290 Assembly Proceedings, April 26-June 3, 1715.

C. P.

become a servant for and dureing a terme of Seven years if a
Servant shall finish her time of Servitude togeather with the
Damage that shall Accrue to such person to whome she is a
Servant by Occasion of any Child or Children begotten as
afd in the time of her Servitude as afd And after such Satis-

p. 135

faction made shall againe become a Servant for & During the
Terme of Seven years afd And if such begetter of such Child
as afd be a ffree Negroe he shall become a Servant for and
dureing the terme of Seven years as afd to be Adjudged by the
Justices of the County Court where such fact is Co,itted
According to this Law in the Clause made and provided
against such Servants as have bastards and the Issues or
Children of such Unnaturall and Inordinate Copulations shall
be Servants till they Arrive att the Age of thirty one years
and any white man that shall begett any Negroe woman with
Child whether ffree woman or Servant shall Undergoe the
same penalties as white women all which times of Servitude
by this Act Imposed upon the persons having soe Offended
to be disposed of or Imployed as the Justices of such County
shall think fitt the produce whereof shall be Appropriated
towards Defraying the County Charge.
And be itt further Enacted by the Authority afd that any
Servant woman having a bastard Child And not able Suffi-
ciently to prove the party Charged to bee the begetter of
such Child in Every such case the Mother of such Child shall
be Lyable to Satisfy the Damage so sustained by Servitude
or otherwise as the Court before whome such Matter is brought
shall see Convenient. Provided that where the Mother of
Any such Child as afd doe prove the Charge by sufficient

p. 136

Testimony of Witness Confession of the party Charged or
pregnant Circumstances agreeing with her Declaration in her
Extremity of her paines or throws of Travail and her Oath
taken by some Magistrate before the time of her Delivery of
Every such bastard Child or after her delivery then the party
Charged if a Servant shall Satisfie halfe the Damage if a
ffreeman shall Satisfie the whole Damage by Servitude or
otherwise as the Court before whome such Matter is brought
as afd shall think fitt but if the said ffreeman Cannot be brought
to Justice then and in Every such Case she shall make the
same Satisfaction as if she Could not prove the begetter as
afd And if any such Mother as afd be able to prove by such
Testimony or Confession of the party Charged that he being
a Single person and a ffreeman did before the begetting of
such Child promise her marriage that then he shall be att his
Choice Either to performe his promise to her or recompence
her abuse according as the Court before whome such Matter
is brought shall Adjudge.