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

      Lib. H. D. the Cornodore in Virga And that also after the sd Cornodore

             is departed from Virga aforesd with the prsent ffleet, You do

             not clear any Vessell whatsoever untill you have further

             Orders so to do I am

                                   Yor Loving ffriend

                                        ffr: Nicholson

               You are also hereby permitted to clear any Vessel before

             the departure of the Comodore which is yet uncertain upon

             giving such Security as aforesd Notwithstanding former

             Orders.

                                        ffr: Nicholson

               Drawn up by Order the following Proclamacön for a publick

             thanksgiving, upon the Receipt of Some News lately brought

             from England; wch by his Exncy was here produced & Read,

             Vizt

         By his Exncy the Capt Genll &ca A Proclamation

                  ffor a Publick Thanksgiving.

               Maryland ss

             A Proclamacon for a Publick Whereas by intelligence Recd: from England of

           Thanksgiving    his Mats safe Return from fflanders, and of a happy

                     discovery and defeat of a late designed invasion

             by the ifrench upon one or more of his Mats Kingdoms, And

         p. 465 also by a Gazette of October the 22th in wch is his Mats most

             gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliamt as also by the

             humble Address of the Rt honrble the House of Commons to

             the Kings most Excellent maty Copyes of which I have here

             with Sent you, which I do hereby in his Mats Name Command

             you to publish with this Proclamacon, by which I am informed

             of the happy Agreexnt betwixt his Sacred Maty and his Par

             liamt which great and Continued blessings on his Mats Royall

             prson and Kingdoms do call for our publick and solemn

             acknowledgmts I have therefore thought fit (by Advice of his

             Mats honrble Councill) to issue this my Proclamacon hereby

             appointing and Commanding, that a Genll Thanksgiving to

             Almighty God for these his mercys be observed by all his

             Mats Loving Subjects within this Province, on the 13th of May

             next; and to implore God Almightys protection on his Mats

             Royall prson, and Victorious Success to his Armies and ffleets,

             And that the Same may be more solemnly perform'd I have

             (by Advice aforesd) thought fit to order that the Provll Court

             be further Adjourne'd and put off untill the sd 13th of May

             (Supposing also that the long Stay of the ffieet through

             meanes of the hardness of this last winter may be inconvenient