Whereas the Increace of several sorts of Vermine and the Mischiefs they do by Destroying the Stocks of Divers of the Inhabitants of this Province is generally Complain'd of which might be remedied in a great measure If a Sufficient reward were Allow'd to encourage Persons to hunt kill and Destroy the said Vermine, We therefore pray it may be enacted

And be it Enacted by his Excellency the Governour Council and this Present General Assembly and the Authority of the same, that from and after the Ratification of this Act any Person or Persons that shall kill any of the Vermine hereafter mention'd shall be Entituled to a Claim upon the Parish where such Vermine was kill'd, the several Rewards as follows, (Videlicet) for every Panther two Pounds Current Bills for every wolf four Pounds, for a Wild cat Twenty Shillings Currency of this Province, to be levied and recover'd as by this Act shall be Directed.

And be it Further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that any Person or Persons who shall have a Claim for killing any of the aforesaid Vermine are hereby Ordered to Produce the Head or Scalp with both ears on fresh and green before any Magistrate in the Parish where such Vermine were killed; which said Magistrate is hereby Directed if he Suspects the same was not actualy kill'd in the said Parish to the Person Producing any such Scalp to administer an Oath to such Person claiming the same that it was kill'd within the Bounds of such Parish where such claim is Desired to be paid; and if it be a Servant or slave that shall kill any such Vermine of which the Head or Scalp shall [be] Produced as aforesaid, the Master or owner of such Servant or Slave shall make Oath if required before such Magistrate that he verily believes the same was kill'd within the Parish where the reward is claimed; which Oath being administred to the Person who makes the Claim, the said Magistrate is hereby Directed to give the said Person a Certificate in words at length for the same which done the said Magistrate shall Immediately cause the Head or Scalp to be Destroy'd by Burning the same.

And be it Further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that any Person or Persons having a Certificate from any Magistrate within the Parish for killing any of the Vermine aforesaid, shall deliver the same to the Vestry and Church Wardens of the Parish where such Certificate from the Magistrate was obtain'd; which said Certificate shall be Delivered to such Vestrys and Church Wardens Yearly on Easter Monday in every Parish within this Province.

And be it Further Enacted that the several Vestrys and Church wardens in every Parish are hereby Authorized and impower'd to Levy the said Claims upon the Several Tithables within each Parish in Currency or the Rated Commodities as other Parish dues within this Province have heretofore been.

And Whereas it appears that Squirrels do great Damage in Divers parts of this Province by Destroying the mast corn and other Grain; for the Prevention whereof we pray it may be enacted

And be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that for every Squirel kill'd by any white Tithable, the Person or Persons so killing or claiming the same, shall be allow'd Six pence for each part or Head which shall be allow'd recover'd and paid for according to the Direction of this Act made and Provided for large Vermine.

And be it Enacted that the Justice or Justices giving Certificates and Destroying the Heads and Scalps of Vermine as by this Act is Directed, shall have and receive for their trouble therein ten per cent paid them out of the Premium granted to Persons for killing of Vermine at the time that the Premium is paid to Persons claiming by Virtue of this Act.

And it is hereby Further Enacted that if the Vestry or Church Wardens Justice of the Peace or Constable shall neglect or refuse to execute and Discharge the several Trusts and Powers to them or either of them by this Act given, that he or they so neglecting or refusing shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten Pounds to him or them that shall Inform or sue for the same to be recover'd by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any Court of Record in this Government, wherein no Essoin Protection or Wager of Law shall be allow'd or admitted of.

And be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that this Act shall continue in force for the time of five Years next after the Ratification thereof, and from thence to the End of the next Session of Assembly and no Longer.

CO 5/333, fs. 29b-30
Expired at the end of the session of assembly immediately following five years after ratification.