Fine or Corporeal Punishment as by a Regimental Court Marshal shall be thought fit Provided further that the Governours Assent to the passing of this or any other Act shall not extend or be Construed to extend to the determining of this present Sessions of the Assembly An ACT Ascertaining the Quit-Rents and manner of Receipt thereof BE it Enacted and Ordained by the Governour Council and Assembly and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same That a Patent Sealed under the Great Seal of this Island and Recorded in the Office of Inrolments Established in this Island shall Evidence the Patentee or Patentees just Right and Title to all and every parcel of Lands House or Houses Tenements or other things in the said Patent granted and be a good Bar to the Right and Title of His Majesty his Heirs and Successors And to the End His Majesties Grants may not be hindred delayed or obstructed the Keeper of the Seal or Chancellor for the time being shall and is hereby obliged the next Tuesday before each Grand Court to cause all such Grants and Patents as are in the Office to be Sealed at St. Jago de la Vega and all Inferiour Officers who are concerned in drawing and passing the same are then and there likewise to be ready to do their Duty And forasmuch as all Titles of Land are derived from His Majesty and the Land hath been laid out and Patents made by His Majesties Officers in which many Errors or Mistakes may have happened which according to the strict Rules of Law might make many Grants void in all or in part Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Lands granted or hereafter to be granted by His Majesty his Heirs or Successors upon Surveys made or to be made be for ever good to the Patentee and to those to whom the Right of the Patentee shall come for all Lands comprized within the Survey or Bounds any Misnomer Misbounding or Mistaking of Quantity or other Error notwithstanding against His Majesty his Heirs and Successors or any other Person or Persons claiming under him or them for ever and that all such Grants shall be taken as strongly against His Majesty his Heirs and Successors as the Grants of any other Person or Persons should or ought to be taken against him or them or his or their Heirs or Assigns Provided nevertheless and be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That where either His Majesty or the Patentee are aggrieved by Mistake in Quantity a re-survey shall be made by one Surveyor indifferently Sworn between the King and Patentee or who claimeth in his Right before any of His Majesties Justices of the Peace upon which re-survey a Confirmation of the former Grant shall issue under the Seal of this Island reciting the Error and reserving for the future the same Rent mentioned in the said Grant according to the just Quantity found by such re-survey for which Confirmation the Chancellor shall receive Ten shillings and the Clerk of the Patents Eight shillings and no more to be paid as all other Charges of the said re-survey by the Party requiring the same but no Retrospect shall be had to what Rent ought to have been paid be the Quantity more or less any thing in this Act contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Dispute shall ever arise upon any Survey wherein the Survey or Plot given into the Patent-Office shall vary from the real Run and marked Lines in all such Disputes the Judges before whom the same shall happen shall adjudge the real Run and marked Lines which are proved before them to be Run and Marked to be the bounds of the Lands granted any Law Custom or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding And Whereas there have been uncertainties and Disputes in the payment of His Majesties Quit-Rents reserved in the Patents formerly granted by reason of the words Manured and Planted and whereas his said Majesty hath been and now is Graciously pleased that whatsoever shall arise from the Quit-Rents shall be applyed towards the Support of the Government and defraying the Contingent Charges of this Island in Consideration whereof and to ascertain the same Be it Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That every Parcel or Parcels of Land of what Nature and Quality soever granted and Patented before the Twenty fifth Day of June One Thousand Six Hundred Seventy and One shall for Arrears and growing Rents pay for every Thirty Acres Annually the Sum of one shilling and so proportionably for every Parcel under one hundred Acres and for every hundred Acres two shillings six pence and proportionably for a greater Quantity and for all Lands of what Quality soever from the aforesaid time to the Twelfth Day of March One Thousand Six Hundred Seventy and Four shall pay one half peny per Acre and so proportionably for a greater quantity and for foot-Foot-Land one half peny per Foot for two sides of the Square added together and so proportionably for a greater or lesser quantity as a certain established Quit-Rent and Acknowledgment to His Majesty his Heirs and Successors for ever any Law