The History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada Part 25

T H A T the Estates of capital Offenders, as Traitors and Murderers, shall go one third to the next of kin to the Sufferer, and the Remainder to the next of kin to the Criminal.

XXVI.

T H A T all Witnesses, coming or called to testify their Knowledge in or to any Matter or Thing in any Court, or before any lawful Authority within the said Province, shall there give or deliver in their Evidence or Testimony by solemnly promising to speak the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, to the Matter or Thing in Question. And in case any Person so called to Evidence, shall be convicted of wilful Falshood, such Person shall suffer and undergo such Damage or Penalty, as the Person or Persons against whom he or she bore false Witness, did or should undergo; and shall also make Satisfaction to the Party wronged, and be publickly exposed as a false Witness, never to be credited in any Court, or before any Magistrate in the said Province.

XXVII.

A N D to the end that all Officers chosen to serve within this Province, may with more Care and Diligence answer the Trust reposed in them, it is agreed, That no such Person shall enjoy more than one publick Office at one Time.

XXVIII.

T H A T all Children within this Province of the Age of twelve Years, shall be taught some useful Trade or Skill, to the end none may be idle, but the Poor may work to live, and the Rich, if they become poor, may not want.

XXIX.

T H A T Servants be not kept longer than their Time, and such as are careful, be both justly and kindly used in their Service, and put in fitting Equipage at the Expiration thereof, according to Custom.

x.x.x.

T H A T all scandalous and malicious Reporters, Backbiters, Defamers, and Spreaders of false News, whether against Magistrates or private Persons, shall be accordingly severely punished, as Enemies to the Peace and Concord of this Province.

x.x.xI.

T H A T for the Encouragement of the Planters and Traders in this Province, who are incorporated into a Society, the Patent granted to them by _William Penn_, Governor of the said Province, is hereby ratified and confirmed.

x.x.xII.

x.x.xIII.

T H A T all Factors or Correspondents in the said Province, wronging their Employers, shall make Satisfaction and one third over, to their said Employers: And in case of the Death of any such Factor or Correspondent, the Committee of Trade shall take care to secure so much of the deceased Party's Estate, as belongs to his said respective Employers.

x.x.xIV.

T H A T all Treasurers, Judges, Masters of the Rolls, Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace, and other Officers and Persons whatsoever, relating to Courts or Trials of Causes, or any other Service in the Government; and all Members elected to serve in provincial Council and general a.s.sembly, and all that have Right to elect such Members, shall be such as profess Faith in Jesus Christ, and that are not convicted of ill Fame, or unsober and dishonest Conversation, and that are of _twenty-one_ Years of Age at least; and that all such so qualified, shall be capable of the said several Employments and Privileges as aforesaid.

x.x.xV.

T H A T all Persons living in this Province, who confess and acknowledge the one Almighty and Eternal G.o.d, to be the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the World; and that hold themselves obliged in Conscience to live peaceably and justly in civil Society, shall in no Ways be molested or prejudiced for their religious Persuasion or Practice in Matters of Faith and Wors.h.i.+p, nor shall they be compell'd at any Time to frequent or maintain any religious Wors.h.i.+p, Place or Ministry whatever.

x.x.xVI.

T H A T according to the good Example of the primitive Christians, and the Ease of the Creation, every _first_ Day of the Week, called the Lord's Day, People shall abstain from their common daily Labour, that they may the better dispose themselves to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d according to their Understandings.

x.x.xVII.

T H A T as a careless and corrupt Administration of Justice draws the Wrath of G.o.d upon Magistrates, so the Wildness and Looseness of the People provoke the Indignation of G.o.d against a Country: Therefore, That all such Offences against G.o.d, as Swearing, Cursing, Lying, prophane Talking, Drunkenness, Drinking of Healths, obscene Words, Incest, Sodomy, Rapes, Wh.o.r.edom, Fornication, and other Uncleanness (not to be repeated) all Treasons, Misprisions, Murders, Duels, Felony, Sedition, Maims, forcible Entries, and other Violences, to the Persons and Estates of the Inhabitants within this Province. All Prizes, Stage-plays, Cards, Dice, Maygames, Gamesters, Masques, Revels, Bull-baitings, c.o.c.k-fightings, Bear-baitings, and the like, which excite the People to Rudeness, Cruelty, Looseness, and Irreligion, shall be respectively discouraged and severely punish'd, according to the Appointment of the Governor and Freemen in provincial Council and general a.s.sembly; as also all Proceedings contrary to these Laws, that are not here made expresly penal.

x.x.xVIII.

T H A T a Copy of these Laws shall be hung up in the provincial Council, and in publick Courts of Justice: And that they shall be read yearly at the Opening of every provincial Council and general a.s.sembly, and Court of Justice; and their a.s.sent shall be testified, by their standing up after the Reading thereof.

x.x.xIX.

T H A T there shall be at no time any Alteration of any of these Laws, without the Consent of the Governor, his Heirs or a.s.signs, and six Parts of seven of the Freemen, met in provincial Council and general a.s.sembly.

XL.

T H A T all other Matters and Things not herein provided for, which shall and may concern the publick Justice, Peace or Safety of the said Province; and the raising and imposing Taxes, Customs, Duties, or other Charges whatsoever, shall be and are hereby referred to the Order, Prudence and Determination of the Governor and Freemen in provincial Council and general a.s.sembly, to be held from time to time in the said Province.

_Signed and Sealed by the Governor and Freemen aforesaid, the_ fifth _Day of the_ third _Month, called_ May, _One Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty-Two._

_Certain_ Conditions or Concessions _agreed upon by_ William Penn, _Proprietor and Governor of the Province of_ Pensilvania, _and those who are the Adventurers and Purchasers in the same Province, the_ Eleventh _of_ July, _One Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty-one._

F I R S T.

T H A T so soon as it pleaseth G.o.d, that the abovesaid Persons arrive there, a certain Quant.i.ty of Land or Ground Plat, shall be laid out for a large Town or City, in the most convenient Place upon the River for Health and Navigation; and every Purchaser and Adventurer, shall by Lot have so much Land therein as will answer to the Proportion which he hath bought or taken up upon Rent: But it is to be noted, that the Surveyors shall consider what Roads or Highways will be necessary to the Cities, Towns, or thro' the Lands. Great Roads from City to City shall not contain less than _forty_ Foot in Breadth, and shall be first laid out and declared to be for Highways, before the Dividend of Acres be laid out for the Purchaser; and the like Observation to be had for the Streets in the Towns and Cities, that there may be convenient Roads and Streets preserved, not to be incroached upon by any Planter or Builder, that none may build irregularly to the Damage of another. _In this, Custom governs_.

II.

T H A T the Land in the Town be laid out together after the Proportion of _ten thousand_ Acres of the whole Country, that is, _two hundred_ Acres if the Place will bear it: However, that the Proportion be by Lot, and entire, so as those that desire to be together, especially those that are by the Catalogue laid together, may be so laid together both in the Town and Country.

III.

T H A T when the Country-Lots are laid out, every Purchaser, from _one thousand_ to _ten thousand_ Acres, or more, not to have above _one thousand_ Acres together, unless in _three_ Years they plant a Family upon every _thousand_ Acres; but that all such as purchase together, lie together; and is as many as comply with this Condition, that the whole be laid out together.

IV.