508 Assembly Proceedings, May 26-June 11, 1697.

U. H. J.

They present by Order of the House Mr. John Low a new
member elected for S^t Maries County to be sworn who had
accordingly administered unto him the oaths appointed by
Act of Parliament to be taken instead of the oaths of Allegiance
and Supremacy and also subscribed to the Test
The opinion of the House in relation to the publick Build-
ing was returned as follows viz^t

May the 27^th 1697
The House of Delegates do Concur with the Justices of
the provinciall Court and Grand Jury that the same is Good
Substantial Rough work and that they approve thereof
W Bladen Clk Delegates.

1 Taken into consideration several proposalls to be laid
before the House his Excellency being pleased to say that the
chief Reasons for calling the Assembly at this time was in the
matter about the noise of the Indians and in particular the
Piscattoway Indians lately deserting their Fort and withdraw-
ing themselves into another Government which it is Imagined

to proceed chiefly from a murther lately committed at the
Eastern Branch of potomack upon the Body of a certain negro
Boy belonging to one M^r Stoddert against whom it is believed
they had some Grudge upon the Account of Trade proposed
therefore that the same be laid before the House for their con-
sideration Recommending some law to be made for prevent-
ing like future evills and that some measures may be taken
as to the present circumstance of Affairs

2 Proposed that the militia of the province be modelled

anew it being deemed impossible that the present Act in
force about the same should be complied with by means of
the poverty of the People It is therefore Recommended that
some new Act be made whereby every four or five Taxables
may be Obliged to find a Trooper Dragoon or Footman
(according as it shall be Agreed upon with necessary Arms.
This Board do consider that the Countries Credit is much
under valued and impaired chiefly occasioned by means of the
Sheriffs not punctually complying the publick dues &^c for
redress whereof it is proposed that 2, 3 or more substantial

p. 925

persons be appointed in every County who will undertake to
bring all Tobacco to 2 or 3 Certain places in the said Counties
and they to be continued to execute the office of Sheriff for
six or seven years together.
Complaints coming from all Parts that the publick Credit is
quite lost and in a particular Instance now of Captain Holland
whose Account is herewith sent for the Houses Advice to be
Given therein