lieutenant-Governour, Council and Assembly of this Island, and it is hereby enacted and ordained by the Authority of the same, That it shall and may be Lawful to and for her Majesty's Lieutenant-Governour, or the Governour of Commander in Chief for the time being, to raise and appoint four standing Parties, for and towards the suppressing and reducing the said Rebellious Negroes, each Party whereof to consist of a Captain, fourteen White Men and five Armed Slaves, such as the Captain or Captains shall think fit to inlist. 

[Clause 2] And be it farther enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That as soon as such Party or Parties shall be raised, that such Captain or Captains, with the respective Person or Persons under his and their Command, shall proceed to attack, kill and destroy all and every such Runaway or Rebellious Slaves, which they shall find, be inform'd or in pursuit of; which said Parties shall be kept in the Windward Parts of this Island (viz.) St. Davids St. Thomas and St. George's.

[Clause 3] And for the more effectual suppressing of the said Rebellious Slaves, be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be Lawful to and for the Lieutenant-Governour, or the Commander in Chief for the time being, and to and for the Colonel or the Commanding Officer of every Regiment of this Island, upon Notice to him or them given, to raise and send out such other Parties or Parties (besides the said four Parties herein beforementioned) as shall be thought convenient, for the more speedy reducing and killing such Rebellious and Runaway Slaves in all other Parishes of this Island wheresoever it shall be thought requisite.

[Clause 4] And for the encouraging of all Persons chearfully to engage in this so necessary a Work, it is hereby enacted, That the Captain or Commander of each and every Party shall have and receive six Pounds per Month, each Serjeant for Pounds per Month, and every private Soldier three Pounds per Month, and every Slave fifty Shillings, whereof ten Shillings per Month shall be to the sole and only use of each Slave belonging to any of the said Parties.

[Clause 5] And moreover, that the said Parties shall be farther allowed and paid the Sum of five Pounds for every Rebellious Slave which they shall kill or take alive, besides all Plunder and other Advantages given and allowed in and by an Act, intitled, An Act for the better Ordering and Government of Slaves; which said Sum of five Pounds and Plunder which each Party shall take, and all other Profits allowed in and by this or any former Act, shall be equally divided to and amongst the Captain and Soldiers belonging to each Party as aforesaid.

[Clause 6] And be it farther enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for the Captain and Commander of any of the said Parties intended to be raised as aforesaid, to impress such Slave or Slaves, not to exceed the Number of five, to belong to each Party as the Captain or Commander of such Party shall think fit to employ, whereof not above two out of any Plantation. 

[Clause 7] And for the preventing of any disputes which might otherwise arise between the Commanders of such Party, and the Owners or Proprietors of such Slaves intended for the said Service, it is hereby declared by the Authority aforesaid, that if the Owner or Proprietor of such Slave or Slaves shall refuse to deliver and send out with such Captains or Commanders the Slave or Slaves so pitcht upon as aforesaid, all and every Person or Persons so refusing shall forfeit the Sum of ten Pounds for every such Offence, which shall upon Complaint be heard, and upon proof adjudged by the next and immediate Justice of the Peace to whom such Captain or Commander shall make such Complaint; one Moyety to the Party, the other Moyety for the Use of the Poor of the Parish where such Offence shall be committed; from which said Sentence or Order of the Justice against all such Persons who shall so refuse, no Appeal shall lie in any of her Majesty's Courts of Judicature, but the same shall be absolute and decisive, any Law, Custom or Usage  to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding. 

[Clause 8] And be it farther enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Slave which the Captain or Commander of the said Parties shall judge capable of being employ'd in the said Service, shall before his entring into the same by valued and appraised by one of her Majesty's Justices of the Peace of this Island, and some insufficient Inhabitant, to the Intent that the Owner or Proprietor of every Slave which shall happen to be killed or disabled in the said Service, may receive ample Satisfaction; which the Commissioners appointed by this Act are hereby impowered to pay, and falsify to the Owner of such Slave or Slaves which shall be killed, and all other Slaves which shall happen to be maimed or wounded in the said Service.

[Clause 9] And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That in Case any White Person shall be disabled from getting his Living by any wound or hurt in the said Service, that such White Person shall be paid by the Commissioners hereafter named the Sum of Twenty Pounds per Annum for and during his Natural Life; and if any White Person shall happen to be killed, that then the Sum of Twenty pounds per Annum shall be answer'd and paid to the Widow, Child or Children of such Person who shall be killed in the said Service, for and during the Term of Seven Years. 

