Assembly Proceedings, Sept. 20-Oct. 18, 1694. 73

apply themselves there in times of Assembly Provinciall
Courts or otherwise his Lsp was pleased to Signifie to the
Corporation under his hand his promise and full assurance of
continueing the same, and not to be removed thence dureing
his life.
9 Upon w^ch Encouragem^t given Severall of the Inhabi-
tants of the s^d City haue lanched out and disbursed consider-
able Estates to their great impoverishm^t and almost utter
ruine if they should be defeated of such their promised
encouragem^t and not onely soe but divers others the Inhabi-
tants for severall miles about, contiguous and Adjacent to the
s^d Citty upon the same Encouragem^t of his Lsp have seated
themselves upon meane indifferent lands and layd out their
Estates and made emproovem^ts thereon barely for the raiseing
of Stocks wherewith to Supply the said City for the End and
purpose afd w^ch is now become their whole and onely depend-
ance for their future Support and maintenance.
10 The City of Sn^t Maries scituated as afd is undeniably
the most convenient Port or place for all Masters of Shipps or
other persons whatsoever at their arrivall into or goeing out of
the province to make their application to his Ex^ncie and also for
the receipt & dispatch of all publick Lett^rs and expresses
relateing to their Maj^ties Service and the good of the whole
province from and to any parts of the Same, as lyeing in a
manner equally distant from Pottuxent and Pottomock Rivers
and the Main Bay, and is most commodious and contiguous to
its Neighbouring Collyny of Virginia with whom a mutuall
intercourse and correspondency is most undeniably Necessary
and Materiall.
11 ffor w^ch reason amongst others best knowne to their
Maj^ties your supplicants humbly conceive that (as they have
been enformed) their Maj^ties late Gov^r Copley was by his
Instructions comanded to apply primarily and principally to
Sn^t Maryes & there enter upon his Governm^t as the knowne
& generally accepted antient & Chief Seate of Governm^ts in
this province

Original
Journal.

12 It hath hardly been knowne and indeed Scarce any
president can be produced of soe Sudden a change as the
removeall of the antient and Chiefe Seate of Governm^t upon
the bare suggestion and Allegations of some particular persons
for their owne private Interest and Advantage neither is it in
the power wee humbly conceive of the Subject but the pre-
rogative Royal invested in your Ex^ncie as their Maj^ties Lieve-
tenant at whose feete we humbly cast our selves for Releife
and Support ag^t the Calamitys & ruin wherewith wee are
threatned wholly relying upon your Ex^ncies grace & favour
therein, with whome wee alsoe conceive should be good

p. 55