70 Assembly Proceedings, Mar. 8, 1697/8-Apr. 4, 1698.

Original
Journal.

Tench Esq are ordered to Command the Speaker & the
whole House (in his ma^ts name) to attend his Ex^ncy in Councill
immediately but to the House deferring they are sent again to
know the Reason of their delay and Coffiand them to Come
fforthwith, who return and say they are coming. Came ac-
cordingly M^r Speaker attended with the whole House and
p^rsents these following bills formerly p^rused & ffair Engrossed
and assented to by his ma^ts Hon^rble Councill To w^ch his Ex^ncy
on behalf of his ma^ty was pleased to assent by subscribing
them thus, viz^t

At the Port of Annapolis Aprill the third 1698 :

p. 109

On behalf of his ma^ty King W^m the Third &c. I will these
to be Laws. At which time the map & plott of this Town be-
ing produced and publickly shewn to the assembly who were
told of the accident that had happened thereto by the Ratts hav-
ing eaten Several parts thereof the same being amended and
ffairly transcribed by m^r Richard Kilburne (who made Oath
that he writt it from m^r Richard Beards Book from whence it
was originally Engrossed) was Sealed on the ffour sides thereof
with the Broad Seal, & with his Ex^ncys Seal at the head and
ffour Corners having red tape drawen on Cross the back sides
thereof.
M^r Philip Clark's Peticon to his Ex^ncv S^r Edm^d Andross his
ma^ts Govern^r of Virg^a read & other p^rceedings of the prov^ll
Court thereon.
M^r W^m Bladen was Sworne to declare what Extravagant
discourse he had heard from the s^d Clarke as also what m^r
Elisha Hall told him of the s^d Clarks behaviour Relating to the
assembly. His Ex^ncy was pleased to tell M^r Speaker and the
House.
That M^r Speaker had broke his word with him in that he
promised to keep the Kings prerogative untouch'd which he
had not done, but suffered it in Severall points to be invaded
whereas it lay in his power to obstruct and hinder it by
adjourning the house when he found them Runing into Extor-
tions as is his Duty in all such Cases.
That by the Actions and Behaviour of the House they think
themselves to have an Arbitrary and unbounded power.
That those in the House they have liberty & ffreedom in
debate in all matters except Capitall, Yet would have them
know th^t when they Return to the respective County's they
are not to give out or declare any thing tending to the disturb-
ance of this his Ma^ts Governm^t by infusing strange notions

p. 110

in the peoples heads w^ch he thinks fit to Caution them of and