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

            Lib. x.   giance & the Oaths appointed by Act of Parliament instead

                 of the Oath of Supremacy & Subscribed the Test the said

                 Mr Batson also gave Bond for the due Execution of his Office

                 According to the late Act of Parliament made in the Seventh

                 & Eighth years of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King Wil

                 liam the third & likewise took the Oath for the Encourage

                 ment & increasing of Trade appointed by the said Act of

                 Parliament.

                  The petition of Mr Clement Hill of St Marys County & his

                 wife Referred to his Majestys Council at Law to make report

                 thereon

                  The Clark of the Provincial Court being sent for Came &

                 these following Certificates for discharge of Navigation Bonds

                 being read & approved of were delivered to him to be filed

                 up in his Office vizt

                  For the Rainbow of Lancaster Jonathan Ben Mr Dated the

                 5th of June 1696

                  For the Ship Wm & Elizth Henry Bird Mr dated the 26th of

                 Novr 1697 & the Lords Commissioners Letter thereon.

                  A Certificate for the London Arms John Wade Masr dated

                 the 18th of December 1697 for Bond said to be Given the 20th

                 of July 1690

                  This Board considering the Backwardness of the Year that

                 no late Commands are Come from his most Sacred Majesty

                 or the right honble the Lords of the Council of Trade & Plan

                 tations nor any absolute Necessity of the Assembly now meet

              p. 52   ing do Consult and Advise his Excellency the Governor to

                 issue his Proclamation to prorogue the same until the Twen

                 tieth day of October next

                  And accordingly such Proclamation being prepared was

                 read & Approved of & Ordered to pass the Broad Seal of this

                 Province

                  Ordered that a Proclamation for securing runaway Sea men

                 be prepared & those Masters who have Signed the Address

                 to his Excellency to be therein Nominated that Copies of the

                 said Proclamation be sent to the severall Naval Officers and

                 read on Board the several Ships & the Masters to take Copies

                 thereof

                  Produced and read an Accot wherein Major Tho Smithson

                 the Speaker of the house of Delegates stands Indebted to the

                 Lord Baltimore in 141201 Tobacco & £17. 3. 1 1/2 in money

                 which is reasonably suppose to be a great tye or Obligation

                 upon the said Majr Smithson to his Lordship

                  His Excellency is pleased to Say to the Board that whereas

                 he has thrice with the advice of his Majestys honble Council

                 here wrote to his Excellency Sr Edmond Andros his Majestys

                 Lieut & Governor General of the Colony of Virginia who