AN ACT FOR NATURALIZATION. Whereas, King Charles the second, of England, &c., hath Preamble. been gratiously pleased, by his letters Patents, under y great seal of England, dated y 4 day of y° month, called March, 168, to grant unto William Penn, Son and Heir of S W Penn, deceased, this Province of Pennsilvania, according to the Bounds therein exprest, with Powers to make Laws by and with the Consent of the freemen of the said Province, not repugnant to their Faith & Allegiance, and y* loyal goverm't of y said Realme: And It having also pleased James Duke of York & Albany, &c., to release his Right & Claime thereunto, to the said William Penn, whereby he, y' said WTM Penn, is become y° rightful Proprietary & Governour of the Province aboves, & is hereby freely & fully Recognized & Acknowledged: And The said Duke having, by two Deeds of Feofment, dated y° 24 of y° month, called August, in 1682, conveyed to William Penn, Proprietary & Governour of Pennsilvania, all that Tract of Land from Twelve Miles Northward of New Castle on y sa River, down to the South Cape, call'd Cape Henlopen, upon y West side of y's" River and Bay, & the sa River & Soyl thereof, & all Isles therein, as by y said Deeds more at large appears, lately cast into Three Counties, called New Castle, Jones's and Whorekills, alias New Deal, & their Appertinances, wth all Royalties and Jurisdictions thereunto belonging, whereby y Proprietary & Governour of Pennsilvania is Proprietary & Governour of the Counties afores, which is also hereby recognized & freely & fully acknowledged to all Intents and Purposes: And forasmuch, as it is apparent y' y just Encouragemen' of y Inhabitants of this Province & terretory thereunto belonging is likely to be an effectual way for ye Improvem* thereof: And since some of y' People y' live therein & are like to come thereinto are Forreigners, & so not Freemen, according to y° Acceptation of y Law of England, y° Consequences of weh might prove very detrimental to y" in their Estates & Traffick, & so injurious to y° prosperity of this Province & Terretory thereof. Be it enacted by y' Governour & Proprietary of y Province & Counties aboves', by & wt y' Consent of y Deputies of y' Freemen thereof in Assembly met, That all Persons who are Strangers & Forreigners, y now Naturalization do inhabit this Province & Counties afores, yt hold Land in of foreigners, Fee in y same, according to y° Law of a Freeman, & who provided for. shall within three months after y° date hereof, in their respective county courts where they live, solemnly_promise upon record, Faith & Allegiance unto y King of England, & his lawful heirs & successors, & Fidelity & lawfull obedience to WTM Penn, Proprietary & Governour of this Province &c, & his Heirs & Assigns, according to y King's Letters Patents, shall be held & reputed Freemen of y Province & Counties afores, in as ample & full a manner as any Person residing therein, Any Act or Thing herein to yo contrary in Certificate of any wise notwtstanding.* Given at Chester, alias Upland, this 7th Day of December, being y second year of y° Goverment of William Penn, Proprietary and Governour of Pennsilvania, annoqe D'm, 1682.† *& it is hereby further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That naturalization, to when at any time, any person that is a forenner, shall make his or be given. her request to the Governour, his heirs or Assigns, to Injoy the freedom aforesaid, he or she shall be admitted on the Conditions herein before expressed, by certificate under yo hand and seal of ye Proprietary Gov', every such one paying twenty shillings sterling & no more for a certificate of the same. Cost thereof. Wm PENN. †This act declared a fundamental law-See Chapter 141, post. It was continued until the year 1700, and then an act of Assembly was made at New Castle of like import, which repealed it, and the act which repealed this was afterwards repealed-See Bioren's Laws, Vol. 6, Appendix, page 36. THE GREAT LAW OR THE BODY OF LAWS, Of the Province of Pennsilvania & Territories thereunto belonging, Past At an Assembly held at Chester, alias, Upland, the 7 day of the 10 Month called December, 1682. Whereas, the glory of Almighty God and the good of Man- Preamble.* kind, is the reason & end of government, and therefore, government in itself is a venerable Ordinance of God. And forasmuch as it is principally desired and intended by the Proprietary and Governor and the freemen of the Province of Pennsylvania and territories thereunto belonging, to make and establish such Laws as shall best preserve true Christian and Civil Liberty, in opposition to all Unchristian, Licentious, and unjust practices, (Whereby God may have his due, Caesar his due, and the people their due,) from tyranny and oppression on the one side, and insolence, and Licentiousness on the other, so that the best and firmest foundation may be layd for the present and future happiness of both the Governor and people, of the Province and territories aforesaid, and their posterity. Be it therefore Enacted by William Penn, Proprietary and Governour, by, and with the Advice and Consent of the Deputies of the freemen of this Province and Counties aforesaid, in Assembly met, and by the Authority of the same, That these following Chapters and Paragraphs shall be the Laws of Pennsylvania and the territories thereof. Chap. I. Almighty God, being Only Lord of Conscience father of Lights and Spirits, and the author as well as object of all Divine knowledge, faith, and Worship, who only can. enlighten the mind, and persuade and convince the understandings of people. In due reverence to his Sovereignty over the Souls of Mankind. Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no person, Liberty of connow, or at any time hereafter, Living in this Province, who science shall be shall confess and acknowledge one Almighty God to be the acknowledge one * Marginal notes copied from original manuscript on file in office of Secretary of Commonwealth.