[Clause 10] And whereas it may be adjudged necessary to transport such Parties from Place to Place, in order to prevent long and tedious Marches by Land, it is therefore farther enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be Lawful to and for her Majesty's Lieutenant Governour, or the Commander in Chief for the time being, to impress such Sloop or Sloops, or other Vessels as shall be adjudged necessary, for the transporting or carrying such Parties from Place to Place, or the Provision, Baggage or other Necessaries which shall be adjudged proper for this intended Service. 

[Clause 11] And it is hereby farther enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Commissioners hereafter named shall buy and provide such Ammunition and Provision as they shall think fit and necessary for the said Parties, and distribute the same to such Person or Persons for their use, as the Governour or Commander in Chief shall order and direct; And moreover, that the Captains of all and every of the said Parties, together with the Soldiers under their respective Commands, shall follow and obey all and every such Orders and Directions as shall from time to time be given out by the Governour and Commander in Chief for the time being. 

[Clause 12] And farther, that the Captain of any of the said Parties shall from time to time command all such of her Majesty's Soldiers, as the Governour shall from time [to] time order to go out and joyn with the said Parties, for and towards the suppressing of such Rebellious Negroes; but if any Officer, Captain or Commander, Soldier or other Person, shall be remiss or negligent in his or their Duty, the said Persons so offending shall loose their Pay, and incur such Pains and Penalties as a Court Marshall shall adjudge.

[Clause 13] And to the Intent that this so necessary a Work may be the more speedily and effectually carryed on, it is hereby farther enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Captains or all or any of the Parties so intended to be raised as aforesaid, shall have full Power and Authority to impress and take into his Service any White Servants hired or indented, (Overseers and Artificers only excepted) which said Servants shall, upon Notice thereof to him or them given, be immediately accounted out by the Master, Mistress or Overseer of the Plantation to which such Servant doth belong, with a Gun, Cartouch-Box, Cloaths, and all other Necessaries fit for the said intended Service. And in Case the Owner, Master, Mistress, or Overseer shall refuse or neglect to send to the Captain or Commander of such Parties, such White Servant or Servants compleatly fitted for the said intended Service, all and every Person or Persons so refusing or neglecting as aforesaid, shall likewise forfeit the Sum of Ten Pounds for every such Offence, which shall, upon Complaint of the Captain or Commander of such Party, be heard, and upon proof adjudged, by the next and immediate Justice of the Peace, to whom such Captain or Commander shall make such Complaint; one Moyety to the Party, the other Moyety for the Use of the Poor of the Parish where such Offence shall be committed.

[Clause 14] And it is hereby farther enacted, That the Master of every such White Servant, who shall be so impressed or who shall voluntarily inlist himself, shall have and receive to his own Use the Sum of Two Pounds per Month, and that the Servant shall have and receive to his own Use the Sum of Twenty Shillings per Month for his encouragement; which said Sums of Two Pounds and Twenty Shillings per Month shall be duly paid by the Commissioners herein after named. 

[Clause 15] And that all Persons employ'd in this Service, Captains and Soldiers, may be regularly and punctually paid by the said Commissioners, it is hereby farther enacted, That upon the return of any of the said Parties, the Captain of such Party shall apply himself to the Commanding Officer of the Parish where such Party shall be, and shall give to such Commanding Officer a full Account of his Proceedings; which said Officer shall thereupon settle and adjust an Account of what shall be due to the Captain and Soldiers of such Party, and shall sign and subscribe his Name to the same, which shall be immediately thereupon transmitted to the said Commissioners, who shall thereupon pay or cause to be immediately paid such Sum or Sums as shall appear to be due to the Captain and his said Party, any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding. 

[Clause 16] And it is hereby farther enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That Major Francis Rose, Captain Matthew Gregory for St. Jago de la Vega, Major Richard Thomson, Doctor John Blaire for the Port Royal, Colonel Thomas Clark, Captain [Enmund] [...] for Kingston, shall be and are hereby appointed Commissioners for the Purposes an Intent aforesaid, who are hereby impowered and ordered to receive and dispose of such Sum and Sums of Money as are or shall be appropriated by any Act or Acts for the Uses, Intents and Purposes aforesaid.

[Clause 17] And that the said Commissioners shall be allowed and many detain in their Hands the Sum of Two Pounds and a half per Cent, and no more, out of all and every such Sum and Sums of Money which they shall receive and pay out, by Virtue of this or any other Act, or Ordinance whatsoever, any Law, Custom or usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. 

[Clause 18] And lastly, That all Slaves taken by the said Parties shall be tried as in the Act herein before-mentioned is directed, and if adjudged to be transported where no Owner or Owners lay Claim, the Money thence arising shall be paid unto the Commissioners herein mentioned, and to be accounted for by them accordingly.