Assembly Proceedings, March — April 1671. 271

now Removed into this Province for long time therein In-
habitted being Invited to Come and dwell within this Prouince
by and upon Confidence of your Lordships Declaracon of the
second of luly one thousand six hundred forty Nyne where-
by your Lordship did impower Your Lordships Gouernour of
this Province from time to time to grant lands to any persons
of Dutch french or any other forreign discent in the same in as
ample manner and vpon the same tearmes and Provisoes as
he was thereby Impowred to grant lands to any person or
persons of Brittish or Irish discent and dureing their abode
within this Prouince Your Peticoners have been alwayes faith-
full and obedient vnto your Lordships Lawes Yett further your
Peticoners are not of Brittish or Irish discent they cannott take
Benefitt of the Lawes and Customes of this Province as other
the good people of this Province of Brittish or Irish discent
may to their great losse prejudice and hinderance as alsoe to
the Deterring of divers others of the forreigne Nations afore-
said from Coming into this Prouince and by Consequence
foreslowing the peopling of this Prouince with vsefull Artificers
and handicrafts men may itt therefore please your Lordship of
your abundant goodnesse and wonted care of and over this
Province That itt may be Enacted and ordeined. And Bee itt
Enacted and ordained by the Right Hon^ble the Lord Proprietary
of this Province by and with the advice and Consent of the
Upper and lower houses of this present Generall Assembly
and the Authority of the same That your Lordships humble
Peticoners Barnard Iohnson William Nengfinger Iohn Gottee

Liber

WH&L

and Margarett his wife and Stephen Besson and every of them
Shall and may from henceforth by the same Authority be
Enabled and adjudged to all intents and purposes able to
demand Challenge aske haue hold and Enjoy any lands Tene-
ments Hereditaments and Rents within this Prouince as heir
or heires to any of their Ancestors by Reason of any descent
in fee simple feetayle Generall or Speciall or Remainder vpon
any Estate tayle or come to them or any of them by any discent
in fee simple or feetayle Generall or speciall or Remainder
upon any Estate tayle as aforesaid or by any other Lawfull
Conveyance or Conveyances or measnes whatsoever as if they
and every of them had been borne within this Province or were
of Brittish or Irish discent as aforesaid And alsoe that they and
every of them from henceforth may and shall be Enabled to
prosecute maintaine and avow Iustifie and defend all manner
of accons Suites plaints and other demands whatsoever as
liberally frankly freely fully Lawfully and Securely as if they
and every of them had been Natureally borne within this Pro-
uince of Maryland or were of Brittish or Irish discent and as
any other person or persons Natureally borne within this Pro-

p. 49