34. Virginia:—Runaways.
1669, October. Act VIII. Against Runawayes. "Be it therefore enacted that whosoever apprehends any runaways, whether servant by indenture, custome or covenant, not haveing a legall passe, by those in every county that shall be appointed to give passes, or a note from his master, shall have a thousand pounds of tobacco allowed him by the publique, which tobacco shall be repaid by the service of the servant to the country when free from his master, and by the hired ffreeman immediately after expiration of his covenant to the man that apprehends."
"And be it further enacted that he that takes up such runaway is hereby enjoyned first to carry him before the next justice who is to take cognizance of his good service, and to certify it in the next assembly, and then to deliver him to the constable of the parish where that justice dwells, who is to convey him to the next constable, till he be retorned to his master, and that each constable upon receipt of such runaway give his receipt, and if escape be made from any constable, the delinquent constable to pay one thousand pounds of tobacco; and for the reimbursing the publique with the tobacco disbursed to the taker up." —0 Statutes at Large. Hening, Laws of Virginia, II. 273.
35. Virginia:—Apprehension of Runaways.
1670, October. Act I. An Act concerning runaways. Reward for apprehending runaways is reduced to two hundred pounds of tobacco. Servants are to serve four months for every two hundred pounds of tobacco. Masters who fail to cut their servants' hair after twice running away shall be fined two hundred pounds of tobacco. Every constable through whose hands a runaway passes is to whip the servant severely. Constables allowing runaways to escape shall pay four hundred pounds of tobacco. Masters must not allow their servants to go free until the time of service has been worked out.—Statutes at Large. Hening, Laws of Virginia, II. 277.
36. Virginia:—Reward to the first taker up of runaways.
1670, October. Act XIII. Runawayes. Only the first taker up of a runaway shall be rewarded.—Statutes at Large. Hening, Laws of Virginia, II. 283.
37. Virginia:—Apprehension of Runaways. [§ [8.]]
1672, October. Act VIII. An Act for the apprehension and suppression of runawayes, negroes and slaves. Runaways resisting may be killed or wounded, and if they die from the effects of a wound the public shall pay the owner, but the person inflicting the injury is not to be questioned. Indians shall be rewarded by twenty armes length of Roanoake or the value thereof in goods for the apprehension of a runaway. Act is to continue in force only until the next assembly.—Statutes at Large. Hening, Laws of Virginia, II. 299.
38. Maryland:—Apprehension of runaways.
1671, April. The three acts of 1650, 1662, and 1666 have not proved sufficient encouragement to people to apprehend runaways, therefore a statute against runaways and such persons that shall give them entertainment and others that shall travel without passes is enacted.—Maryland Archives, Assembly Proceedings, 298.
39. New Jersey:—Fugitive servants and apprentices.
1675, November. "XXXIII. Concerning Fugitives, It is enacted by the same Authority, that every Apprentice and Servant that shall depart and absent themselves from their Masters or Dames, without leave first obtaind, shall be judged by the court to double the Time of such their Absence, by future Service, over and above other Damages and Costs which the Master and Dame shall sustain by such unlawful Departure. XXXIV. And it is further enacted, that whosoever shall be proved to have transported or contrived the Transportation of any such Apprentice, Servant, or Slave, shall be fined Five Pounds, and all such Damages as the Court shall judge, and that the Master or Dame can make appear, and if not able to be left to the Judgement of the Court. It is further enacted, that every Inhabitant that shall harbour or entertain any such Apprentice, Servant, or Slave, and knowing that he hath absented himself from his Service upon Proof thereof, shall forfeit to their Master or Dame Ten Shillings for every days Entertainment or Concealment, and if not able to satisfy, to be liable to the Judgement of the Court."—New Jersey Laws, 109.
40. Maryland:—Runaways.
1676, June. An Act against runaways.—Laws of Maryland, Bacon, Index.
41. East New Jersey:—Fugitive servants.
1682, March. Laws passed by General Assembly in East New Jersey. Chap. IX. A Bill against fugitive Servants, and entertainers of them. Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Deputies in General Assembly met, and by the Authority of the same, that every Apprentice, or Servant, that shall depart or absent themselves from their Master or Mistress, without leave first obtained, shall be adjudged by the Court to double the Time of such their absence by future Service, besides all Costs and Damages, which the master or mistress shall have sustained by such unlawful Departure. Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that whosoever shall knowingly transport or contrive the Transportation of any Apprentice, Servant, or Slave, or be any aiding or assisting thereto, and be thereof lawfully convicted, shall be fined Five Pounds, and make full Satisfaction to the master or mistress of such Apprentice, Servant, or Slave, for all Costs or Damages which the said master or mistress can make appear to have thereby sustained. Be it further enacted By the Authority aforesaid, that every Inhabitant, who shall entertain, or afford any manner of Relief to such Apprentice, Servant, or Slave, knowing that he hath absented himself as aforesaid, except of real Charity, and thereof be lawfully convicted, shall pay to the master or mistress of such Servant Ten Shillings for every Days Entertainment and concealment, and be fined according to the Discretion of the Court."—Acts of the Proprietary Government of New Jersey, 238.
42. New Jersey:—Prevention of runaways.
1683. No title given. General Assembly. VI. "And for the preventing Servants running away from their Masters, and other Vagabonds, Be it hereby enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all Magistrates, Officiers, Ordinary Keepers, and other Inhabitants within this Province, take special notice of all suspicious Travellers, and require their pass or certificates, under the Hand and Seal of the Magistrate or Magistrates, or Publick Notary of the Place of their last Abode, to satisfy the clearness of his, her, or their coming away, and for want of such Pass or Certificate, to secure such Person or Persons into the Custody of the next constable; which Person and Persons so to be secured, or their Masters, shall pay such Charge and Trouble as the Person or Persons shall be put to, in the securing them as aforesaid, before they shall be discharged, at the Discretion of two or more of the Magistrates of the said Province."—0 Acts of the Proprietary Governments of New Jersey, 477.
43. South Carolina.—Prevention of runaways.
1683, Nov. 7. An Act to prevent Runaways. Title only preserved. Table of contents.—Statutes at Large of South Carolina, II.
44. Virginia:—Repeal of law of 1663, September.
1684, April. Act III. An act repealing the act concerning the persuit of runawayes. The law of September, 1663, has been found inconvenient in practice, it is therefore repealed.—Statutes at Large. Hening, Laws of Virginia, III. 12.
45. East New Jersey:—Runaway servants. [§ [2.]]
1686, April. Chap. XI. An Act concerning Runaway Servants. "Whereas the securing of Servants that Runaway, or otherwise absent themselves from their Masters lawful Occasions, is found a material encouragement to such Persons as come into this country to settle Plantations and Populate the Province; for the better encouragement of such Persons, Be it therefore enacted by the Governor and Council and Deputies now met in General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, that if any Servant or Servants, Prentices or Covenant Servants, Run away or absent him or herself unlawfully from their Masters or Mistress' Service, being taken up or secured, so that the master or mistress hath him or her again, for the better Encouragement of such Person or Persons so securing him or them, they shall have Twenty Shillings paid him or them," etc.—New Jersey Laws, 292.