entees; who, by such omission, lose not only the land, but all their
rights and charges into the bargain.

But if within the three years after the date of the patent, or before
any new petition is preferred for it, the patentee shall set or plant
the said land, as the law directs; it cannot afterwards be forfeited,
but by attainder, or escheat, in which case it returns to his majesty
again.

Also when it happens, that the patentee dies within the three years,
leaving the heir under age, there is farther time given the heir after
he comes of age to set and save such land.

Sec. 61. When land is suggested to escheat, the governor issues his warrant
to the escheator, to make inquest thereof: and when upon such inquest,
office is found for the king, it must be recorded in the secretary's
office, and there kept nine months, to see if any person will lay claim
to it, or can traverse the escheat. If any such appear, upon his
petition to the general court he is heard, before any grant can be made.
If no person oppose the inquest, the land is given to the man that shews
the best equitable right thereto; and if there be none such, it is then
granted to any one, that the governor and council shall think fit, the
grantee always paying two pounds of tobacco per acre into the treasury
of the country, as a fine of composition with his majesty for his
escheat: and thereupon a patent issues reciting premises.

CHAPTER XIII.

OF THE LIBERTIES AND NATURALIZATION OF ALIENS IN VIRGINIA.

Sec. 62. Christians of all nations have equal freedom there, and upon their
arrival become _ipso facto_ entitled to all the liberties and privileges
of the country, provided they take the oaths of obedience to the crown
and government, and obtain the governor's testimonial thereof.

The method of obtaining naturalization is thus: the party desiring it
goes before the governor, and tenders his oath of allegiance, which the
governor thereupon administers, and immediately makes certificate of it
under the seal of the colony. By this means, the person alien is
completely naturalized to all intents and purposes.

Sec. 63. The French refugees sent in thither by the charitable exhibition
of his late majesty king William, are naturalized, by a particular law
for that purpose.

In the year 1699, there went over about three hundred of these, and the
year following about two hundred more, and so on, till there arrived in
all between seven and eight h