for repealing the same, now returned, or returnable, determined, or depending in the said General Court, be confirmed, and the same are hereby declared to be in full force, and as good and valid, to all intents and purposes, as if the said first mentioned act had not been repealed; any law, usage, or custom, to the contrary, notwithstanding.

Preamble.

Directors

CHAP. VI.

An Act for enlarging the Church in the City of Williamsburg, and purchasing an Organ to be placed therein.

I. WHEREAS the church, in the city of Williamsburg, is not sufficiently large to contain all such persons as resort thither, in the times of the sitting and holding of the General Assemblies, and General Courts, of this colony:

II. BE it enacted by the Lieutenant Governor, Coun appointed. cil, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That the Honourable John Blair, esq. the Honourable Philip Ludwell, esq. John Robinson, and Peyton Randolph, esquires; Armistead Burwell, James Power, and Benjamin Waller, gentlemen; or any four of them, be, and they are hereby impowered, to covenant, agree with, hire and employ, such and so many undertakers, workmen, and labourers, and to provide, furnish, and buy, such materials, as they, or any four of them, shall think convenient and proper to be employed and made use of, in and about enlarging the said church; and to give such necessary orders, and directions therein, from time to time, as they shall see cause, until it shall be finished.

for money

How they III. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforeare to apply said, That the said directors, as often as they shall have occasion for money, for the uses aforesaid, shall, from time to time, apply themselves to the governor, or commander in chief for the time being, to issue out his warrant to the treasurer of this colony, to pay so

when wanted.

much money as shall be wanting for the purposes aforesaid, not exceeding the sum of three hundred pounds, who is hereby required to pay the same accordingly; which said sum or sums, the said directors shali account for, at the next meeting of the Assembly, after the work aforesaid shall be finished.

Directors

IV. And be it further enacted, by the authority afore impowered said, That the said directors be, and they are hereby to send for impowered to send to Great Britain for, and purchase an organ. a musical organ, for the use of, and to be placed and kept in, the said church; and to apply to the governor, or commander in chief, to issue out his warrant to the treasurer of this colony, to pay so much money as shall be sufficient to defray the charges of purchasing and importing the said organ, not exceeding the sum of two hundred pounds, who is hereby required to pay the same accordingly; which said last mentioned money, the said directors, shall also account for, at the next meeting of the Assembly, after the said organ shall be purchased and imported.

CHAP. VII.

An Act for declaring the process, and pro-. ceedings, of the county courts of Lunenburg, Brunswick, Fairfax, Frederick, Albemarle, and Augusta, between the commencement, and expiration, or suspension, of the act, intituled, An Act for altering the method of holding courts in the counties of Brunswick, Fairfax, Lunenburg, Frederick, Albemarle, and Augusta, to be good and valid.

I. WHEREAS the act of the General Assembly, made in the twenty-second year of the reign of his present majesty, intituled, An act for altering the method of holding courts in the counties of Bruns

wick, Fairfax, Lunenburg, Frederick, Albemarle, and Augusta, will expire at the end of this session of Assembly: And whereas it is doubted whether, since his majesty's assent, to the act made in the twentysecond year of his reign, intituled, An act for establishing county courts, and for regulating and settling the proceedings therein, the same can be revived and continued; and it is highly necessary and expedient, to confirm all the process and proceedings, which have issued out, or been had, under the same act:

II. Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That all writs and other process, at common law, or in chancery, and all suits and proceedings whatsoever, issued, granted, or prosecuted, at any time between the commencement of the said first mentioned act, and the passing of this act, now returned, or returnable, determined, or depending, in any of the said courts, be confirmed, and the same are hereby declared to be in full force, and as good and valid, to all intents and purposes, as if the said first mentioned act had not been suspended, or expired; any law, usage, or custom, to the contrary, notwithstanding.

III. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That all causes now depending and undetermined, in any of the said courts, shall be transposed, and carried out of the rule dockets, for each of the said courts, into the court dockets thereof, in the same order as they now stand in the rule dockets, in the said several courts respectively, and shall be proceeded in according to the method used in monthly courts.

CHAP. VIII.

An Act for regulating the size and dimensions of Staves, Heading, and Shingles, intended for exportation to Madeira, and the West Indies.

I. WHEREAS the exportation of lumber is a con-. siderable and beneficial branch of the trade of this colony, but for want of a legal regulation of the several sizes and dimensions, the value has been greatly lessened abroad, for remedy whereof:

Preamble.

II. BE it enacted, by the Lieutenant Governor, Coun- The dimensil, and Burgesses, of this present General Assembly, sions of and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, staves, headThat from and after the first day of January next, all shingles. ing, and staves, heading, and shingles, exported out of this colony to Madeira, or the West Indies, shall be of the full dimensions herein after expressed; that is to say: All pipe staves, exported to Madeira, shall be four feet, eight inches long, and four inches broad, and one inch thick, on the heart edge; all hogshead staves, shall be three feet, six inches long, four inches broad, and three quarters of an inch thick; all hogshead heading, two feet, eight inches long, seven inches broad, and one inch thick, upon the heart edge; all barrel staves, shall be two feet eight inches long, four inches broad, and three quarters of an inch thick; all barrel heading eighteen inches long, six inches broad, and three quarters of an inch thick on the heart edge, and all the aforesaid staves and headings clear of sap; all shingles shall be eighteen inches and a half long, five inches broad, and five eighths of an inch thick; which said several sorts shall be of the dimensions aforesaid, at the least, and well got, of good, sound, merchantable timber.

courts to ap. point view.

ers.

III. And for the better putting this act in execu- The county tion, Be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That in every county of this dominion, lying upon a navigable river, or creek, the court thereof, shall, and is required, in the months of August, or September, annually, to nominate and appoint, one or more, fit and able person, or persons, residing within their E E-Vol. 6.

Their oath.

Their fees.

county, to view all staves, headings, and shingles, intended for exportation; and every person so appointed, shall, at the next court held after his appointment, in open court, take the following oath, to wit,

I A. B. do swear, that I will, when thereto required, carefully and diligently view all staves, headings, and shingles, intended to be exported, and which shall be to me produced, and that I will not knowingly pass or certify any such, except I shall find the same to be of the dimensions by law required and directed.—So help me God.

Their duty. The taking of which oath shall be recorded, and thereupon every such viewer shall be, and is hereby authorised and required, upon notice to him given, to attend. at any convenient landing, to which the commodities aforesaid, or any of them, shall be brought for shipping off, and to view the same, and shall give one or more certificate or certificates, to the party or parties requiring the view, of the just number, and the sorts of each by him viewed and passed, and of what timber; which certificate or certificates shall be delivercd to the master or mate of the vessel, wherein the goods, so viewed and certified, shall be shipped; and every viewer, for the services by him so done and performed, shall be paid by the party requiring his attendance, after the rates following, that is to say, for every gross thousand of pipe staves, six score to to the hundred, two shillings; for every such thousand of hogshead staves, or headings, one shilling and three pence; for every such thousand of barrel staves, or headings, one shilling; for every thousand shingles, four pence, and proportionably for a greater or less quantity; and if any viewer, so as aforesaid appointed and sworn, shall refuse or neglect to attend and execute his office when required, not being hindered by sickPenalty on ness, or other just cause, or shall demand and take them for ne- any other, or greater fee or fees, than herein before glect; or for allowed him, he shall forfeit and pay fifteen shillings passing current money, for every such offence; and if he shall wilfully or knowingly, pass and certify any staves, headings, or shingles, of less dimensions than by this act required; he shall forfeit and pay two shillings for every hundred thereof, and proportionably for a greater or less quantity; both which penalties, shall and may be recovered with costs by the informer, or party

staves, &c.

of less di

mensions

than this act equires.