Assembly Proceedings, Oct. 20-Nov. 12, 1698. 197

By the house of Delegates No^r the 12^th 1698

May It please To his Ex^cy Francis Nicholson Esq^r his Ma^tys
Yo^r Ex^cy Cap^t Gen^ll and his hon^ble Councill in Assembly.

The humble Address of the house of Delegates

Whereas your Ex^cy and Concill have been pleased by Sev^rall
Messages to make Reflections upon this house to recite the
parrticulers whereof would be rather Cause of Aggravation
than palliate Misunderstanding, And since yo^r Ex^cy has
been signally blessed with the Favour of our Most
dread Soveraigne in that he hath been graciously pleased to
Comitt the Governm^t of Virginia to Yo^r Care and Conduct
and must leave us, Wee canot but humbly rep'sent and declare
to yo^r Ex^cy that this province hath been Extreamly obliged to
yo^r Ex^ncy under this yo^r Govenm^t And Doe desire your Ex^cy
would esteem us as indeed wee are his Ma^tys moot Dutifull
and loyall Subjects. And as It must be acknowledged one of
Our greatest temporall Blessings that it hath pleased All-
mighty God to send soe Gracious a Prince to Reigne and
Rule over us, and whome Wee shall ever be ready to serve
with our greatest Abilitys, with that Dutefull & awfull respect
which becomes Subjects of England soe Consid^ring o^r Allegi-
ance to his most Sacred Ma^ty to which Wee have sworne and

Original
Journal.

the principles of Christianity and more Especially as Wee are
protestants according to the Church of England, which in all
its Circumstances, Wee shall be ready and willing to vindicate
canot but resent any Reflection wherein is Conteyned Our
Dislike either to his most sacred Ma^ty as our dread Sov'aigne
or the protestant Religion as by law Established, And that if
Debate concerning our priviledge have been beyond what is
really our Right of which we are not yet sencible, We desire
they may rather be imputed to our Misunderstanding then
Stubbornness Signd p Ord^r
C: Gregory Cl: house Del:

In Answ^r whereto was sent the following Message.

By his Ma^tys hon^ble Councill in Assembly
No^r the 12^th 1698.

Gentⁿ
We have received yo^r address and if any Reflections have
been mad by us We were and are sorry We have had occa-
sion so to do, But since you have now declared yo^rselves to be
his Ma^tys Dutyfull and loyall Subjects and to such due venera-
tion for the Church of England as by law Established We are
willing to beleive what you profess is reall and hope you will

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