Maryland ss:
Porte of Annapolis March the 10^th 1697/8.
Whereas the Generall Assembly of this province according
to his Maty^s writte of Election, directed to the Severall and
respective Sherrifes of the Severall Countys to sumon and call
together the freeholders and Inhabitants of the said Countyes
to elect and choose Delegates or Representatives for their
Severall Countyes, as also to the Mayor Recorder and Alder-
men of the City of S^t Mary's and the freemen of the said city
to elect and choose two citizens for to serve for the said City,
which said Writts bear date and were Issued the 11^th day of
Ian^ry in the in the nineth year of his Maty⁵ reigne &c Annq:
dmi 1697 could not possibly be convened and mett together
att the porte of Annapolis upon the 23^d day of ffeb^ry 1697/8
as by the said writts of Election was appointed his Ex^cy the
Gov^r with advise of the Gentlemen of his Maty^s hon^ble Coun-
cill did by his Maty^s writt of prorogation bearing date the 23^d
day of ffeb^ry 1697/8 prorogue, deferr and put off the said
meeting of the Generall Assembly which to have been on
the 23^d day of Ffeb^ry aforesaid untill the 8^th day of March
ensuing att which said 8^th day of march severall Gen^t
being elected, to serve for their Severall countyes as also
for the City of S^t Maryes did according to the prorogation af^d
meet in the State house in this porte, but for as much as they
did not conceive themselves as then a sufficient number to
proceed to business or choose a Speaker, none of the Gen^t
elected for the Severall countyes on the Eastern Shoar of the
province appearing in the house or being then arrived, they
sygnifyed their resolution to his Ex^cy the Gov^r Whereupon he
was pleased by his Maty^s other writt of prorogation dated the
8^th Ins' further to prorogue them untill the 10^th day ensuing att
which time it was hoped that all or most of the Gen' on the
Eastern shoar being arrived (to witt of Talbott, Kent, and
Caecill Countyes the Severall Gen' Elected according to the
prorogation last mentioned did assemble themselves together
in the State house and having made his Ex^cy the Gov^r
acquainted therewith he commanded them having taken the
oaths, by law appointed and subscribed the Test to Elect and
choose their Speaker.
Whereupon they Elected and choose the hon^ble Major
Thomas Smithson Speaker of the house, and accordingly

Original
Journal.
p. 157