which both purchaser and seller had to pay in fines,
stripes, and imprisonment. A slave could not keep in his own name, or
that of his master, any kind of a house of entertainment. He was even
prohibited by law from selling corn or rice in the Province. The
penalty was a fine of forty shillings, and the forfeiture of the
articles for sale. They could not keep a boat or canoe.

The cruelties of the code are without a parallel, as applied to the
correction of Negro slaves.

"If any negro or Indian slave [says the act of Feb. 7, 1690]
shall offer any violence, by stricking or the like, to any
white person, he shall for the first offence be severely
whipped by the constable, by order of any justice of peace;
and for the second offence, by like order, shall be severely
whipped, his or her nose slit, and face burnt in some place;
and for the third offence, to be left to two justices and
three sufficient freeholders, to inflict death, or any other
punishment, according to their discretion."

As the penalties for the smallest breach of the slave-code grew more
severe, the slaves grew more restless and agitated. Sometimes under
great fear they would run away for a short time, in the hope that
their irate masters would relent. But this, instead of helping,
hindered and injured the cause of the slaves. Angered at the conduct
of their slaves, the master element, having their representatives on
the floor of the Assembly, secured the passage of the following brutal
law:--

"That every slave of above sixteen years of age, that shall
run away from his master, mistress or overseer, and shall so
continue for the space of twenty days at one time, shall, by
his master, mistress, overseer or head of the family's
procurement, for the first offence, be publicly and severely
whipped, not exceeding forty lashes; and in case the master,
mistress, overseer, or head of the family, shall neglect to
inflict such punishment of whipping, upon any negro or slave
that shall so run away, for the space of ten days, upon
complaint made thereof, within one month, by any person
whatsoever, to any justice of the peace, the said justice of
the peace shall, by his warrant directed to the constable,
order the said negro or slave to be publicly and severely
whipped, the charges of such whipping, not exceeding twenty
shillings, to be borne