42 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1687/8-89.

Liber B.
P. R. O.

Maryland and Avalon Lord Baron of Baltemore To all to
whome these presents shall come sendeth greeting Know yee
that for the better Government and order of my said Province
and good of the Freemen and Inhabitants thereof in my
absence I doe hereby constitute and appoynt and make my
trusty and welbeloved Councellors William Joseph of London
Gent: Colonell Thomas Taylor Colonell Vincent Low Colonell
Henry Darnall Colonell William Diggs Major Nicholas Sewall
Colonell Edward Pye and Clement Hill of S^t Maries Gentlemen
my deputys and Vice-regents of and in the said pvince To call
and appoint Generall Assemblys in and for the same and that
they or any three of them (whereof the said William Joseph
and Henry Darnall to be two) shall and may pass Acts and
lawes therein which if wee shall not disapprove of under our
greate seale are and shall be and continue lawes for the time
therein and thereby intended and shall and may performe and
execute all and every such powers and authorities for the good
of my said province as I myself might could or can doe if there
personally present hereby ratifying and approveing whatsoever
my said Deputies or Agents shall Act or doe by vertue of
these presents or any power hereby given to them or any of
them Given at London the Three and twentieth day of July
In the Thirteenth yeare of our dominion Anno que Dni: 1688
Under the greate seale of our said Province of Maryland.

The said M^r Joseph also produced a Letter from his Lord-
ship the Lord Prop^ty which was read and is as followeth viz^t

p. 175

Gentlemen
This will be delivered unto you by M^r William Joseph of
whome I have had soe greate a Carracter and Recommen-
dacon that I have thought fit to nominate and appoynt him one
of my Deputies and to preside upon all occasion of buisines
either in my Council or Provinciall Court there, and accord-
ingly have named him first in a Comission which he will deliver
to you. I therefore hereby require, authorize and impower
you or any two of you to administer to M^r William Joseph the
usuall oathes of Deputy, Councellor and Justice of my Provin-
ciall Court there; To the end he may act as one of my Depu-
ties and precide in Council and Courts as often as the affaires
of my Province shall require the holding of either.
There will be noe need of your takeing these oathes anew I
being satisfied you have already taken them upon that Comis-
sion I gave you when I last left the Province, the only altera-
tion I intend by this new Comission is the appointing M^r Joseph
the first of my Deputies and to preside in Courts & Councils
untill such time as I cann be with you in person myself: For