210 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98.

           Lib. H. D.    examine them will be very great. This makes it highly

                 necessary for us to mind you of that Instruction which

                 imposes on you no impossible nor very difficult work &

                 ought to have been allready more punctually observed And

                 besides this also we Cannot but take notice of another of

                 your Instructions relating to Laws, which is that they be all

                 made indefinite and without Limitation of time unless they be

                 onely for a Temporary end Whereupon you are required not

                 onely [not] to reenact any Law which shall have been once

                 enacted before except upon very urgent occasions but in no

                 Case more then once wthout his Matys Express Consent, the

                 neglect of this rule has been evidently a fault in the whole

                 Course of Enacting Laws in Maryland: and the very list of

                 those past in your time shewes that you your Selfe have not

                 much better Observed it.

                  We Comend your Care and diligence in the Severall papers

                 that you mentioned in your Lre to have sent us, But Some of

                 them (of which Sorte are the Acct of parishes &c. The list

                 of the names of the Councill &c. The proceedings relateing

                 to the Privateer Day &c. The Severall lists of Navigation

                 Bonds &c. The Collrs and Navall Officers list &c.) need not

                 att present any particular Answer from us more then to desire

                 you to Continue the like upon all Occasions, and to tell you

                 (amongst the rest) That in the Actt of Taxables the Distinction

                 of Freemen, Servants and Negros which you Say you Intend

                 hereafter to Observe will be very Acceptable.

                  Upon Occasion of what you write abt the Privateer Day we

                 wish you had told us what Laws you have in force in Maryland

                 for the punishmt of Pyrates for thö perhaps we may find Some

                 thing on tht Subject when we Come to Examine all those Laws

                 Yet your information would have made it more ready and

                 easy to us, However now we desire you to write us what ever

                 further expedient your observation Suggests to you not onely

                 for the Seizing of any such persons but also abt the means of

                 bringing them to Condigne punishmt when taken.

                  In the end of those papers that you have fastened together

                 and Marked No 4 are the returns of Severall Sheriffs to the

                 Order that been sent to them relating to persons impioyed in

                 places of Trust Contrary to the Intent of the Act for prventing

                 frauds and regulating abuses &c in which we Observe that

                 Severall of those returns are very Imperfect and Answer not

                 the end of your Enquiry.

              p.    231 The Assemblyes Address to his Maty for the Remission of

                 forfeitures upon Navigation Bonds whereof you Send us a

                 Copy and what you write in your Lre upon the Same Subject

                 is att prsent under the Consideration of the Comrs of his

                 Matys Customs and we shall be Sure to take all due Care of

                 it when it Comes before us.