Assembly Proceedings, April 1662. 453

An Acte lymiting Servants
tymes

Whereas certaine differences too frequently arise betweene
Masters and Servants in this Province in and aboute the tyme
of services and Customes often pleaded on both sides in this
minority of seateing for p^rvencon of the like it is Enacted
And be it Enacted by the Lord Proprietary by and w^th the
Consent of the upper and lower howse of this p^rsent Generall
Assembly that every Servant transported into this Province
after the end of this Assembly being of the full age of twenty
and two yeares or upwards not haueing Indenture or other
sufficient Testimony for the tearme or tyme of his or her come-
ing in such Servant shall serue him or her that transported
and payd the Passage of the said Servant or their Assigns
from and after their first Arrivall into this Province the full
tyme of foure yeares if between the age of Eighteene and
twenty two yeares such serv^t shall serue flue yeares, if betwixt
the age of fifteene and Eighteene such Servant shall serue six
yeares And any Servant of what age soeuer vnder fifteene yeares
and Comeing in as aforesaid shall serue till he or she arriue to

U. H.
Journal
1659-69

the age of one and twenty yeares. And be it further Enacted
that every Master Mistres or Dame Assigne or Trustee of what
kind soeuer owneing or keepeing any such Seru^t as aforesaid
whether by vertue of transportacon Purchase or otherwise shall
within six moneths next after the receiving of such Servant into
their Custody within this Province except he she or they clayme
but foure yeares Service of such Serv^t bring the said Servant
the said Servant into their respectiue County Co^rt where they
doe inhabit and every of the said Courts are hereby authorized
to Judge of and determine the age of such Serv^ts soe brought,
and cause the same to be Entred vpon record And every
Ownor as aforesaid neglecting or refuseing to bring such Ser-
vant or Servants before the Courts as aforesaid shall not onely
stand to the determinacon of the Court, but alsoe suffer the
penalty of one thousand pounds of tobacco for depriueing the
Courts of such opportunity of view of the party And if any
Master or serv^t aforesaid be aggreiued with the determinacon
of the Co^rt he shall within the tyme determined for their Ser-
vice produce an Authentick Certificatt of such Servants age
and shall have Remedy according to the ages afore menconed
And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid that noe
Indenture made by any Serv^t during the tyme of service due by
former Indenture or by determinacon of the Co^rt according to
the tenor of this Acte shall anywise oblige any Seru^t for longer
tyme then by his first Indenture or determinacon of the Co^rt
shall be lymited and appoynted Prouided that this Acte nor
any thing therein conteyned shall not give or be Construed to

p. 152