I. Whereas the large Extent of the Counties of Chowan, Bertie and Northampton, renders it grievous and burthensome to many of the Inhabitants thereof to attend the Courts of Justice, and other Public Meetings appointed therein: For Remedy whereof,

II. Be it Enacted, by the Governor, Council, and Assembly, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the First Day of May next the said Counties be divided as follows, to wit, Beginning in Bertie County, at the first high Land on the North West Side of Mare Branch, on Chowan River Pocoson; running thence by a direct Line to Thomas Outlaw's Plantation, near Stoney Creek; thence by a direct Line to Northampton County Line, at the Plantation whereon James Rutland formerly lived; then along Northampton County Line to the Head of Beaver Dam Swamp; thence by a direct line to the Eastermost Part of Kerby's Creek; thence down the Creek to Meherrin River; then up Meherrin River to the Virginia Line; then Easterly along the Virginia Line to Bennet's Creek; then down Bennet's Creek to Chowan River; then across the River to the Mouth of the said Mare Branch; and up the Branch to the Beginning: And all that Part of the said Counties included within the said Bounds be thenceforth erected into a distinct County and Parish, and called and known by the Name of Hertford County, and Parish of St. Barnabas.

III. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That John Edwards, John Brown, and John Baker, Esquires, be appointed Commissioners; and they or any Two of them, are hereby impowered and directed to run the said dividing Lines between the said Counties, agreeable to the Directions in this Act before mentioned, and to return a fair Plan thereof to the Court of the said County of Hertford.

IV. And for the due Administration of Justice, Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That after the aforesaid First Day of May, a Court for the said County of Hertford be constantly held by the Justices thereof at Cotton's Ferry, on the South Side of Chowan River, upon the Fourth Tuesdays in May, August, November, and February, in each and every Year, as by the Laws of this Province is provided, and shall be by Commission to the Justices of the said County directed.

V. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the passing of this Act all that Part of the Parish of North West as shall lie to the Westward of the aforesaid Counties of Bertie and Hertford, shall be added to, and united and consolidated with, the Parish of St. George in the said County of Northampton, and shall remain one entire Parish and be called and known by the Name the Parish of St. George.

VI. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to debar the Sheriffs of the Counties of Chowan, Bertie, and Northampton, as they respectively now stand undivided, to make Distress for any Levies, Fees, or other Dues, that shall be Due from the Inhabitants of the said Counties on the said First Day of May, in the same Manner as by Law the said Sheriffs might or could have done if the said Counties had remained undivided; and the said Levies, Fees, and other Dues, shall be collected and accounted for in the same Manner as if this Act had never been made; any Thing herein contained, to the contrary, notwithstanding.

VII. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That all Sums of Money which shall be owing, due, and belonging to the said Parish of North West, at the passing of this Act, shall be paid and satisfied to the Vestry of the Parish of St. George; and the said Parish of St. George shall stand chargeable to every Person and Persons whatsoever for all Demands they may respectively have on the said Parish of North West, at the Time aforesaid.

VIII. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That after the said First Day of May, the said County of Hertford shall be, continue, and remain Part of the District of Edenton: And the Sheriff of the said County of Hertford shall, from Time to Time, account for, and pay to the Public Treasurer of the Northern District for the Time being, all Public Levies by him collected, or wherewith he shall stand chargeable, in the same Manner and under the like Pains and Penalties, as other Sheriffs.

IX. Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall be construed, deemed or taken, to alter or derogate from the Rights and Royal prerogative of his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, of granting Letters of Incorporation to the said County, and of ordering, appointing, and directing the Election of a Member or Members to represent them in Assembly, and of granting Markets and Fairs to be kept and held in the said County; but that the said Right and Prerogative shall and may at all Times hereafter, be exercised therein by his Majesty, his Heirs or Successors, in as full and ample Manner to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever, as if this Act had never been made.

Signed by,

ARTHUR DOBBS, ESQ, Governor.
JAMES HASELL, President.
SAMUEL SWANN, Speaker.