Public fer ries in Norfolk, to be supported at charge of county. CHAP. XXV. An Act to impower the Justices of the County of Norfolk to agree with persons to keep certain Ferries, and to levy the expence thereof upon the inhabitants of the said County. I. WHEREAS it hath been represented to this present general assembly, by the inhabitants of the county and borough of Norfolk, that on the branches of Elizabeth river, and on Tanner's creek in the said county, there are five public ferries, over one of which most of the said inhabitants are obliged to pass in order to go to church, court, and general musters, and that by the expence of ferriage many poor people are prevented from bringing their small wares and commodities to the market of the said borough: Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General Astembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the authority of the same, That the justices of the court of the said county of Norfolk, for the time being, be, and they are hereby impowered and required to appoint, contract, and agree with proper persons to keep the said ferries, and to levy the expence thereof upon the tithable inhabitants of the said county annually at the laying the county levy. 1 11. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforeDuty of said. That every person so appointed to keep the said keepers. ferries shall constantly keep such boats and hands as the said court shall, from time to time, order and direct to be kept at the said ferries, respectively, and shall give immediate passage over the said ferries to all the inhabitants of the said county without any fee or reward. who not. III. Provided always, and it is hereby enacted, That such ferry-keepers shall and may demand and receive who to pay from persons, not being inhabitants of the said county of Norfolk, the following rates, that is to say: For a man four pense, and for an horse the same, for every coach, chariot, or waggon, and the driver thereof, the same as for six horses: For every cart or four wheel chaise, and the driver thereof, as for four horses: For every two wheel chair or chaise the same as for two horses. For every hogshead of tobacco as for one horse: For every head of nett cattle as for one horse: For every sheep, goat, or lamb, one fifth part of the ferriage of one horse; and for every hog one fourth part of the ferriage of one horse, any law, usage, or custom to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding. CHAP. XXVI. An Act for dissolving the Vestry of the parish of Saint Paul, in the County of Stafford. I. WHEREAS several of the vestrymen of the pa- Vestry of St. rish of Saint Paul, in the county of Stafford, by rea- Paul, in Stafford dissolvson of their great age and infirmities, are unable to ed. attend at vestries, and several illegal things have been transacted by the majority of the said vestry, to the oppression of the inhabitants of the said parish, who have petitioned this present general assembly that the said vestry may be dissolved: 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 the said vestry of the said parish of Saint Paul, in the said county of Stafford, be, and the same is hereby dissolved; and that all and every act and acts, thing and things which at any time hereafter shall or may be done, performed, or suffered by the said vestry of the said parish shall be absolutely void and of none effect. II. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That the freeholders and house keepers of the said parish shall meet at some convenient time and place, to be appointed and publicly advertised, at least one month, by the sheriff of the sad county of Stafford, before the last day of July next, and then and there elect twelve of the most able and discreet persons of their parish to be vestrymen thereof; which said yestrymen so elected, by virtue of this act, having, in court of she said county of Stafford, taken and subU-VOL. 7. scribed the oaths appointed to be taken by one act of parliament, made in the first year of the reign of his late majesty king George the first, intituled, An Act for the further security of his majesty's person and government, and the succession of the crown in the heirs of the late Princess Sophia, being protestants, and for extinguishing the hopes of the pretended Prince of Wales, his open and secret abettors, and taken and subscribed the oath of abjaration, and repeated and subscribed the test, and also subscribed to be conformable to the doctrine and discipline of the church of England, shall, to all intents and purposes, be deemed and taken to be the vestry of the parish of Saint Paul; and upon the death, removal, or resignation of any of the said vestrymen, so to be elected, the remaining vestrymen shall be, and they are hereby impowered to chuse and elect another vestryman in the room of such vestryman so dying, removing or resigning. Lemuel Rid CHAP. XXVII. An Act to impower Lemuel Riddick to clear ses therein mentioned. I. WHEREAS it hath been represented to this