318 Assembly Proceedings, April 30-May 14, 1696.

U. H. J.

The House desires his Excellency will be pleased to con-
sider the said Petition and express his sentiments thereon to

this Board

Signed p Order
W Bladen C Assembly

p. 882

Answer thereto was by Order drawn up and Indorsed
as follows viz^t

By his Excellency the Governor & Council May the 11^th 1696

This Board have Considered the Petition and are apt to
believe the matters therein contained to be true but consider-
ing the Representative Body now met together are more
capable of Judging thereon is left to their result but his Excel-
lency is withal Pleased to Recommend again to the House a
Certain proposall laid before them relating to the appointing
several Persons for to manage that Office and bringing
Tobacco to Certain places and that they would inquire against
the next year if any Person will undertake the same their
being a whole year beforehand for People to make their Pro-
posalls thereabouts
The said several Bills petitions and Representations with
Remarks thereon were sent down to the House by Col^o
Hutchins and Col^o Addison who return and say they deliv-
ered the same
Sent by the Clerk of this Board the Return of the Indenture
for Election of Burgesses in Prince Georges County who
returns and says he delivered the same
Came from the House Captain William Dent who signified
that he was sent to desire some of the Gentlemen of the
Council might go down to the House to swear the new
Returned members for Prince Georges County and Calvert
County and according went down by Order the honble Col⁰
Nicholas Greenberry and Col^o Addison attended by the Clerk
of this Board who accordingly administred the Oaths
appointed by the Act of Parliament to be taken instead of the
Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy unto M^r Hatton Col⁰
Ninian Beal M^r W^m Barton and M^r James Crawford who also
Subscribed to the Test

May the 12^th 1696

The Council again Sate and were present as yesterday.
Read over the request of the House touching Indians as
follows viz^t