182 Assembly Proceedings, Oct. 20-Nov. 12, 1698.

Original
Journal.

p. 34

As to overawing the House his Ex^cy is pleased to tell them
that it is true he did promise to protect them but that now
they have attacked him in an unusual] manner, without their
Speaker signing it which unless he does in the name of them
all he shall looke upon it a siditious scandalous Libell
As to their aggrevance in that some of their Memb^rs were
called before the Councill
His Ex^cy Asks them if they did not desire to be despotick
and aboue the Law so as not to be questioned
4^th As to Justices being prosecuted and harrast upon
Obsolete Laws His Ex^cy recomends to them to follow the
Genrous Example of the house of Comons and not take any
thing for their Sallarys, and knows noe persons that serve the
King for nothing neither are the Justices content w^th their
8o" tob: p diem but levy more of which severall Comp^lts have
come to him
As to that parte of theire message viz^t to abstaine from
calling the Clks of the Comittees upon their Oaths & His
Ex^cy bidds them follow the grate Example of the house of
Comons to publish their Votes, but it cannot be reasonable to
thinke th^t in the station he is in he will suffer himself to be
abused without endevoring to discover the Authors As to
that parte of theire message conteining the Jurys &c He tells
them they are upon a nice point and that the Jury that quitted
Sly were in the opinion of all persons present at the tryall
perjured, That the Grand Jury had found the Bill againe,
Askes them if they pretended to vindicate such a Jury
As to M^r Mason being suspended from his Treasurers
office, tells them there was good reason therefore for that he
stood [accused] of the high Crimes and misdemenours and
had endevoured to defraude the Country of fifty pounds sterl:
and that he had Charged more Sallary then was due to him
viz^t for receiving the navall officers Sallary which he. never recd:
Observes to them that he had often proposed to them to
appoint sum of their members to looke their Journall when
made up by the Clarke Requires the Speaker to Seale up
their Journall Which he refusing his Ex^cy is pleased to seale
it up and give it the Clarke of the house of Delegates, And
with all told them that if they required it they might haue it

p.35

opened for their Recourse for this days procedings
Lastly he tould them that he thought himself obliged in
honour to make them soe suddaine an Answer that it might
not be thought he had occasion to study to defend what he
never was guilty of. M^r Speaker and the members depart to
the house His Ex^cy is pleased to aske the Gentⁿ of the Coun-
cill to give their opinion if he has said any thing more or less
to the house than he ought