An Act for ye punishing and ordering of Negro Slaves

Whereas there is now uppon this his Majesties Island Numbers of Negroes and more Dayly exported and that it is utterly impossible to make and continue Plantations without such slaves as aforesaid. And that the orderly and regular commanding and punishing the aforesaid Negro Slaves will tend verry much to the generall advantage of Settlers. And that the said Planters and Masters of Slaves cannot Mortally punish or afflict these offending Slaves by any due and formall Process of Law this island being exceeding Great and the Law expensive. And because ___ Masters are not competent and equal Judges and executioners of the offences of such these criminal Slaves the Governor Council and Gen of the Assembly That any Master whatsoever whose Slave has committed any offense worthy of Death shall carry the said Slave before any Justice of Peace who is hereby authorized to call one or 2 sufficient neighbours as an Inquest and by Judgment of the said person or persons to pass small Judgment or Sentence to death or otherwise upon the said criminal Negro. And ye said sentence judgment or condemnation shall stand good in Law. And it is further enacted by ye authority aforesaid that after the Publication hereof no person shall keep any desperate Runaway Negro yet shall run away or cause others so to do. But if the said Master shall not sell, chain, hamstring or other wayes secure or send away such Negro or Negroes the Justice of Peace either at their privy or general sessions shall punish or fine the Master Take away the said Negro. And its likewise further enacted ordained by the aforesaid authority that noe person inhabitant of this Island shall upon any pretense whatsoever after the publication buy or cause to bee bought any Spanish Slave. And cause the Slave to be sent to any of the plantations of this island. And any so doing contrary to the intent of this act shall for such his offense forfeit his said Negro. And bee further fined the discretion of the Justices in their general sessions of Peace provided always and it is the true intent and meaning hereof that the clause concerning sending away runaway Negroes not extend to any new Negro which shall run away the first time. Anything therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.