CHAPTER I.

Of the Instruction of Slaves.

Every one who possesses slaves, of whatever class or condition he may be, shall instruct, or cause them to be instructed, in the principles of the catholic religion, in order that they may be baptized within the first year of their residence in my dominions; taking care to explain to them the christian doctrine every holyday, on which they shall not be obliged, or even permitted to work, either for their masters or for themselves, excepting at the time of collecting the crop. On those days, their owners shall be at the expense of maintaining priests to say mass, and administer the holy sacraments to them; and on every week day, as soon as their work is finished, they shall say the rosary in the presence of the master or his manager, with the greatest humility and devotion.

CHAPTER II.

Of the Food and Clothing of Slaves.

MASTERS of slaves are bound to feed and clothe them, as likewise their wives and children, whether these be of the same condition or free, until they can earn their own subsistence, which it is presumed the females can do at the age of twelve, and the males at that of fourteen: but not being able to give any fixed rule with respect to the quantity and quality of the food and clothing which are to be given them, -on account of the difference of climates, constitution, and other particular causes; it is ordered, that the judges of the districts in which the estates are situated, with the approbation of the municipal council and the procurator syndic, as the official protector of the slaves, shall determine the quantity and quality of the food and clothing which are to be given to them, according to their ages and sexes; to the custom of the place; and to what are commonly given there to free labourers. And the determination so made, after having been approved of by the royal audience of the district, shall be affixed upon the doors of the town-house, and the churches; and on those of the oratorios or hermitages of the estates, in order that it may come to the knowledge of all.

CHAPTER III.

Of the Occupations of Slaves.

The principal occupation of slaves must be agriculture, and not those employments which require a sedentary life; and in order that their masters and the state may be benefitted by their work, and that they may perform it duly, the judges shall regulate, in the manner and form directed in the preceding chapter, their daily tasks and labour, according to their respective ages and strength. They shall begin their work at sun-rise, and leave off at sun-set; being allowed in the intermediate time two hours each day for themselves. Slaves above the age of sixty, or under the age of seventeen, years shall not be obliged to do task-work; nor shall female slaves be employed in any work unsuitable to their sex, or to work along with the males.

CHAPTER IV.

Of the Diversions of Slaves.

ON all the principal holydays, after the slaves have heard mass, and had the christian doctrine explained to them, their masters or managers shall allow them to divert themselves innocently in their presence; but they shall not allow them to be along with the slaves of other estates, nor shall the slaves of the different sexes be permitted to be together. They shall be prevented from excess in drinking; and their diversions must be ended before the hour of evening prayer.

CHAPTER V.

Of the Dwelling Houses and Hospitals for Slaves.

ALL masters of slaves must furnish them with houses, those of the men being distinct from those of the women, if they are not married. These houses must be commodious and sufficient to defend the slaves from the inclemencies of the weather; and they must be supplied with high beds, blankets, or necessary linen. Each slave shall have his own bed, and there shall be no more than two beds in a room. A building separated from the rest, which must be warm and commodious, shall be destined for the sick, who shall be assisted with every thing necessary. But if their owners prefer sending them to the public hospital, they shall contribute for their daily support there such a sum as shall be determined by the judges, in the manner and form mentioned in the second chapter. And if any of the said slaves die, their owners shall be charged with the expenses of their burial.

CHAPTER VI.

Of Old and Infirm Slaves.

SLAVES who, on account of old age, or illness, are unable to work, and likewise children of both sexes, must be maintained by their owners; who shall not emancipate them, in order to get rid of them, except on condition of giving them sufficient means of support, to be approved of by the judges and the procurator and syndics.

CHAPTER VII.

Of the Marriages of Slaves.

THE Owners of slaves shall prohibit illicit intercourse between those of the two sexes, and encourage their marriage; not hindering their own slaves from intermarrying with

those of others. In this last case, if the estates of the different proprietors are so far distant from one another, that the consorts cannot fulfil the purpose of marriage, the wife shall follow her husband, whose owner may purchase her at a fair valuation, to be made by two skilful appraisers, of whom one shall be chosen by each party; and in case of disagreement, a third appraiser shall be appointed by the authority of justice. If the owner of the husband does not agree to the purchase, the owner of the wife may purchase the husband, at a valuation to be made in the manner above mentioned.

CHAPTER VIII.

Of the Correction of Slaves.

As the owners of slaves are obliged to maintain and educate them, and to employ them in useful works proportioned to their strength, age and sex, without forsaking their children or those who are old and sickly; there results a corresponding obligation on the part of the slaves to obey and respect their owners and managers, to perform the tasks and works allotted to them, according to their strength, and to venerate their masters as their parents: and every slave who shall fail in performing any of those obligations, ought to be and may be corrected by the master, or manager of such slave, according to the nature of the neglect or offence, by imprisonment, by being put in the stocks or in irons, or by whipping, not exceeding twenty-five lashes, to be inflicted with some mild instrument of chastisement, in such a manner as not to cause any severe contusion, or the effusion of blood. And none but the masters or overseers of slaves shall be authorized to chastise them.

CHAPTER IX.

Proceedings against slaves in criminal cases.

WHEN any slave shall commit a crime requiring a greater punishment than any of those mentioned in the preceding chapter, the master, his manager, or any other person present at the commission of the crime, shall secure the offender: And thereupon information shall be duly laid before the competent judge, who having heard the master of the slave, (unless he shall abandon him to justice before contestation of suit) and the procurator syndic, in his quality of protector of slaves, shall proceed according to law in the trial, condemnation, and punishment of such slave, in the same manner as the laws prescribe in the case of criminals of free condition.

When the owner of the accused slave shall not abandon him to justice, and the latter shall be condemned to the payment of damages in favour of a third person, the master shall be answerable for the full amount of those damages, independent of the corporal punishment which the offending slave may suffer according to the nature of his offence.-And if such punishment extend to life or mutilation, it must be approved of by the royal audience before it is inflicted.

CHAPTER X.

Penalties imposed on those who maltreat their slaves.

EVERY owner, master, or manager of slaves, who shall neglect to do what is prescribed in the preceding chapters, with respect to the instruction, aliments, clothing, diversions, dwellings or hospitals of slaves, or who shall abandon their aged, infirm, or young slaves, shall be fined fifty dollars for the first offence, one hundred dollars for the second, and two hundred dollars for the third; and the said fines shall be paid by the master, even when the offence shall have been committed by his manager only; if the latter be not able to pay the same. The amount of these fines shall be distributed in three equal parts; one to the informer, one to the judge, and one to the fund of fines, which will be treated of hereafter. In case those fines should not produce the desired effect, heavier penalties shall be inflicted upon the offenders, as disobedient to my royal mandates. And let information, with proof of the facts, be given to me, that I may take measures