Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696 / 7-98. 211

       We are very Sencible of the prejudice that you Say arises Lib. H. D.

     both to Maryland and Virginia by the Takeing up too large

     Tracts of Land more then the Grantees are able to Cultivate.

     And as we thereupon exhorte you to exert all the power you

     have in the redressing of that Evill So we desire you to ppose

     unto us very plainly and fully whatever further you think Ex

     pedient to be done both for the remedying of what is allready

     past and for preventing the like for the future.

       The Act of Genll pardon that you propose to be granted to

     all his Matys Subjects in that province tho possibly it may be

     Expedient And tho the grant of it must of Course Spring

     Driginally from his Maty yet the draught of such a grant must

     of necessity be first prepared in the Country where you are

     most Sencible and Can best Judge what is wanted Upon the

     Sight of which and of the reasons that you may send along

     with it (and not before) it will be fitt to deliberate upon it here.

       The proposition which you make about a particular pardon

     for two Women guilty of Murder ought (in our opinion) to be

     laid before the King by way of Petition from thence in the

     Name of the persons that Concerne themselves for them

     together with a State of theire Case and the Reasons why

     they are thought to be fitt objects of Mercy.

       As for the Petition of Mr William Dent which you have sent

     us with your Opinion upon it, that it may be Expedient he

     should be Constituted his Matys Govr Genll in that Province

     however fit he may be for that Office Yet Considering that his

     Maty has thought fitt to Constitute onely Attorneys Genll and

     not Govrs genll unfformly through all his Colonyes in America

     We do not think it fitt for us to propose to his Maty the Estab

     lishmt of any such New Officer in any particular place.

       The Addresses and Associations that we recd from you we p. 232

     have Transmitted to one of his Matys Princepall Secrys of

     State

       These being the things of Chiefe Moment that we Can

     write att prsent upon Occassion of the Lres or papers that we

     have redd from you we will onely Add one word of direction

     which we desire should be Observed in all papers that we may

     receive from you for the future. It is that all writeings what

     soever have faire Margents Capable to receive the Notes

     which there may Occasion to make upon them. That in the

     J ournalls and other publicque Transactions, The Heads of

     each Matter be Minuted and Sett downe in the Margent by

     the Officers who Transcribe them. And tht all papers what

     soever even petitions Addresses or any thing of the like

     Nature be Constantly Dated These things we mention to you

     as Rules which we Esteem usefull, That you may require the