264 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1676-81.

P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.
B. B. p. 14

26 March 1678

Answer of the Lord Baltimore
to the Queryes about Maryland.

Rec^d on the I^st of Ap: 1678

My Answer To the Enquiryes sent unto
me by order of the Lords of the Cofnitte of
Trade and Plantations.

the: 1: 2: 3:1 Answer that the said Provynce was origi-
nally Granted By his Late Maj^tie King Charles the first of
Glorious Memorye unto my father in ffee who by the said
Grant thereof was created Lord & Proprietor of the said Prov-
ynce To hold to him his heires and assignes forever besydes
which there is a Particular clause directing the makeing of
Lawes by him and his heires by and with the advise of the
ffreemen or of the Deputyes and Delegates of the ffreemen of
the said Provynce To be assembled when where and in what
Manner the Lord and Proprietary of the said Provynce for the
tyme beeinge should Thinke fitt Accordinge To which Grant
Power and Direction. All the Lawes which have hitherto
beene made in the said Provynce have beene allwayes made
And the Lord and Proprietary of the said Provynce with the
ffreemen And the Deputyes and Delegates and Deputyes of
the ffreemen Thus Assembled for these purposes make the
Supreame Court of this Provynce. Under the name and Title
of the Generall Assembly of the said Provynce Besydes which
There were other Courts Constituted by my said Father and
still continued as Courts of Iudicature Namely A Provinciall
Court beeinge next to the Assembly of the Highest Court of
Iudicature there and haveing cognizance of all causes as well
relateing to Lawe as Equity and the Admiralty with Power to
correct and amend the errors of all the Inferiour Courts alsoe
a Court of Lawe in Everye County by the name of the County
Court of each particular County and one Generall Court for
the Probate of Wylls and Granteings of administrations.
To the: 4^o—No Answer cann be given in particular here
The Records beeing in the said Provynce & necessarily re-
mayneing There nor could I in case I were there give any
Answer which could be satisfactory or certayne without re-
torneing the copyes of the said Records which would make up
a Long and very Tedious volume For the said Generall
Assemblyes meete very often And the Lawes which are made
are generally Temporary And to continue only for Three
yeares To the end that Experience may informe us whither
they will answer the ends for which they are intended And
where the necessity and exigencyes of the Provynce Doe not