“An Act Concerning Negroes & other Slaues [sic]

Bee itt Enacted by the Rioght Honble the Lord Proproetary by the aduice [sic] and Consent of the upper and lower house of this present Generall Assembly That all Negroes or other slaues [sic],already within the Prouince [sic] And all Negroes and other slaues [sic] to bee hereafter imported into the Prouince [sic] shall serue [sic] Durante Vita And all Children born of any Negro or other slaue [sic] shall be Slaues [sic] as their ffathers were for the term of their Hues [sic]…

And forasmuch as divers freeborne English women forgettfull of their free Condicon and to the disgrace of our Nation doe intermarry with Negro Slaues by which alsoe diuers suites may arise touching the Issue of such woemen and a great damage doth befall the Masters of such Negros for preuention whereof for deterring such freeborne women from such shamefull Matches Bee itt further Enacted by the Authority advice and Consent aforesaid That whatsoever free borne woman shall inter marry with any slaue from and after the Last day of this present Assembly shall Serue the master of such slaue during the life of her husband And that all the Issue of such freeborne woemen soe marryed shall be Slaues as their fathers were And Bee itt further Enacted that all the Issues of English or other freeborne woemen that haue already marryed Negroes shall serve the Masters of their Parents till they be Thirty yeares of age and noe longer (Maryland State Archives Acts of General Assembly 1637–1664 Vol 1:533–534).”