48.  He who hath lost his Freedom shall be a common servant to any Freeman who comes to the Task-master and requires one to do any work for him.  Always provided, that after one Freeman hath by the consent of the Task-master appointed him his work, another Freeman shall not call him thence till that work be done.

49.  If any of these offenders revile the Laws by words, they shall be soundly whipped and fed with coarse diet.  If they raise weapons against the Laws, they shall die as Traitors.

LAWS TO RESTORE SLAVES TO FREEDOM.

50.  When any Slaves [i.e. those who have lost their Freedom] give open testimony of their humility and diligence, and of their care to observe the Laws of the Commonwealth, they are then capable to be restored to their Freedom, when the time of servitude has expired, according to the Judge’s sentence.  But if they continue opposite to the Laws, they shall continue slaves for another term of time.

51.  None shall be restored to Freedom till they have been a twelve month laboring servants to the Commonwealth; for they shall winter and summer in that condition.

52.  When any is restored to Freedom, the Judge at the Senator’s Court shall pronounce his Freedom, and give liberty to him to be clothed in what other coloured garments he will.

53.  If any person be sick or wounded, the Chyrurgeons, who are trained up in the knowledge of Herbs and Minerals, and know how to apply plasters or physick, shall go when they are sent for to any who need their help, but require no reward, because the Common Stock is the public pay for every man’s labor.

54.  When a dead person is to be buried, the Officers of the Parish and neighbors shall go along with the corpse to the grave, and see it laid therein in a civil manner; but the public Minister nor any other shall have any hand in reading or exhortation.

     [Whatever we may think of this latter proviso, certain it is that
     it would put an end to many unseemly squabblings at a time when
     they are specially to be avoided.]

55.  When a man hath learned his Trade, and the time of his seven years Apprenticeship has expired, he shall have his Freedom to become Master of a Family, and the Overseers shall appoint him such young people to be his servants as they think fit, whether he marry or live a single life.

LAWS FOR MARRIAGE.

56.  Every man and woman shall have the free liberty to marry whom they love, if they can obtain the love and liking of that party whom they would marry, and neither birth nor portion shall hinder the match.  For we are all of one blood, mankind, and for portion, the Common Storehouses are every man and maid’s portion, as free to one as to another.

57.  If any man lie with a maid and beget a child, he shall marry her.