Assembly Proceedings, October 1654. 343

of any family, Storekeeper or Shipmaster within this Province
who shall Suffer Drunkeness in their house, Store, or Ship,
shall be lyable to the aforesaid fine, being Lawfully Convicted
thereof any person or persons that shall inform thereof shall
have half the fine due by such offence as afores^d

10 Concerning Swearing

It is Enacted that Every person or person within the Province
that shall be Lawfully Convicted of Swearing shall be Lyable
to pay for Every oath Tenn pounds of Tobacco which shall be
discovered and brought to Tryall & punishment as is men-
tioned in the Act Concerning Drunkeness. And if any person
or psons shall be known and Convicted to be a Comon
Swearer Blasphemer or Curser by any Imp^rcations whatsoever
against God or man after one admonition by a Magistrate shall
be Subject to such penalty or punishm^t as the Court before
whom it is presented shall Determine

11 Concerning false Reports Slandering and Talebearing

All such as shall raise and publish false News & Reports to
the Disturbance of the publique peace of the Inhabitants being
Lawfully Convicted thereof shall pay one Thousand pounds of
Tobacco and Caske half whereof shall be to the Informer and
the other half to publique use and if the person soe offending

L. O. R.

No. 3
Liber B

shall not be able to pay the said fine then to Suffer such
punishment as the Court before whome the Cognizance of
such offence shall Come doe Determine That all such person
or persons who by Slandering tale bearing or backbiteing shall
Scandalize the Good Name of any person or persons directly
or indirectly in such words and Expressions as in the Common
acceptacon of the English Tongue or such Language as is
understood shall be counted Slander being Lawfully Convicted
shall be Censured both by way of Satisfaction to the party
Injured thereby and also to the Commonwealth for the breach
of the peace thereof

p. 426