Nicholas Crisp of Chowan Precinct Gent. Complains agst: Paul Palmer otherwise Calld Paul Palmer of Pequimans Precinct in Custody of the Marshall &ca. of a Plea that the sd: Deft: renders unto him the sd: Plt: the Sum of fifty Pounds Sterling

Which he the sd: Deft: owes & unjustly Detains from him the sd: Plt: so that (to witt) That whereas by one Act of Assembly a General Provincial Assembly held at the house of Captn: Richard Sanderson at Little River begin the 17. day of Novr: 1715 & Continued by Sevll: adjournmt: untill the 19th: day of Janry: 1715 Entituled an Act Concerning Servts: & Slaves amongst many other things it is therein & thereby Enacted That if any Person or Persons shall Entertain or Harbour any Runaway Servts: or Slave above one Night he they so offending shall for every four & twenty hours afterwards forfeit & pay the sum of Ten shillings to the Master or Mistress of such Servant or Slave together with all Costs Losses & Damages which the Master or Mistress shall sustain by the means of such Entertaining or Concealmt: to be recover'd in any Courts of Record within the Govermt: wherein no Essigne Protection Injunction or wager of Law shall be allow'd or Admitted of. Nevertheless the sd: Deft: not minding or regarding the sd: Act the 3d. day of Aprill 1720 but in Contrary thereof & Contrary to the sd: Act the 3d. day of April 1720 ^at the precinct of Pequimans^ did Entertain & Harbour a Negro man Slave Run away Nam'd Sambo als Tawnihill the proper Slave of the Plts: a Runaway Slave & hath ever since the sd: 3d day of April ^at Chowan afsd Pequimans aforesd^ in the 1720 afsd: Entertained & Harboured the sd. Slave & as yet doth Continue so to do by reason of which Entertaining & Harbouring of the sd: Slave being the proper Slave of the sd: Plt: & by Vertue & force of the said Act & Action hath Occsned to him the sd: Plt: to have & Recover agst: him the sd Deft: the like Sum of Tenn shillings for every four & twenty hours since the 3d. day of Aprll. afsd: untill the Comencement of this Suit and also all Costs Losses and Damges which he the sd: Deft ^Plt^ hath Sustain'd by means of the said Entertaining & Harbouring the said Slave by the Deft. To the Plts: Damage fifty Pounds Sterling And therefore he brings this Suit.