Custom or Usage or any thing contained in the said Patents to the contrary notwithstanding And for the more speedy and easie Collecting of the said Quit-Rents Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Receiver of the Quit-Rents or his Lawful Deputy shall twice every Year to say after each Feast of St. Michael the Arch-Angel and of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary keep an Office in the Town of St. Jago de la Vega in the Parish of St. Catharines and in the Town of Port Royal during the space of one Month at each place and then and there to Receive the Quit-Rents from the Persons concerned which said Office he shall attend from the Hours of Eight to Eleven before Noon and from the Hours of Two to Five in the Afternoon and upon Receipt of His Majesties Quit-Rents thereof to Acquit and Discharge all Persons on the Penalty of Five pounds Sterling which said Penalty shall be the one half to His Majesty his Heirs and Successors for and towards the Support of the Government of this Island and Contingent Charges thereof and the other half to the Informer to be Recovered in any Court of Record within this Island wherein no Wager of Law Essoign Protection or Injunction shall be allowed An ACT For preventing Damages in Plantations Preserving of Cattle and Regulating Hunting BE it Enacted by the Governour Council and Assembly and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same That all Plantations bounding in Savanna's High-ways Watering-places and all Pastures made out of Wood-land shall make sufficient Fences which sufficient Fences shall be judged by Oath of Three Free-holders before any one of His Majesties Justices of the Peace which said Free-holders shall be Chosen one by the
under the Penalty of Fifty pounds to be Recovered and Disposed of as aforesaid And whosoever shall Buy Barter or Bargain with any such known Horse-catcher or Driver for any Cattle or Horses without the same be first vouched as aforesaid he she or they so Offending shall for every such Offence forfeit and pay the Sum of Twenty pounds to be Recovered and Disposed of as aforesaid And it is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Driver or Horse-catcher shall at any time hereafter fraudulently or designedly put any false Burnt Mark Ear-mark or any other Marks or deface any old Mark he or they shall for such Offence be guilty of Felony It is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Person or Persons that are Keepers or Owners of Goats shall suffer their Goats to feed in any Persons Land except their own and if any do suffer the same to feed in any Persons Land it shall be deemed Trespass and the Owner of the Land shall Recover in any Court of Record full Costs of Suit in the said Action besides what Damage shall be given by the Jury Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Person whatsoever shall be capable of Hunting with any Gang of Dogs in this Island that is not a Planter in it and hath not at least five Acres of Land Planted and that any Person that shall presume to Hunt any Gang of Dogs within this Island being not Qualified as aforesaid shall forfeit for every such Offence his Gang of Dogs and the Sum of Ten pounds Sterling to be Recovered in any Court of Record within this Island by Bill Plaint or Information the one Moyety or half part of all such Forfeitures shall be to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors for the Support of the Government and Contingent Charges thereof and the other Moyety shall be to the Informer or any Person that shall sue for the same And it shall not be Lawful for any Planter or Planters in this Island to own any Hunting Gang of Dogs which shall not properly belong to themselves their Mates in Planting or Hunted by their Servants under the Penalty of Ten pounds Sterling for each time he or they shall so offend to be Recovered in manner and form aforesaid and to be disposed of as aforesaid And it is further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That if any Hunting Gang of Dogs shall kill or maim any Tame Stock belonging to any Planter or Person whatsoever or do him or them any Prejudice or Damage the Party so Damnified lift the Damage amount to not above forty shillings Satisfaction for the same shall be Recovered by Warrant from any Justice of the Peace but if it amount to more than forty shillings the Person or Persons so injured shall sue for the same at Common Law And if any Person shall kill or maim any manner of Tame Stock as Sheep Hogs or Goats either by Hunting or otherwise and shall not forthwith discover the same to the next Justice or Constable to the end the Damage may be known and Recovered as aforesaid such Offender killing maiming or injuring any such Tame Stock and not discovering it as aforesaid shall pay five pounds for every Default besides Damages to be Recovered by the Party Injured in any Court of Record It is further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That no Person whatsoever shall Hunt any Gang of Dogs within four Miles