-See Colonial Records, edition of 1852, Vol. I, page 97, where committee was appointed to inspect notes. given to all who God, &c. themselves obliged to live peaceably and quietly under the quent or main And who profess Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the world, And who professes, him, or herself Obliged in Conscience to Live peaceably and quietly under the civil government, shall in any case civil government. be molested or prejudiced for his, or her Conscientious perNor shall they be suasion or practice. Nor shall hee or shee at any time be compelled to fre- compelled to frequent or Maintain anie religious worship, tain any religious place or Ministry whatever, Contrary to his, or her mind, worship place but shall freely and fully enjoy his, or her, Christian Liberty or ministry whatever contrary to in that respect, without any Interruption or reflection. And if any person shall abuse or deride any other, for his, or her Abusers of these, different persuasion and practice in matters of religion, such suasions and person shall be lookt upon as a Disturber of the peace, and practice in relig be punished accordingly. their minds. Deriders and for different per ion, punishable as disturbers of the peace. But Labor and common toil to be each first day of abstained from the week. But to the end That Looseness, irreligion, and Atheism may not Creep in under pretense of Conscience in this Province, Be It further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That, according to the example of the primitive Christians, and for the ease of the Creation, Every first day of the week, called the Lord's day, People shall abstain from their usual and common toil and labour, That whether Masters, Parents, Children, or Servants, they may the better dispose themselves to read the Scriptures of truth at home, or frequent such meetings of religious worship abroad, as may best sute their respective persuasions.* The qualifica ployee of the government. Jesus Christ to Chap. II. And be it further Enacted by &c. That all officers tions of the em- and persons Commissionated and employed in the service of the government in this Province, and all Members and DepuOught to believe ties elected to serve in the Assembly thereof, and all that have be the son of God, a Right to elect such Deputies, shall be such as profess and declare they believe in Jesus Christ to be the son of God, the Saviour of the world, And that are not Convicted of illill-fame or dis- fame, or unsober and dishonest Conversation, and that are honest conversa- of twenty one years of age at Least.† and Saviour of the world. Not convicted of tion and twenty one yrs. of age. Swearing by suffer five days Chap. III. And be it further enacted &c. That whosoever Shall Swear in their common Conversation, by the name of God, or Christ, or Jesus, being Legally convicted thereof, shall pay for every such offence five shillings, or suffer five days imprisonment in the house of correction, at hard labour, *Declared a fundamental law-See Chap. 141, post. Abrogated by William and Mary, King and Queen in 1693-See Appendix. Reenacted the same year-See Chap. I, Petition of Right, post. Abrogated by William and Mary, King and Queen, in the year 1693--See Appendix. Re-enacted the same year-See Chap. II, Petition of Right, post. to the beehoof of the publick, and be fed with bread and water only, During that time.* Swearing by any Chap. IV. And be it further enacted &c. that whosoever shall swear by any other thing or name, and is Legally con- other thing or victed thereof, shall for every such offence, pay half a Crown, name. Pay half or suffer three days imprisonment in the house of Correction, three days imat hard labor, having only bread and water for their suste- prisonment. nance.* a crown or suffer Christ, Spirit, or suffer five days Chap. V. And be it further enacted &c. for the better pre- speaking provention of Corrupt Communication, That whosover shall fancly of God, speak loosely and profanely of Almighty God, Christ Jesus, Scriptures. Pay the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures of truth, and is legally con- five shillings, or victed thereof, shall, for every such offence, pay five shil- imprisonment. lings, or suffer five days imprisonment in the house of Correction, at hard labour, to the behoof of the public, and be fed with bread and water only, during that time.* Chap. VI. And be it further enacted &c. That Whosoever cursing. shall, in their Conversation at any time Curse himself or an- Pay five shillings or suffer five days other or anything belonging to himself or any other, and is imprisonment. Legally convicted thereof, shall pay for every such offence five shillings, or suffer five days imprisonment as aforesaid.* lic whipping and Chap. VII. And be it further enacted &c. that whosoever Defiling the mar defileth the marriage bed, by lying with another Woman or riage bed. Pub Man, than their own wife or husband, being legally convicted a year's imprisonthereof, shall for the first offence be publicly whipt and suf- ment. fer one whole year's imprisonment in the house of correction, at hard labor, to the behoof of the publick, and longer if the Magistrate see meet. And both he and the woman shall be The offender diliable to a Bill of Divorcement, if required by the grieved grieved will withhusband or wife, within the said term of one whole year after Conviction. And for the Second offence, imprisonment in Second offence. manner aforesaid, During Life. And if the party with whom imprisonment for *Abrogated by William and Mary, King and Queen, in the year 1693-See Appendix. Re-enacted the same year-See Chapters 3, 4 and 5, Petition of Right, post. vorceable, if the in a year. life. |