gedick impow. neral assembly, That the upper part of Summerton ered to clear Creek, in the county of Nansemond, which runs into Summerton Chowan river, in the province of North-Carolina, is creek, in useless to the inhabitants of this colony, by means of Nansemond. river dams, rafts of old trees, and other obstructions therein, and that the clearing the said creek, and making the same navigable, will be a public benefit, and Lemuel Riddick, of the town of Suffolk, in the county aforesaid, hath applied to this general assembly for leave to clear the same at his own expence: 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 it shall and may be lawful for the said Lemuel Riddick, his heirs or assigns, and he and they are hereby au thorised and impowered, at his or their own expence, at any time or times after the passing of this act, to clear the said creek of all obstructions and make the same navigable for small craft, from the line which divides this colony from the province of North-Carolina, to any part of the lands of the said Lemuel, on the said creek, and to erect any gates, dams or stops that may be necessary for supplying and raising water in the said creek. II. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for the said Lemuel Riddick, his heirs or assigns, or any person or persons employed by him or them in the execution of this act, to pass through or go on shore upon the lands of any person or persons whatsoever without being subject to an action of trespass for the same; and if any suit shall be commenced for any thing done in pursuance of this act, the person or persons sued may plead the general issue, and give this act in evidence; and every court before whom such suit shall be prosecuted, where a verdict shall be fend for the defendant or the plaintiff shall be nonsuited, shall award judgment for such defendant and costs. III. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Lemuel Riddick, his heirs and assigns, as soon as he or they shall have cleared and made the said creek navigable, to demand and receive of and from all or any person or persons who shall transport any goods, effects, or merchandise up or down the said creek, in any vessel, or upon any. rafts, the following rates, to wit: For every barrel of pork, beef, tar, pitch or turpentine four pence per barrel: For every hogshead of rum, deer-skins, or other goods, one shilling: For every bushel of salt or grain one penny current money, and so in proportion for any other goods; and a particular manifest of all goods and commodities which at any time or times, after the said creek shall be made navigable, as aforesaid, shall be brought up or carried down the said creek by any person or persons whatsoever, shall be delivered unto the said Lemuel Riddick, his heirs or assigns, or some person by him or them to be appointed for that purpose, within twenty-four hours after the same shall be landed at any place or places on the said creek, and pay the rates aforesaid, otherwise he, she or they shall forfeit and pay unto the said Lemuel Riddick, his heirs and assigns, double the sum for which the goods and commodities ought by this act to have paid had the same been duly entered and paid, to be recovered before any justice of the peace for the county of Nansemond by a warrant for that purpose obtained. IV. Provided always, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed, deemed or taken to binder or restrain any person or persons from prosecuting and maintaining any actions or suits against the said Lemuel Riddick, his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns for any damage occasioned by means of his or their stopping the waters of the said crcek. V. Provided also, That if at any time or times hereafter it shall appear to the general assembly that the free use of the said creek will be advantageous to the public, and the said assembly shall be willing to reimburse the said Lemuel Riddick, his heirs and assigns, the expences and charges which he or they shall or may be at in the execution of this act, and also pay him or them a reasonable satisfaction for his or their trouble, that then this act and every thing herein contained shall cease and become void. William CHAP. XXVIII. An Act to impower William Rand to build a Bridge over Pagan Creek, and for other purposes therein mentioned. I. WHEREAS it hath been represented to this geBand autho- neral assembly, that the bridge formerly erected over rised to build the western branch of Pagan creek, in the county of a bridge over Isle of Wight, from the land of William Hodsden to Pagan creek. the land of Richard Reynolds, is fallen down and become useless, and that the erecting another bridge on the land of the same persons, a small distance above where the old bridge was built, will be of great use, ease, and benefit to the public; and William Rand, of the town of Smithfield, in the county aforesaid, hath applied to this general assembly for leave to erect, maintain, and support a good and sufficient bridge over |