of any Crawâ— or Settlement except in his own Land or leave from the Proprietor of the same upon pain of Ten pounds Sterling and that no Person or Persons whatsoever shall set any Snare or Engine in any place whatsoever his Planted Ground only excepted under Penalty of forty shillings for every time any Person shall so Offend in either of the Premisses to be Recovered as aforesaid and disposed of as aforesaid and to pay all other Damages that shall accrue by the same An ACT Securing the Purchasers of Thomas Bun's Land upon Port Royal. WHereas one Thomas Bun late of this Island in the Fourteenth Year of His Majesties Reign Patented a certain Parcel of Land on Port Royal and after that Constituted and Appointed one Martin Vanolphin his Attorney thereby giving him full Power and Authority for him and in his Name to Bargain and Sell all and singular the Lands and Tenements of the said Thomas Bun and that he the said Martin Vanolphin in pursuance of the aforesaid Authority did for a Valuable Consideration well and truly paid to the aforesaid Thomas Bun Bargain and Sell the aforesaid Parcel of Land unto William Parker Esquire and Robert Swanley and that a Moyety of the said Land was Sold by the said Swanley to one Thomas Tothill Deceased whose Estate real was in pursuance of an Act of this Island exposed to Sale and Sold for and towards the Satisfaction of the just Debts of the said Thomas Tothill to Sir Charles Modyford Baronet and the whole Purchased as aforesaid Sold by the said Sir Charles Modyford Baronet and William Parker Esq to Edward Yeomans Esq for a Valuable Consideration and the aforesaid Letter of Attorney through the Ignorance and Neglect of those Times not Proved and Recorded as the Law of this Island now requires To the intent therefore that the several Purchasers may for ever hereafter be quieted in their several Purchases and secured in their Titles and Covenants and a speedy Improvement made by Building thereon Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Governour Council and Assembly and it is hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Authority of the same That the Sales made as aforesaid by Martin Vanolphin to William Parker Esquire and Robert Swanley and the Sale or Sales of them and either of them unto any other Person or Persons whatsoever are and shall be deemed and adjudged good and effectual in the Law to all Intents Constructions and Purposes whatsoever as if the said Thomas Bun himself had by his own Deed or Bargain and Sale Actually and Really Sold and Conveyed the same and all and singular the Land Sold and Conveyed as aforesaid be and remain to the Heirs and Assigns of such Purchaser or Purchasers their Heirs and Assigns for ever as shall Claim by from and under the Title or Purchase of the said Sir Charles Modyford Baronet and the said William Parker Esq any Law or Custom Usage or Pretence of Right whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding An ACT Encouraging the Importation of White Servants Forasmuch as it is provided in an Act of this Countrey Intituled An Act for Regulating Servants for the strengthening and better Defence of this His Majesties Island every Master and Owner of Slaves shall have such quantity of White Servants proportionable to the Number of Slaves as is therein directed and as by the said Act doth more plainly appear and to the intent also all duo Encouragement may be given Merchants Masters and
thereupon in any Court of Record within this Island and if such Mortgagee shall not within three Months after request and tender made for his reasonable Charges repair to the Office of Enrolments and there make such Acknowledgment as aforesaid he she or they so refusing shall for every such Offence forfeit and pay unto the Party or Parties aggrieved the Sum of fifty pounds Currant Money of this Island to be Recovered in any of His Majesties Courts of Record within this Island by Bill Plaint or Information wherein no Essoign Wager of Law or Protection shall be allowed And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be Lawful for the Judges before whom such Acknowledgment of Deeds or other Writings are and shall be made to demand and receive for every Deed of the value of Twenty pounds or more Ten shillings and for every Deed under the value of Twenty pounds Five shillings and no more under the Penalty of Twenty pounds the one half to be to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors for and towards the Support of the Government of this Island and the Contingent Charges thereof and the other half to the Informer to be Recovered as aforesaid And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Clerk of the Enrolments shall and may take and receive for Enrolling and Copying an Ordinary Deed Grant or Patent for one or more Parcels of Land or any Deed or Conveyance not exceeding the length of such Patent five shillings for every Deed exceeding the length aforesaid eight pence per sheet accounting Twenty Lines to a sheet and eight Words to a Line for every Short Writing