Enormous Offences Act 1638

Assembly Proceedings, February — March 1638/9

An Act Determining Enormious offences

Be it Enacted By the Lord Proprietary of this Province of and with the advice and approbation of the same that these offences following in this act and and no other shall be judged enormious offences within this province that is to Say:

Perjury which is false answere or wittness given upon oath in a Court of Record not to the endangering of anothers life Subornation of perjury which is the hireing or perswadeing of another to commit such perjury Conspiracie which is unlawfull combination of two or more persons against anothers life fame or goods.

Scandalous or contemptuous words or writings to the dishonour of the Lord Proprietarie or his Leiutenant Generall for the time being or of any of the Councill Excerseing within the province any jurisdiction or authority which ought to be derived from the Lord Proprietary without lawfull power or Commission from or under him Contempts & misdomenors against lawfull ordinances or proclamations Abuses of publique Judges or Officers

Unlawful Assembly which is the disorderly meeting of three or more persons in a Company

to commit with force an unlawfull Act

Forgery which is the Counterfeiting of deeds or to acknowledge any fine deed recognisance or bill in the name of another not privy or Consenting to the same Deceit or cosenage which is the damageing of another by some undue slight

false news which is the Spreading of false reports to the disturbance of the peace or cluety of the people

Bribery which is the accepting of or contracting for a reward for doeing Justice

Extortion wch is the takeing or demanding greater fees then are limited by the law in such things as are by law provided for

Oppression which is the undue use of power and authority to the unjust greivance of another

Useing false weights or measures Tendring in paymt unsound Tobacco and such unsound Tobacco Shall be burned

All injuries done to an Indian in person or goods

Servants marrying without giveing satisfaction to the Master or Mistress harbouring by Night or Clokeing of anothers Servant without the knowledge and Consent of the Master or Mistress

Transporting out of the Province or over the Bay of Chesopeak or among the Indians without pass from the Leiutenant Generall or the Secretary for the time being or the Commander of the Isle of Kent) any Servant or any person indebted or obnoxious any way to the justice of the province knowing or haveing reason to know or Suspect him to be so ingaged or obnoxious or haveing notice given that he is so provided that no passe shall be given till publique notice given as aforehand of the person desireing such pass and of his intent to depart out of the place or till after Security given for the payment of all debts within the province or till after pardon of any fault whereof he is chargeable nor shall be given by the Leiuten^t Generall or Secretary till after the said Condicons performed at Kent nor by the Commander of Kent till after the said Conditions performd at S^t Maries

Forestalling Ingroseing This Act to Continue till the end of the next Generall Assembly