Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 469

            Commissioners Appointed                Lib. X.

           Captain William Barton                 Mr Philip Briscoe

          Captain Iohn Bayne   Mr Richd Harrison

          Mr Henry Hawkins     Mr Henry Hardy

           Majr Iames Smallwood     Mr Tho Taney

          Mr Ioshua Manning    Mr Iohn Wildoe

           Mr Robert Yates

       His Excellency demanding of the Gentlemen who were

      Ordered to see the Laws Transcribed according to their Lord-

      ships Order what they had done in Order thereto

       The said Gentlemen make Answer that for the following

      reasons that they had met with great difficulty and have not

      been able to effect any thing therein

       First that there are so few Clerks that they been much to

      seek where to find persons fitting to transcribe the said Laws

       Secondly that all Persons Employed as Clerks to write any

      publick Business have been so much discouraged & so slend-

      erly rewarded by the late Assemblys that no such Persons

      were to be had who would write upon the Credit of being paid

      by the Assembly.

       And thirdly they know not how to have such Clerks accom

      modated when in Town

       Whereupon the said Gentlemen are ordered to agree with p. 96

      the Clarks that undertake the writing the Laws and to Assure

      them that in Case the next Assembly do not fully satisfy them

      according to such Agreement they shall be paid out of the qur

      part of the Revenue given for purchasing Arms &ca

       And it is further ordered that any of the Ordinary keepers

      do entertain & accommodate the said Clerks for which the

      said Ordinary keepers are to be Assured of the like pay

       Major Walter Smith of Calvert County is told by his Ex

      cellency that he formerly gave him a. paper of Mr Crawfords

      to have a return made thereto by the Iustices of Calvert

      County the said Mr Smith says he once delivered the said

      Petition to Mr Henry Denton late Clerk of the Council which

      not being fully answered he the said Major Smith says he

      gave it to Collo Bigger And that he will take care to return

      the same

       But his Excellency told him that this was not what he was

      now sent for & asked him if he kept an house for people to

      drink King Iames health in & that he the said Smith & the

      Halls had thereby, sufficiently Shown what they were, neither

      would there being Burgesses protect them from punishment

      when deserved the said Major Smith is told that Security is

      required of him in two thousand pounds Sterling for his

      appearance at the next Provincial Court to answer what shall