not exceeding the length aforesaid Twelve pence for Recording every Plot one shilling and three pence for searching the Record Twelve pence and for Ackowledging Satisfaction in the Margent of a Mortgage recorded one shilling and three pence and no more under the Penalty of Ten pounds to the Uses and to be Recovered as aforesaid And be it likewise Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Patents already granted and not Enrolled shall be Enrolled in the Office of Enrolments within six Months and all Patents hereafter to be granted shall be Enrolled within six Months after the Sealing such Patents which Enrolments as likewise all such as are already there Enrolled shall be good and valid in the Law notwithstanding any Clause inserted in the said Patents directing the contrary And whereas it is most manifest That the Estates of several Orphans have been preserved and vastly Improved by being during their Minority Leased out by their Guardians and whereas it may be Disputable whether such Leases are Warranted by the Laws of England Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That all Leases heretofore made or granted or that hereafter shall be made or granted of the Estate of any Orphan by the respective Guardian for any term of Years not exceeding the Minority of such respective Orphans shall be good and valid in the Law any Law Custom or Usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Provided always That this Act or any thing therein contained shall not extend to contradict or alter any Power given or to be given by the Parent to any Guardians or to give liberty for the future to any Guardian to Lease out the Estate of any Heiress for any longer Term or Time than till she shall compleat the Age of Fourteen Years Be it likewise Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the Clerk of the Enrolments or whosoever shall execute the said Office for the time being do find two sufficient Sureties with himself to become bound to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors in a Bond of the penalty of Two Thousand pounds for the true and faithful Execution of the said Office and for keeping of the same in the Town of St. Jago de la Vega as is herein before declared and not elsewhere which said Bond shall be Recorded in the Supream Court of Judicature within this Island and be kept by the Chief Justice of the same for the time being to be made use of according as is directed in an Act Intituled An Act Impowering the Secretary to take Security and whosoever after Publication hereof shall Officiate in the said Office before he hath given such Security as aforesaid he or they so Offending shall forfeit the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds to be Recovered by Bill Plaint or Information in any of His Majesties Courts of Record within this Island wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed the Defendant one Moyety whereof shall be to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors for and towards the Support of the Government of this Island and the Contingent Charges thereof and the other Moyety to him or them that shall prosecute the same An ACT For the Ferry between St. Catharines and St. Andrews WHereas William Parker of the Parish of St. Andrews Esquire hath at his particular Charge found out and made a very Convenient Way between the Salt and Fresh River in the Parish of St. Andrews and St. Catharines which will be of great Use and Advantage to the whole Island in causing a more near and easie Correspondence with the several Precincts and whereas the said William Parker hath likewise set up and erected a Ferry for the better Accommodation of the said Passage and whereas the same cannot be maintained without great and constant Charges be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Governour Council and Assembly and it is hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Authority of the same That the said William Parker his Heirs and Assigns be by this Act Impowered and Authorized for the space and term of Fourteen Years from the making hereof to ask demand sue for recover and receive as a Duty and Toll for the Transporting of any Person over the said Ferry Seven pence half peny for every Horse and Man fifteen pence for every grown Beast that hath no Rider seven pence half peny for every Sheep Calf or Hog six pence and that the said William Parker his Heirs and Assigns may and shall erect a Tavern or Victualling-House near the said Ferry and shall not be compelled to renew or pay any License Money for the same Provided always That if the said William Parker or his Assigns shall not finish and compleat the said Way and Passage within Twelve Months from and after the making of this Act and that in all places it be not less than eight Foot broad and that the same be always kept in good and sufficient Repair that the aforesaid Limitation of the Rates which shall be paid by virtue of this Act or any Letters Patents granted for the same shall cease determine and be utterly void And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That no other Person whatsoever presume to erect
