It is ordered and appointed, that the commanders of all the several plantations, do upon holy days exercise the men under his command, and that the commanders yearly do likewise upon the first day of December, take a muster of their men, together with the women and children, and their ages, countries, and towns, where they were born, with the ships they came in, and year of the Lord, as also of arms and munition . . .

[Act XLI, (1642-43). It is enacted and confirmed that masters of every family shall bring with them to church on Sundays one fixed and serviceable gun with sufficient powder and shot upon penalty of ten pounds of Tobacco for every master of a family so offending to be disposed of by the church wardens who shall levy it by distress, and servants being commanded and yet omitting shall receive twenty lashes on his or her bare shoulders, by order from the county courts where he or they shall live.]

Articles Agreed On And Concluded At James City In Virginia For The Surrendering And Settling Of That Plantation Under The Obedience And Government Of The Commonwealth Of England . . . Art. 13: That all ammunition, powder and arms, other than for private use shall be delivered up, security being given to make satisfaction for it.

Required every “free negro or mulatto” to first obtain a license before carrying or keeping “any fire-lock of any kind, any military weapon, or any powder or lead.”