I. Whereas the Laws at present in Force, have been found ineffectual for the Due Regulation of Ordinaries, and Restraint of TIppling Houses.

II. Be it Enacted, by the Governor, Council, and Assembly, and by the Authority of the same, That all Persons hereafter retailing Liquors, shall seel the same by sealed Measures, according to the Directions of an Act of Assembly, intituled, An Act for regulating Weights and Measures, Provided, that it shall and may be lawful for Ordinary Keepers, licensed agreeable to the Directions of this Act, to sell liquor in Bottles, Bowls or Mugs, so as they sell for no more than the Quantity the said Vessels contain.

III. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person not having a License for keeping an Ordinary, shall sell or retail Liquors in smaller quantities than is by this Act permitted, under the Penalty of Five Pounds, Proclamation Money; one Half to the Governor or Commander in Chief for the Time being and the other Half to the Informer.

IV. And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That any Person by applying to the Court of the County in which such Person dwells, and Praying a License to keep an Ordinary, may, at the Direction of Such Court, be ordered to have a License for the purpose aforesaid; unless it shall appear to the said Court that the Person so applying is a Person of Gross Immorality, of such Poor circumstances, and slender Credit, that they think it will not be possible for him or her to comply with the intention of this Act, or usually suffers excessive or unlawful gaming in his or her house; [. . .]

VI. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Ordinary Keeper shall sell to any Person, in his or her House, immoderate quantities of strong Liquors, whereby such Person may be intoxicated on the Lord's Day; or entertain Servants or Slaves Against the Will of their Masters or Mistresses; or common Sailors, against the Direction of the Masters of Vessels to which they belong; every Ordinary keeper so offending, shall and may, by Order of Two Justices, before whom such offence shall be proved, be, from thenceforth, suspended and disabled from keeping an Ordinary, as if he or she had never obtained a Licence for that Purpose. [. . .]

IX.  And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That the Justices of each County, annually, at the next County Court after the First Day of May, shall rate the Prices of Liquors, Diet, Lodging, Fodder, Corn, Provender, and Pasturage, to be taken by Ordinary Keepers; and every Ordinary Keeper shall, within One Month after the Rates shall be set by the County Court where his or her License shall be granted, obtain of the Clerk a fair Copy of such Rates; for which the Clerk may take and receive Two Shillings and Six Pence, Proclamation Money, and no more; which Copy shall be openly set up in the common entertaining Room of such Ordinary, and there kept till the Rates are again altered; and every Ordinary Keeper failing herein shall forfeit Five Pounds Proclamation Money [. . .]

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In Watson, Alan D., ed. (2000), "Taverns," in Society in Early North Carolina: A Documentary History (Raleigh: North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources/Division of Archives and History): 89-90; rpt from Clark, Walter, ed. (1895-91), Laws, 1758, in The State Records of North Carolina (Raleigh: State of North Carolina).