very Populous and contains about a 1000 Houses many of which are built with Bricks and beautified with Balconies after the modern way of building in London the Streets are also regular and kept very clean there is also in it a fair Church built with Brick and Stone and handsomely finished within and for the defence of the Town and Harbour there are 5 Forts strongly built with Stone on which are mounted about 110 large Guns all kept in good order hither resort most of the Ships here is the Custom-house here live the Merchants and here is mannaged the chiefest part of the Trade of the Island To this Harbour belongs about 100 fine sailing Sloops from about 12 Tuns to 40 Tuns in bigness most of them built in the Country which find very good imployment in trading and carrying goods about the Island and to the Spaniards catching of Tortoise and other ways by which their owners live very well About 7 Leagues to the Westward of this is an old Harbour a very large good and safe Harbour for Shipping and here also is a small Town built which daily encreases as the inland parts of the Country about it are more and more setled and planted More Westerly is Carlisle Bay a safe Road for Shipping and there is likewise built a pretty Town of that name of about 100 Houses which has a fine Trade that also increases as the Country does in Plantations farther West is Bluefields Bay and other good Roads and the like there is also in St. James's St. Anns and St. Maries on the North side of the Island and in the Parish of St. Georges in the North-East parts is Port Antonio a safe and good Harbour and such another in the South-East part called Port Morant besides divers good Bays more on the South side as Morant Yallahs c. So that there want not conveniencies for the Importing or Exporting of their Commodities in any part of the Country There are no Poysonous or hurtful Creatures known to be in this Island nor any voracious but the Crocodil of which though there are many in the Sea and the Rivers yet it is rare to hear of any injury done by them There is but one Town in the inland parts of the Country and that is called St. Jago de la Vega it is seated near the banks of a fine River on the one side and on the other is A large Plain or Savanna of several Miles extent it is about 6 Miles from the Sea of Port Royal Harbour and was built by the Spaniards many years since and in their time was a large Town and well built after their manner but on the first Peopling of the Island by the English when they were only an Army many of the Houses were destroy'd by the Souldiers and have not since been rebuilt because the trade of the Country consisting wholly of Planters and Merchandizing the one sort whereof living scattered about the Country as Farmers do in England and the other dwelling in the Sea-port Towns there is no occasion in the Inland parts for such a Community of Men to dwell together as that Town would have receiv'd had it continued in its former greatness yet here are still many Streets and fair Houses here is also the seat of the Government The Governours House and Chief Courts of Justice here the Assembly met and here are kept all the Records of the Island The chiefest Commodity that this Island makes is a sort of Muscovadoe Sugar that excells any that is made in any other of his Majesties Plantations the quantity of which increases so much every Year that it gives Addition to the number of Ships Trading thither besides this Sugar there are great quantities of Indico Cotton Ginger Tobacco Piemento Cacaes Hydes Achiots Tortoise-shell and divers sort of dying and other woods for fine Joyners work and Cabinets growing there all which Commodities are as good in their kinds as are in any Country and excepting the Sugar Indico Cotten Ginger and Tobacco are peculiar to this and are in no other of His Majesties Plantations there are also many other accidental Commodities brought in from the Spaniards as Log-wood Plate Pieces of Eight Gold Pearl Emeraulds c. by means of which Manufactory and Trade there is not less then 20 Sail of Ships of 300 Tuns a piece Burthen and upwards besides others which only use that Voyage and of all sorts above 100 sail of Ships now laden every Year and as the Island fills with English and is supplyed with Negroes the Trade and Shipping will both encrease This Island depends wholly on His Majesty without any other Proprietors or Companies and ever since His Majesties happy Restoration he has been graciously pleased it should be Govern'd by a Governour fully Impowered by His Majesties Commission who has a Council consisting of 13 of the gravest and chiefest Gentlemen of the Island to advise with on all occasions and to them when it is requisite there is called an Assembly of Two and thirty of the Gentlemen of the Country chosen by the Free-holders from among themselves by vertue of His Majesties writ which to that end is Issu'd out by the Governour into