Assembly Proceedings, April—May 1682. 285

Ordered that he give Bond to the right Honourable the
Lord Proprie^ty for the Sum of one hundred pounds Sterling,
that he hath not on Board his Ship neither will receive or take
on Board the Same any Deer skins or Hides Drest or un-
dressed this present Voyage neither will Export any Such out
of this Province this present Voyage, that in case the Same be
proved hereafter against him his Bond Shall be forfeited; he
Submitts thereunto and is willing to Enter into Such Bond—
His Lordship is pleased to take care to see the
same effected—
Bartholomew Watts & Company are Dismissed the house—
A Message from the Lower house by Coll: George Wells
and Captain Jonathan Sibrey which they Deliver and return
to their house being as followeth Viz^t—

Lower house 8th May 1682
This house will give information to the Upper house when
the Committee of Laws have made their report, that the Upper
house may appoint a Committee to consider of what is
offered concerning the Inspection of the Laws before any
thing Offered for result of both houses—
Signed p^r Order Tho^s Grunwin Cl of the Lower house

John Prior called into this house he is charged with buying
of Skins himself and Employing Iames Smallwood and others
to buy Skins of Indians contrary to the Act of Assembly in
that case made and Provided; Ordered that the information
and Severall Depositions thereto relating be read unto him
Viz^t
Dennis Huscula of S^t Maries County Planter informs that
living about five Miles from the place where one Iohn Prior
Merchant of London keeps Store, of late he hath seen Several
Indians pass by his house with Bundles of Deer Skins who
told me that they had sold these Deer Skins to the aforesaid
Merchant, and further informs that his house being within
four Miles of the Indian Town Zachaiah and hath often Occa-
sion to have Conference with the said Indians, and more espe-
cially of late to the intent to Buy Deer Skins to Supply my
great Necessity for Cloathing, have been told by the Indians
that all the Deer skins they have had of late they have Sold
and disposed of to one Iohn Prior the aforesaid Merchant, and
to one Iames Smallwood for the said Merchants use, which he
presumes to be Contrary to the Act of Assembly in that Case
provided and greatly to the Hinderance of the Inhabitants
who are hereby prevented from buying Deer skins of the said
Indians the only hopes of Cloathing Ourselves this Scarce
year of Goods

U. H. Journal
1659-98