rity of the same, That if any person within this Colony shall directly or indirectly supply the Ministerial Army or Navy with Provisions, Military or Naval Stores, or shall five any intelligence to the officers, soldiers, or mariners, belonging to the said Army or Navy, or shall inlist or procure any other to inlist into the service of said Army or Navy, or shall take up arms against this or either of the United Colonies, or shall undertake to pilot any of the vessels belonging to said Navy, or in any other way shall aid or assist, them, and be thereof duly convicted before the Superior Court, shall forfeit all his estate; which shall be accordingly seized by order of the said court, for the use of this Colony; and such person shall be further punished by imprisonment in any of the jails in this Colony, at the direction of said court, for a term not exceeding three years.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That If any person, by writing or speaking, or by any overt act, shall libel or defame any of the resolves of the honourable Congress of the United Colonies, or the acts and proceedings of the General Assembly of this Colony, made, or which hereafter shall be made, for the defence or security of the rights and privileges of the people, and be thereof duly convicted before the Superior Court, shall be disarmed, and not allowed to have or keep any arms, and rendered incapable to hold or serve in any office, civil or military, and shall be further punished either by fine, imprisonment or disfranchisement, or find security of the peace, and good behaviour, as said court shall order, and shall pay the cost of prosecution.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That on complaint being made to the civil authority, Selectmen, and Committee of Inspection, of the respective towns in this Colony, against any person or persons dwelling or residing in such town, or any adjoining town, in the same County where there is not a Committee of Inspection, that he or they are inimical to the liberties of this Colony, and the other United Colonies in America, it shall be the duty of such civil authority, Selectmen, and Committee, to cause every such person or persons to appear before them to be examined; and if on examination they shall not be able to satisfy the said authority, Selectmen and Committee, or the major part of them, that they are not inimical to this or the other United American Colonies, then such person or persons shall be by order of such authority, Selectmen, and Committee, or the major part of them, disarmed, and not allowed to have or keep any arms, until they shall satisfy said authority, Selectmen, and Committee, or the major part of them, that such person or persons are friendly to this and the other United Colonies.

And for the more effectual carrying into execution this act, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That when any person shall be duly convicted and ordered to be disarmed as aforesaid, the Superior Court, or civil authority, Selectmen, and Committee aforesaid, as the case may happen, are hereby empowered and fully authorized to issue a warrant, signed by the Clerk of the Superior Court, or by one or more of the said civil authority, directed to the Sheriff of the County, his Deputy, or to the Constables of the town wherein such person or persons dwell, directing and ordering said officer forthwith to disarm such person or persons; and in case he or they shall refuse to resign up his or their arms, said officer by and with the advice of any one Assistant, and Justice of the Peace, or two Justices, is hereby authorized to raise the Militia of the County, or so many of them as they shall judge needful for the purpose of carrying into execution such warrant; and all military officers and soldiers being duly required, who shall neglect or refuse to obey the command of such Sheriff, his Deputy, or Constable, shall be subject to the same penalty as by law is provided for commissioned officers and soldiers who refuse to obey the Sheriff in the execution of his office. And all informing officers are directed to inquire after, and due presentment make, of all the breaches of the foregoing paragraph of this act.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That on information being made to any of the County Courts within this Colony, by the Selectmen of any towns, or the major part of them, that there are real estates in such town belonging to any person or persons, who have, since the making of this act, put, or shall continue to hold and screen themselves under the protection of the Ministerial Army, or have aided or assisted in carrying into execution the present Ministerial measures against America, such County Court within the County where such estate lieth, are hereby authorized and empowered to issue a warrant to attach such estate; an attested copy thereof with the officer's doings thereon, shall be left at the last usual place of abode of such person or persons, if within this Colony, at least twelve days before the sitting of the next County Court in such County; and if on inquiry by said court said information shall be found true, said court are directed to order said estate so attached to be held under the care of such person or persons as said court shall appoint, who shall improve said estate or estates for the use of this Colony, and be accountable for the rents and profits thereof.

Whereas this Assembly, in May, 1769, did establish and order that the military exercise called the Norfolk Militia Exercise, should be used and practised by the Militia of this Colony for the future: And whereas the Continental Army have adopted the military exercise usually called the Manual Exercise, as ordered by His Majesty in the year 1764, which is esteemed preferable in many respects to the said Norfolk Militia Exercise, for the purpose of preparing the soldiery for real service:

Resolved by this Assembly, That for the future the military exercise, called the Manual Exercise, ordered by His Majesty in 1764, shall be observed and practised by the Militia in this Colony; and that the Colonels, or chief commanding officer of the respective Regiments in this Colony, do give orders to the commanding officers of each Military Company under their command, that they conform themselves thereto, as soon as conveniently may be, any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

An Act in addition to a Law of this Colony, entitled An Act for the punishment of Deserters.

Be it enacted by the Governour and Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That if any Soldier or Mariner, regularly inlisted into, taken, or retained in the service of this Colony, or of this and the rest of the United Colonies, who shall depart without license of his commander, or that shall desert said service, and shall escape into, or be within this Colony, it shall be the duty of any and every person that shall be made acquainted therewith, and especially of the Constables and Grand Jurors in the several towns in this Colony, immediately to give notice thereof to the next Assistant or Justice of the Peace, who shall, by proper warrant under his hand, cause such person forthwith to be apprehended and committed to the common jail of the County where he shall be taken, and there be secured till he can be returned to his said commander. That if any person shall harbour or conceal any such deserter within this Colony, knowing him to be such, such person shall forfeit and pay to the Treasurer of this Colony, a sum not exceeding fifteen pounds, at the discretion of the court that shall have cognizance thereof, or imprisoned not exceeding two months, at the discretion of said court, and, that every person that shall be guilty of any breach of this act, shall be informed against by the same officers, prosecuted in the same manner, and tried before the same court mentioned in said law.

Whereas the Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers belonging to this Colony, who have been employed for the year past in the Continental Armies, stand liable and obliged by law to pay taxes for their respective polls, yet, considering the fatigues and importance of the service, and being desirous to encourage the future service, and to show some gratuitous token of approbation to those who have behaved well and served out faithfully the stipulated time by them entered into:

Be it therefore enacted by the Govemour, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That those Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers, who have faithfully discharged their respective duties as soldiers during the campaign that is past, shall be exempted from paying any taxes arising on their