the several Precincts of the Country These together with the Governor and Council make such Laws as are necessary for the well Governing of the Island and to the making of any Law there must be the consent of the Governour Council and Assembly as three distinct States of which if any one dissent no Bill can pass into an Act so that the making of Laws there is Assimilated as near as may be to that of our Native Country of England and these Laws so made are of Force at all times until His Majesty be pleased to declare his pleasure to the contrary And for the Incouragement of any of His Majesties Subjects to go thither with intent to settle and Plant His Majesty is graciously pleased to give every Man for himself Wife Children and Servants and all he brings with him or shall at any time after import 30 Acres of Land for every head in any part of the Island that they themselves shall choose which is not already possest by others they paying only the common charges of the Surveying and the Patent and this passes to the Possessor his Heirs or Assigns for ever by his Majesties said Grant under the great Seal of the Island in common Soccage which Patent being enrolled in the Office for that purpose established there is good against His Majesties claim or any pretenders whatsoever though the Patent it self should happen to be Lost Burnt or any otherwise destroyed the manner of the civil Government there is as in England by Sessions of the Peace Justices Constables and other necessary Officers which are appointed in the several parts of the Country as there is occasion that Justice may be equally distributed And for the Military Government and defence of the Island every Man from 16 years old to
other though in some places more thin than others The Houses indeed are not so close as in some parts of England yet usually the Plantations are contiguous for a great Sugar work requires some hundreds of Acres for Canes Wood Provisions Pasture c. yet most of the Planters are forward enough to spare some of it to a good Neighbour on reasonable terms The wood-Wood-lands are commonly cleared and used for Planting but there are vast even Meadows called Savannas for grazing of Horses Cattel Sheep c. which we never cut nor make any Hay of having Grass all the year long though sometimes a little too much dryed or scorched by the Sun when many purposely set it one Fire the ashes whereof mannure and emprove the Ground against another Crop which will suddenly spring again with the next gentle showers or without by the great dews which there fall in the night and in the mean time the Cattle retire to other pastures in shady Woods or lower Marshes it is also observable that our Horses are generally swift but few or none of them shod yet will gallop the most stony way and climb steep Rocks like Goats nor are they troubled with near so many distempers as Horses in England it being common though never so hot or hard ridden to turn them presently grazing but the Horses are usually of so small a breed that all Gentlemens Coaches which are there very numerous go with six Horses a piece we have also several Hackney-Coaches The manner of living there for gallantry good Housekeeping and Recreations as Horse-Races Bowls Dancing Musick Plays at a publick Theatre c. sufficiently demonstrate the flourishing condition of the Island yearly increasing as well in number of Inhabitants as in wealth and plenty being most commodiously seated in the midst of the Spaniards so that we drain the benefits of their Gold and Silver Mines without their Labour and expences The Town of Port-Royal being as it were the Store-house or Treasury of the West-Indies is always like a continual Mart or Fair where all sorts of choice Merchandizes are daily imported not only to furnish the Island but vast quantities are thence again Transported to supply the Spaniards Indians and other Nations who in exchange return us bars and cakes of Gold wedges and piggs of Silver Pistols Pieces of Eight and several other Coyns of both Mettles with store of wrought Plate Jewels rich Pearl Necklaces and of Pearl unsorted or undrill'd several Bushels besides which we are furnished with the purest and most fine sorts of dust Gold from Guiney by the Negro Ships who first come to Jamaica to deliver their Blacks and there usually refit and stay to reload three or four Months in which time though the Companies Gold may be partly sent home yet the Merchants Masters of Ships and almost every Mariner having private Cargoes take occasion to sell or exchange great quantities some of which our Goldsmiths there work up who being yet but few grow very wealthy for almost every House hath a rich Cupboard of Plate which they carelesly expose scarce shutting their doors in the night being in no apprehension of Thieves for want of Receivers as aforesaid And whereas most other Plantations ever did and now do keep their accounts in Sugar or the proper Commodities of the place for want of Money it is otherwise in Jamaica for in Port Royal there is more plenty of