386 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. IV

they are denied Access to the Records which they suppose
contain sufficient Evidence to shew the Justice of their Claim.
But in fact they did during the Session make what Searches
& take what Extracts they pleased in the Secretarys Office
where the Acts of Assembly & Copies of the Journals of both
Houses are deposited & this Meeting of the Committee was
only contrived to introduce a Precedent or in case any Refusal
should be given to their Authoritative Requisitions or Demands
that they may thence take Occasion to represent thro the Pro-
vince that they were denied Access to the Records purely to
prevent their furnishing their Agent with necessary Materials
& Evidence to prosecute their Appeal to Effect. Had the
Lower House thought fit to address me for an Order to the
proper Officers to deliver any particular Gentlemen they
might have mentioned any Transcripts from the Records I
should have complied with their Request but could not even
then have consented to their Rummaging the Offices as they
should think fit much less to take any Books or papers out of
such Offices & particularly those which are in Custody of the
Clerk of the Privy Council. Presuming His Ldp does not
desire to be troubled with a minute & particular Account of
such Matters in a Letter addressed to himself I shall but just
mention to him that I have transmitted to you an Account of
some Steps that have been taken here in Consequence of the
Agreement the two Houses came to last Session in order to
bring about a Passage of the Journal & leave it to you to com-
municate & lay before His Ldp the particulars. As you men-
tion'd again in your last Letter His Ldps proposal or Offer
relative to a Copper Coinage I took this Opportunity when
the Gentlemen of the Council were met to lay the same before
them & you will see by the Clerks Minute their Sentiments
thereon. Col^o Lloyd having in pursuance of the Commis-
sioners Desire delivered to me to be transmitted with my
Letters a Packet which he says contains Bills of Exchange for
His Ldp to the Amount as appears by his List of £5292 16
5 1/4 I shall comply with his Request, & doubt not but you will
immediately on your Receipt thereof deliver or by a careful
person send the Packet to Mess^rs Hanburys to whom it is
addressed. As the Steps that have been or may be taken by
the Commissioners in order to secure to His Ldp the Rents
or Quit Rents of Talbot Mannour exceed perhaps the Powers
given us we hope His Ldp will by a particular Instruction or
power confirm what we may think it for his Interest to do
respecting that mannour & on that presumption I shall under-
take to indemnify M^r Baxter or the Agent if M^r Baxter is to
be indemnified by him & to fulfill any Agreement he might
make pursuant to our Instructions with the People that are
settled thereon.