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

L. H. J.

thereof on the people together with the building a court
house, which now God be thanked is near finished and quite
paid for, together with all the publique Debts, and the
Country in a small tyme likely to have something in Bancke.
And we do declare that the mony that has been raised has
been duly applyed to the uses it was raised for viz: for and
towards building the Court house, church and Free Schole,
which we conceive to be for the Service of God his Ma^ty and
good of the Country. And that we hope the Country being
clear of Debt and all things settled upon good foundations
there will be no occasion of calling another Assembly this
twelve months; which his Ex^cy assures us he will not convene
nor call together, without an absolute necessity.
Signed p Ord^r W Bladen Clk. Assembly.

Major Dent and the rest of the members returne and say
they have Delivered their Message, And that his Ex^cy
recomends that in the said Ordinance it be incerted that his
Ex^cy never call any Assemblys but upon Absolute occasion,
nor ever make use of the Countys mony, but that the mony
that is now paid is what he lent the Country without any
Interest.
Resolved the following Message be sent to his Ex^cy

By the house of Burgesses Octob: the 2^d 1696.

The house understand by the Messengers last sent, that his
Ex^cy is not Satisfied with our last Message, under an appre-
hension that his Ex^cy lyes under an ill Imputation of receiving
the Countrys mony, because some idle persons without
reason and contrary to truth may have lett fall such expres-
sions.
We are sorry his Ex^cy should so apprehend us, and there-
fore to clear ourselves to the whole Province whome we rep-
resent. We do hereby publish and declare with one Consent
that at all tymes we have found his Ex^cy free from the least
tendency that way. That he has always treated us with
justice and honour, not considering so much his own as our
good, and never either required or used any of the Countrys
mony, but on the Contrary hath several tymes lent us mony
of his owne, and received nothing but the principle again, and
the money that his Ex^cy has now received from us is no more
then what he has Lent us and layne a considerable tyme
out of.
And this we Sincerely declare and desire it may be accepted
of from us.
Signed p order W. Bladen Clk: of Assembly.