running Cash Proportionally to the number of its Inhabitants than is in London which among other worthy Acts we chiefly owe to the provident care of his excellency Sir Thomas Lynch our present and former Governour who about Ten years ago by advice of his Majesties Council there raised the value of our current Coyns about â…• more than they will yield in any other part of Christendom so that none care to carry Money off but bring great quantities thither which occasions the daily increase of our Sugar works and other profitable Plantations and gives great incouragement to the Gentlemen Planters in other adjacent Islands and Plantatione to remove and settle amongst us being there obliged to use trash and Sea-Coals to boyl their Sugar which renders it not so good as when made with quick wood fires nor are they here at so great charge for Horses and Cattle to do their work nor pent up in such narrow Plantations for want of Land as in those small Islands nor subject to many other inconveniencies incident to little Countries and small numbers of People This Island of Jamaica being very Capacious and supply'd both from abroad and in it self with great Plenty of all things necessary F. H. INDEX AN Act appointing the number of the Assembly pag. 4. An Act for regulating Servants pag. 6. An Act for the High-ways pag. 22. An Act appointing the prices of Meat pag. 30. An Act against Blasphemy and for preventing disorders in Ale-Houses Taverns and Victualling-Houses pag. 33. An Act impowering Justices of the Peace to decide differences not exceeding Forty shillings pag. 37. An Act rating Liquors sold by Retail pag. 42. An Act for Compensation of Mr. Nicholas Scarlet pag. 44. An Act for the restraining and punishing Privateers and Pyrates pag. 46. An Act ascertaining the Quit-Rents and manner of the Receipt thereof pag. 55. An Act for preventing damages in Plantations preserving of Cattle and regulating Hunting pag. 62. An Act securing the Purchasers of Thomas Bun's Land upon Port-Royal pag. 75. An Act encouraging the Importation of White Servants pag. 78. An Act for Registring of Deeds and Patents pag. 82. An Act for the Ferry between St. Katherines and St. Andrews pag. 93. An Act impowering the Church-wardens of St. Katherines to receive Twelve pence per Tun for all goods made up in Cask that are Landed on or Shipped from the Bridg at Passage-Fort for maintaining and repairing the same pag. 97. An Act for Confirmation of Pious Charitable and Publick Gifts and Grants pag. 100. An Act declaring it High Treason to counterfeit His Majesties Broad Seal of this Island pag. 103 An Act for clearing of Rio Cobre above and below Caymanas pag. 105. An Act for regulating Building and preventing Fire pag. 115. An Act for the maintenance of Ministers and the Poor and erecting and repairing of Churches pag. 124. An Act ascertaining the value of Forreign Coins and establishing Interest pag. 139. An Act for the better securing certain Titles made by way of Release and confirmation under the Great Seal of this Island pag. 145. An Act for setling the Militia pag. 148. An Act for prevention of Law Suits pag. 166. An Act for establishing Courts and directing Marshalls proceedings pag. 171. An Act appointing where the Laws of this Island shall be lodged pag. 193. An Act for raising a Publick Impost pag. 198. AN EXACT MAPP OF IAMAICA Seala Miliarum LONDON Printed for Charles Karper over against St Dunstans Church in fleet Street At the Court at Whitehall the 23 d. of February 1682. PRESENT The King 's
Impowering him or them to Levy the said Tax and upon refusal to Distrain and Sell by Publick Outcry as aforesaid any thing in this Act seeming to the contrary notwithstanding And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the Justices and Vestry-men of each Parish have full Power to enquire into Arrears of former Subscriptions and Taxes and to Levy the same Arrears by Warrant from the Justices to the Constables aforesaid and that the Minister demand no Fee in his own Parish for Christnings Marriages Churchings or Buryals under the Penalty of five Pounds for every offence unless such as the Justices and Vestry-men shall allow any Law Custom or usage to the contrary notwithstanding the one half of all which Forfeitures shall be to the Poor of the Parish and the other Moyety to him or them that shall sue for the same in any Court of Record within this Island And forasmuch as many Persons who may by Vertue of this Act and the Act for mending and repairing the High-ways be Taxed and have nothing in the Parish where they are Taxed upon which any Distress may be made It is therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That in such Cases from and after the making hereof an Action of Debt shall lye in any Court of Record or before any Justice of the Peace as in other Debts for the several Church-Wardens and Surveyors of each Respective Parish and their Successors to recover against any of the said Persons Rated or Assessed by vertue of this Act or any of them or their Agents or Attorneys