Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 311

     I. A. B. Governor of the Province of Maryland in America Lib. U. D.

   doe sollemnly swear to doe my utmost that all the matters &

   things contained in an Act of Parliament made in England in

   the twelfth year of the reigne of his late Majestie King

   Charles the second Intituled an Act for encourageing and

   increasing of Shipping & Navigation, And one other Act

   made in the fifteenth year of his said late Majesties reigne

   Intituled an Act for the encouragement of trade, And the

   Act made in the 7th & 8th years of his present Majtys reigne

   intituled an Act for preventing ffrauds and regulating abuses

   in the Plantation trade and also all other acts which have been

   made for the better regulating & securing the Plantation

   trade shall be punctually and bona fide observed according to

   the true intent & meaning thereof, so farr as appertaines to

   me the Governor of the said Province of Maryland So help

   me God.

        Tho: Cantuar, Shrewsbury, Sunderland, Romney.

   Instructions to the Governour to Orders and Instructions to be observed by Frans

   of Maryland. Nicholson Esqr his Maties Governour of the Prov

   For putting ince of Maryland in America and by the Govern-

   the severall

   Acts of trade our there for the time being in pursuance of sever-

   in force, all Laws relating to the Trade & Navigacon of

   this his Maties Kingdome of England and the Collonies and

   Plantations in America.

     First You shall inform yourself of the Principall Laws relat

   ing to the Plantation trade, Vizt The Act for encouraging &

   encreasing of Shipping and Navigation made in the 12th year

   of the Reigne of King Charles the second. The Act for pre

   venting frauds & regulating abuses in the Customes made in

   the 14th year of the sd Kings Reigne. The Act for the Encour

   agement of trade made in the 15th year of the said Kings

   Reigne.

     The Act for regulating the Plantation trade made in the 22nd p. 152

   & 23d year of the said Kings reigne. The Act for encourage

   ment of the Eastland & Greenland Trades and better secureing

   the Plantation trade made in the 25th year of the said Kings

   reigne. And the act for preventing frauds and regulating

   abuses in the Plantation trade made in the 7th & 8th year of

   his present Majesties Reigne. All wch laws you will herewith

   receive. And you shall take a Solemn Oath to doe yor

   utmost tht all the clauses matters & things contained in the

   before recited Acts of Parliament heretofore passed and now

   in force; relating to his Majties Collonies and Plantations be

   punctually and bona fide observed according to the true intent

   and meaning thereof.

     Secondly. And as by the last recited Acts the Officers