CCCXCV. Governor in Virginia. Proclamation
September 21, 1623
Manuscript Records Virginia Company, III, pt. ii, p. 49a.
Document in Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.
List of Records No. 563
A Proclamation against stealing of beastℯ & Birds of Domesticall & tame
nature.
By the Governor and Captaine generall of Virginia.
Forasmuch as the healthfull and prosperous estate of this Colony, dependℯ
vpon nothing more, then the plentifull encreasing and p̢serving of all
sortℯ of Beastℯ and birdℯ of domesticall or tame nature, whereof there
haue of late beene farr greater store secretly stolne and wasted by lewd
and ill disposed persons, then in former times; to the great losse and dis-
couragement of many Planters, and to the no smale p̢iudice of the Coleny
it self. And howsoeu9 heretofore the Stealing of some of these, hath not
beene prosecuted as ffelony and punished wth death as according to the
lawes of England it might haue beene, vppon wch remissies men haue
more p̢sumed: Yet now the necessitie of the time requiring or living
nearer together, and in greater bodies (and so the more exposed to these
mischeifs) hath moved the Governor and the Counsell of State to order
and decree, and absolutely resolue in these cases to proceed most strictly
and exactly, according to the lawes of England, aswell against all con-
cealors and accessaries, as against the principallℯ themselues. And to the
end that all men may know the danger of the law in these cases (though
ignorance of the Law excuse no man) they haue thought fitt to publish the
same, w
ch is, that whosoevershall steale any Beastℯ or Birdℯ of Domesticall
or tame nature, that is to say, Horses, Mares, Coltℯ, Oxen, Kine, Calfes,
Sheepe, Lambs, Goatℯ, Kiddℯ, Swine, Piggℯ, Hens, Geese, Duckℯ, Pea-
cockℯ, Turkeys, or any of like sorte the law adiudgeth it ffelony and
punishable w
th Death, if it be found by the Jury to exeed the value of
twelue pence: otherwise if it be found vnd
r that value, the parties so offend-
ing are to be corected at the discretion of the Magistrate by whipping, or
the like punishment. And though in England the vallue of some of these
tame thingℯ is farr lesse, so as the stealing of them is often found (in favo
r
of life) but petty Laseny and so toucheth not the liues of the offendo
rs: yet
here they are of farr higher rates, by reason of theire scarscitie, and there-
fore wilbe found punishable w
th no lesse than Death. Given at James
Cittie the 21
th day of September
1623.