here all such Sum and Sums of Mony as are or shall be rated or assessed upon them as aforesaid And that the same Rate or Assessment produced in such Court of Record or before such Justice of the Peace as aforesaid shall be sufficient Evidence and proof for the recovery of all such Sum or Sums of Mony so Rated or Assessed as aforesaid Provided nevertheless and it is the true intent and meaning hereof That no Justices of the Peace and Vestry-men shall have power to assess any such Person or Persons as aforesaid above the Sum of one shilling Per Annum and for every hundred Acres of Land and so proportionable for a greater or lesser quantity And it is hereby further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That any Person or Persons aggrieved or Rated in any such Assessment or Tax have hereby liberty granted to Appeal to the Justices siting in the Quarter Sessions in their Respective Precincts in this Island Provided that such Appeal to them be made at the first or second Quarter Sessions after such Taxes made and not afterwards and that there it Appearing to the said Justices that he she or they were Over-rated Taxed or Assessed the said Justices are hereby Authorized and Impowered if they find him her or them so Over-rated or Assessed to ease him her or them as to their discretion shall seem meet but that no Appeal shall lye further or to any other Court or Place in this Island for any Tax or Rate made or Assessed by the Justices and Vestry-men of each respective Parish in this Island any Law Custom or Usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the Church-wardens of each respective Parish within this Island do buy or cause to be bought one Fair well bound Book wherein the Minister and in case there be no Minister there resident the Respective Church-Wardens upon notice thereof given by the Masters of the several Families who are hereby required to give such notice under the Penalty of five Pounds shall Register or cause to be Registred by the Clark of the Vestry of that Parish the Times of the Births Christnings Marriages and Burials of all such Person or Persons that shall from time to time be Born Christned Marryed or Buried within the said Parish under the Penalty of five Pounds for every such Default And that the said Clark or Person that shall Register the same shall have and receive as a Fee for each Entry Fifteen Pence and no more And it is hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all such entries duly made and kept as aforesaid shall at all times hereafter be Deemed Judged and taken as an Authentique Record of all such Births Christnings Marriages and Burials and in all and every the Courts of Records in this Island But if any Person hereby Authorized to make such Entry or any other whatsoever shall make or cause to be made any false Entry or shall raze our or Imbezel any Entry or Books of Entry he or they so offending shall be proceeded against and Punished in manner and form as the Laws of England provide against such as Steal Raze or Imbezel Records The one Moyety of all which Forfeitures or Penalties or any other mentioned in this Act and not directed how to be disposed of shall be to the Poor of the Parish where the fault is committed the other Moyety or half part to the Informer to be recovered by Bill Plaint or Information in any of his Majesties Courts of Record in this Island wherein no Wager of Law Essoin Protection or Injunction shall be allowed any thing in this Act or in any other Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the Parish of Port-Royal do allow and Pay unto the Minister thereof two Hundred and fifty Pounds Per Annum of Currant Mony of this Island and that the Parish of St. Catharines do allow and pay unto the Ministers thereof One Hundred and forty Pounds of the like Mony Per Annum and not less And that the Parish of St. Thomas St. Andrews and St. Johns do allow and pay unto their Respective Ministers One Hundred Pounds of like mony Per Annum and that all the other Parishes within this His Majesties Island that either have or shall have a Minister do allow and pay Eighty Pounds Currant Mony and not less as a constant Yearly Salary for the support and Maintenance of every of their Ministers to be Paid at their Respective dwelling Houses every six Months without any Charge or defalcation by equal Portions and none to be Capable of being presented to the said Benefices or receiving the Profits of the same unless they produce due Testimonials that they are qualified according to the Canons of the Church of England by having taken Deacon and Priests Orders and the said Testimonials to be Recorded in the Secretaries Office And be it further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid That no Minister not duly qualified as aforesaid Presume to Marry any Person or Persons whatsoever under the Penalty of one Hundred Pounds Currant Mony of this Island one third thereof to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors for and towards the support of the Government of this