In this law, "Against ffornication," passed in its March 1662 session, the
General Assembly addressed
the problem of indentured
servants having sex that produced pregnancies that, in turn, cost masters
money and labor.
FOR restraint of the ffilthy sin of
ffornication, Be it enacted that what man or woman soever
shall commit ffornication, he and she soe offending, upon proofe thereof by
confession or evidence shall pay each
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of them five hundred pounds of tobacco fine, to the use of the parish or parishes
they dwell in, and be bound to their good behavior, and be imprisoned untill they
find security to be bound with them, and if they or either of them committing
ffornication as aforesaid be servants then the master of such servant soe offending
shall pay the said ffive hundred pounds of tobacco as aforesaid to the use fo the
parish aforesaid, for which the said servant shall serve half a yeare after the time
by indenture or custome is expired; and if the master shall refuse to pay the ffine
then the servant to be whipped; and if it happen a bastard child to be gotten in such
fforication then the woman if a servant in regard of the losse and trouble her master
doth sustaine by her haveing a bastard shall serve two yeares after her time by
indenture is expired or pay two thousand pounds of tobacco to her master besides the
ffine or punishment for committing the offence and the reputed ffather to put in
security to keep the child and save the parish harmelesse.
