| Date | 1792 |
|---|---|
| Law/Legislation | Law |
| Jurisdiction | VA |
| Title | Chapter 67 |
| Description/Full Text | All white persons not being citizens of any of the confederated states of America, who shall come in under contract to serve another, shall be compellable to perform such contract during the term thereof or during so much of the same as shall not exceed seven years. Infants under fourteen shall serve to twenty-one years or for such shorter term as their contract fixes. It is the master's duty to provide serants with food, clothing, etc. Lazy, disorderly servants shall be corrected with stripes on order from a justice. The servant shall be compelled to serve two days for every one he refuses to serve. Courts may discharge servants from service if masters injure them grossly. Contracts between master and servant during the time of service shall be void. Court shall receive complaints of servants who allege immoderate correction, insufficient food, etc., and complaints of masters against their servants. A servant who is lazy disorderly, or guilty of misbehavior to his master shall be correted by stripes. No negro, mulatto, or Indian shall purchase any servant other than of their own complexion, and if any of the aforesaid persons do purchase a white servant such servant shall immediately become free. Servants when free shall have certificates thereof. No person shall buy of or sell to any servant any commodity without the leave or consent of the master or owner of such servant under penalty of forfeithing four times the value of the thing bought or sold, and also forfeit $20.00 or receive on his or her bare back thirty-nine lashes, well laid on at the public whipping post. |
| Additional Information | – |
| Source | Black Laws of Virginia, By: June Purcell Guild |
| Transcriber Notes | – |
If you are citing this record, please use the following format:
[Author (if known)], Laws and Legislation Related to Slavery and Free Blacks in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (1642-1860), [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.
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