"In 1634. The country divided into 8 shires, which "are to be governed as the shires in England.

"The names of the shires are,

"And Lieuten'ts. to be appointed the same as in "England, and in a more especial manner to take care "of the warr against Indians. And as in England she"riffs shall be elected to have the same power as there; "and sergeants, and bailiffs where need requires."

"Commissioners, instead of £5 causes, may deter"mine £10 causes and one of the council to have no"tice to attend and assist in each court of shire."

UP The MS. from which the acts of this session were printed, is now in the library of Congress at Washington.

Plan of encreasing the

ATT A

ORAND ASSEMBLY

6TH JANUARY, 1639-SR FRANCIS WYATT, Gov.

[From a MS.* belonging to Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, which was purchased by him from the executor of Richard Bland, dec'd.]

ACT I.

TOBACCO by reason of excessive quantities made being soe low that the planters could not subsist by

* This MS. volume is lettered" WRITINGS RELATING TO VIRGINIA," and contains most of the old charters, instructions to the governors, &c. At the end of the volume is an abstract of public papers, taken from the rolls, the number and page of which are referred to; but without regard to chronological order. The acts of 1639, appear to be a mere abridgement; aud, from the hand-writing and orthography, it seems to have been made long posterior to their date. This abstract concludes with a list of the governors of Virginia, down to the year 1722, at which time, or shortly afterwards, it was probably compiled. The hand-writing on comparison appears to be that of "R. HICKMAN," by whom, as " CLERK OF THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE, several public papers are attested.

bacco

Quantity li

half the good

it or be inabled to raise more staple comodities or pay value of totheir debts, Enacted that the tobacco of that year be viewed by sworn viewers and the rotten and unmer- mited-all chantable and half the good to be burned. So the whole the bad and quantitie made would come to 1,500000 without strip- to be deing and smoothing: and next 2 years 170lb. tobacco per poll stript aud smoothed was to be made which would make in the whole about 1,300000lb, and all creditors were to take 40lb. for a hundred.

ACT II.

stroyed. Creditor to certain part

receive a

of his debt only.

NOE man to be obliged to perform above half his Relief of covenants about freighting tobacco in 1639.

ACT III.

WHEREAS by reason of the late proclamation prohibiting (until further order from this Assembly) all trade for tobacco, diverse persons were indebted for money whose debts are to be satisfied in tobacco at 3d. per pound and merchants to advance but 30 per cent. on their goods and both debtor and creditor to be accountable according to the sale of the tobacco in England or the debtor may consign his tobacco and pay

money.

debtors, on tobacco con tracts.

lief of debtor and creditor.

Further re

ACT IV..

Limitation of

bacco.

AFTER the planters debts are paid they shall not price of tcdispose of the remainder of their tobacco made 1639 under 3d. per pound at the first peny.

ACT V.

ton of tobarco.

A TUN of tobacco to consist of 4 hhds. and it any Contents of r master of a ship exacted above £6 per tun freight he was to be fined at pleasure of Governor and Council.

ACT VI.

AFTER 10th May debtors to make tender of their How tobac tobacco before the viewers.

co to be ten dered.

Public charges, ministers, &c.

ACT VII.

HOW public charges and impositions is to be paid, vizt. ministers 10lb. per poll to maintain himself, cik. and sexton; muster master gen'l. 3lb; capt. of the fort and ten guards, 3lb. Two lbs. to be raised next year, to build a new fort at Point Comfort and 2lb. more to build a state house.

Debtors to pay 2 thirds

of their debts only.

ACT VIII.

NOT to pay above 2 thirds of their debts during the stint.

Price of tobacco made

1640.

ACT IX.

TOBACCO made 1640 not to be sold under 12d per pound and 2s per lb. next year's crop, on forfeiture of the whole crop.

АСТ Х.

All persons to be armed except negroes.

ALL persons except negroes to be provided with arms and amunition or be fined at pleasure of the Governor and Council.

ACT XI.

James City

JAMES CITY to be the chief town and Governor

the metropo- is to have his residence there.

lis.

Concerning wine.

Orchards.

ACT XII.

AN act against buying wine or liquors repealed.

ACT XIII.

AN act to plant orchards made in 1636 revived.

ACT XIV.

ANY person may export to New England or other neighboring colony the 7th head of neat cattle and no more under penalty double value.

ACT XV.

NO person to buy corn of the neighbouring colonies or Indians unless it be 16s. per barrel, and then must first obtain Governor's commission for it, and when corn is under 12s. by such commission, may export it.

A certain proportion of cattle may be exported.

At what prices corn may

be bought &

sold.

ACT XVI.

Deeds and

mortgages,

A DEED or mortgage made without delivery of possession to be adjudged fraudulent unless entered in when deem

some court.

ed fraudulent.

ACT XVII.

AN act in 1637, which makes it felony to barter with the Indians repealed, and enacted that for trading with them for arms and amunition shall be felony, and for other commodities imprisonment at discretion of the Governor and Council.

ACT XVIII.

PLACES to be paled in to bury the dead in.

Burying grounds.

ACT XIX.

NO sheriff to compell any man to go off the plantation where he lives to choose burgisses.

ACT XX.

CHURCH wardens to present to monthly courts, and the court is to inflict punishments if within their cognizance.

Shooting and hunting, how exercised.

Boundaries of Isle of Wight and Lower Norfolk counties.

ACT XXI.

NOT to shoot or hunt on other men's land that is seated and bounds marked under penalty of 40s. but may pursue deer and shoot on their own land.

ACT XXII.

WHAT shall be the bounds of Isle of Wight, Upper and Lower Norfolk Counties.

ACT XXIII.

Hogs to be confined.

HOGGS to be confined in pens by night and to have keepers by day or owner to satisfie all damages done by them.

Quitrents

when pay. able.

ACT XXIV.

SEVEN years after date of patents, 2s. per hundred acres quitrents to be paid yearly, at some convenient place to be appointed in each county.

Kisk yake parish.

ACT XXV.

CHISKIACK to be a parish.

ACT XXVI.

Demurrage of vessels.

NO demorage to be allowed for the stay of shipsaccording to a proclamation for stinting and regulating tobacco.

ACT XXVII.

A MAN that has a wife or child in England that did formerly reside here may be allowed a proportion of tobacco.

Council and servants exempted.

ACT XXVIII.

COUNCIL and 10 servants each, exempted from publick charges.