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

       Lib. H. D. That Considering this will be the only business which will

             be to be lay'd before the Assembly and that it is now a busy

             time with most prsons upon the ffieets going out besides the

             Unseasonable time of the Year so that it might be very

             inconvenient for them to meet together at this time and to

             save the Charge to the Countrey of calling an Assembly it

             is therefore the Unanimous Opinion of this Board that it will

             be most for his Mats Service upon so suddain an Occasion as

             this that a State of the whole Case be sent to the Sheriff of

             each respective County of the Province Comanding them to

             shew the same to all the Burgesses Justices, Grand Juries,

             merchts & Trading men in the severall County's (especially

             to the Justices and Grand Jury's in march Court next) for

             them to give their Opinion therein under their hands re

             spectively a Return whereof is afterwards to be made by the

             sd Sherriffs unto the Port of Annapolis with all possible Speed

             hereby Signifying that it is the opinion of his Exncy and of all

             the members of his Mats honrble Council (now prsent) that if

             in Case the Comodore should now sayle & leave so many

             Ships behind that then the rest that are left behind be not

             permitted to go before the 15th of April next (and not

             otherwise then in a ffleet together) by Reason that if they

             should stay till another Convoy Comes they must be fforced

             to remain all Sumer through which means their Voyage

             would be totally over thrown by their men falling Sick,

             dyeing Runing away and such like unavoidable Accidents

             according as it hath happened to some of their men already

             the Masters being left to make Choice of a Comodore to be

             Commissionated in like manner as was done last Year to

         p.  whom the Severall Masters are to give Bond to follow such

             Cofliodores Instructions and directions hereby appointing

             that all the Ships that are left behind and lye up the Bay

             meet together by the sd 15th of Aprll next at the mouth of

             Petuxant River and all the Ships up Potomock at the mouth of

             St Maries River in Ordr for their Sayling away in a ffleet

             together for England under the Conduct and Comand of the

             Comodore for that End and purpose to be Commissionated

             as aforesd and as to what Scattering Ships shall be left after

             the sd 15th day of Apri!l and the Sayling of the sd ffleet that

             the same be not permitted to Depart the Province or sayle

             until further Ordr whereof the severall Collrs and navall

             Officers are to take due notice and take Bond of the re

             spective Masters (with sufficient security) which by them

             shall be Clear'd) before the sd 15th of Aprill whereby they

             may be Obliged to meet and sayle together as is afore

             directed. The Sherriffs are also hereby Required to Signifye

             to all such prsofls to whom they shall prsent this, that those