Paul Palmer Complains agst: Nicholas Crisp in Custody of the Marshall &ca: of a plea that the sd: Deft: render unto him the sd: Plt: the sum of Twenty pounds Sterling which he the sd: Deft: owes & unjustly Detains from him the sd: Plt: fore the (to witt) That whereas by an Acte of a Genll Bieniall Assbly held at the house of Captn: R: Sanderson at Little River begin the 17: day of Novr: 1715 & Continued by Severall Adjournmt: untill the 19th: day of Jany: 1715 Intituled an Acte Concerning Servants & 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 or they so offending shall for every four & twenty hours afterwards forfeite & pay the Sum of Ten shillings to the Master or Mistress of suche Servt: or Slave together with all Costs Losses and Damages which the Master or Mistress shall sustain by the means of such Entertaining or Concealmt: to be Recoverd in any Courte of Record within this Governmt: wherein no Essign, Protection, Injunction or wager of Law shall be allowed or Admitted of. Nevertheless the sd. Deft: not minding or regarding the sd: Act but in Contempt thereof & Contrary to the sd. Act the 1st. day of March 1720 at Chowan Precinct did Entertain & Harbour a Negro man Slave Runaway Nam'd Tannihill the proper Slave of the sd. Plts: as a Runaway Slave & hath ever since the sd: 1st: day of March at Chowan afsd: in the year afsd: Entertain'd & Harboured the sd. Slave & as yett doth continue so to do, by reason of which Entertaining & Harbouring of the sd: Slave being the proper Slave of the sd: Plts: & by Vertue & force of the sd: Act Action hath Accrued to him the sd: Plt: to have & recover agst: him the sd: Deft. the like sum of Ten shillings for every four & twenty hours since the sd. 1st. day of March afsd: untill the Comencemt: of this Suit and also all Costs Losses & Damages which he the said Plt: hath sustain'd by means of the sd: Entertaining & Harbouring the sd: Slave by the Deft. To the Plt. Damage Twenty Pounds Sterling [and] therefore he brings this suit &ca.