Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 9, 1692. 379

[fore humbly desire your Exc^y will] be pleased to giue ord^r
for [the same to be brought in, and that the name] of the
County to which each [seal shall belong, be put round the
said seal], and the Charge thereof [this house has ordered
shall be reimbursed by the] said Countyes.
[Signed pr. Order, Henry] Denton Clk Assembly.

passed the house the first reading.
& Councill by M^r Hawkins M^r M^r this
house to the Gou^rno^r and in the Address drawne vp
Maj in the brought Coll which
was read as follows Viz^t

his Ex^ncy in Assembly May 20^th 1692.
The Sev [eral Bills] herewith sent, viz: The Act of Recog-
nition &c The Act ag^e hog[stealers] &c: The Act for preserva-
tion of the severall harbours &c^a
The Act for Inrolm^t of Convayances &c: The Act for
makeing high wayes &c^a The Act for takeing away Erro^rs
&c. and the Act for Limitation &c: haue been here read &
Considered by the board whose opinion therein they think fitt
to Signifie to the house as foil, viz^t As to the Act of Recog-
nition &c: they conceiue it necessary that the preamble
thereof were better Excluded, and the Recognizeing part
onely taken notice off according to the president & Examples
of England and our Neighbouring Collonies, that the same
may appeare to proceed from Us freely without any Sinnister
end or Condition of covenant induceing therevnto. The Act
ag^t hogstealers particularises noe penalties to be inflicted vpon
the Offend^rs for breach thereof but refers to former Acts, which
seemes to this board to be altogether insignificant, All the
Lawes of this Province in generall formerly made being now
abolished and of noe force also for the better & more easie
discouery of Criminalls in that & other matters of Like import
Viz^t In all cases of petty Larcenys & Stealing of provisions
or other goods it were convenient that the Onus probandi lye
vpon the party charged & in whose Custody any such may be
found that in Case he or she cannot Sufficiently proove &
make appeare when where and how they came by the same it
shall be a Sufficient conviction of the Crime, and the punishm^t
to be better considered off, and reduced to fine servitude, or
otherwise as shall be thought fitt and more agreeable to the
Lawes of England. In the Act of Inrolm^t of Conveyances
&c: there is a certaine fee granted to the Clk: which (as in all
other Acts now to be drawne) This board desires may be
waved by the house, as a Matter wholly vested by their Maj^ties
in the Gouerno^r with advice of his Councill. To the Act for

Original
Journal.