Assembly Proceedings, Sept. 16-Oct. 2, 1696. 479

We are informed by the averm^t of M^r Speaker and M^r
Hatton that the said John Cood hath formerly exercised the
Priests office at S^t Georges in S^t Mary's County by a considerable
tyme preached to them in a Church built there for that pur-
pose, and during that tyme administring the Sacrament of
Baptisme to Infants and joyning people in Marriage which they
both affirme upon their own knowledge and that the said
Cood did receive for such ministeriall function the Subscrip-
tions or Guifts of severall persons Inhabitants of the same
place.
And M^r Speaker says and affirms that the said Cood
several tymes affirmed and owned to him that he had holy
orders and was Ordained by the Bishop of Exeter, and to the
best of his Remembrance hath seen the Orders but is not
positive.
We find by Information and of our own knowledge that the
said Cood has for many years past received and exercised
severall Judiciall and ministeriall offices in this province such
as Justice of Peace, Capt., Colonel, Lieut Col: &c.
We can John Cood has been divested or degraded
therefore it is debated in this Comittee
being employed and exercising such Judiciall be a
discharge of such holy function, as of votes in the
negative viz.
That accepting and exercising such Judiciall and
Ministeriall offices doth not discharge him from such holy
ffunction; so that upon the whole matter it appearing to the
Comittee, that the said Cood hath received holy orders and
never been divested or degraded thereof by the same
Authority that conferred them, and that no person in holy
Orders according to the law of England can sitt in Parliament

L. H. J.

(or consequently in Assembly) by reason of being or belong-
ing to any other Body (with Submission to the better Judge-
ment of the house) The Major parte of this Comittee are of
opinion that the said John Cood doth belong to another Body,
and is not qualifyed to sett in this Assembly as a Burgess.
John Hammond Chairman

Put to the Question if the house do concurr with the
Reporte of the Comittee in regard to Col. Cood's not being
quallified to sitt as a member of the house, And carryed by
Majority of voices in the negative, and that the said Col
Cood is legally qualified
Col: Cood offers to take all such Oaths as may be lawfully
imposed upon any member of this house.
Resolved the following Message be sent to the hon^ble his
Ma^tys Councill.

p. 109