His Excellency is further pleased to Represent that as he
never called an Assembly but when there was an Absolute
necessity for it for the Glory of God the Kings Service and
Good of the Country so neither has the Tobacco expended
and allowed by those Assemblies been paid away or Gone to
the use of any persons besides the Inhabitants of the country
The Resolves of the House of Burgesses read vizt
By the House of Burgesses October 2d 1696
The House read last Message and as to the first part
thereof relating to the ordinance for quieting the minds of the
people we conceive that we have Expressed our selves to the
same purpose though not in the same words and from which
we cannot recede
As to the Rangers Resolved that they be allowed for their
Tobacco wherewith they purchase the Arms one penny p
Pound but when to be paid left to his Excellency & Council
As to the Ferries we are not willing to have more than
what are already and so have resolved and cannot recede
As to Mr Brays Affair we can say no more then what we
have said
As to Sir Thomas Lawrence we can say no more at present
than what we have said when the Good Effects of his
Honours negociation appears we doubt not but that Assembly
will make their Acknowledgments for the same as shall
become them
As to the Ships we have not further to say therein We
cannot but with Great Grief of Heart say that if his Majestys
Subjects here have not a Reasonable time allowed them to
produce their Certificate or other reasonable proof for the dis-
charge it may be the utter ruin of many good Families and we
humbly beg leave to Remark that if once Judgment is
obtained there will be no time to the defendant to produce his
Certificate or other Legal proof for it comes to late after
Judgment but if reasonable time were allowed Certificates
might be produced and the Guilty distinguished from the
Guiltless but if time be not allowed they must all be involved
in one common Ruin without distinction of false from true
traders
Signed p Order W Bladen Clk Assembly
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