540 Appendix to Council Proceedings, 1696/7-98.

         P. R. o.  Mem: Upon laying the foregoeing Minutes of the Comittee

              before the King in Councill His Majesty was pleased to give

              Orders accordingly.

                [Instructions for Gov. Nicholson.]

                            William R.

                Instructions for our Trusty and Welbeloved Francis Nichol

              son Esqr our Captain Generall and Governor in Chief in and

              over our Province and Territory of Maryland in America and

              in his absence to the Governor or Commander in Chief of our

              said Province for the time being. Given at our Court at

              Whitehall this eighth day of March 1693. In the sixth year

              of our reign

                With these our Instructions you will receive our commission

              under our Great Seal of England constituting you our Cap

              tain Generall and Governor in Chief in and over our Province

              and Territory of Maryland in America where being arrived

              you are forthwith to call together the Members of our Coun

              cill for that our Province and Territory by name Sir Thomas

              Lawrence Barront Henry Iowles George Robotham Nicholas

              Greenberry Thomas Tench Charles Hutchins David Browne

              John Addison John Courts Thomas Brook James Frisby and

              Edward Randolph Esqrs

                At which Meeting after having published in usuall Manner

              our said commission constituting you our Captain General

              and Governor in Chief of our said Province and Territory you

              shall take yourself, And also administer unto each of the

              Members of our said Councill the Oaths appointed by Act of

              Parliament to be taken instead of the Oath of Allegiance and

              Supremacy as also the Test and the Oaths for the due Execu

              tion of their places and Trust.

                You are to communicate unto our said Councill from time

              to time such and so many of our Instructions as you shall find

              convenient for our service to be imparted unto them.

                Our Will and Pleasure is that the Members of our Councill

              shall and may have and enjoy freedome of debate and votes

              in all things to be debated of in Councill.

                And although by our Commission aforesaid we have thought

              fitt to advice that any three of our Councillors make a Quorum

              It is nevertheless our Will and Pleasure that you do not act

              with a Quorum of less than five Members unless upon extra

              ordinary Emergencies.

                And that we may be always informed of the names and

              characters of persons fitt to supply the vacancies of our Coun

              cill you are to transmitt unto us by one of our principall