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

         Lib. H. D. Lr read in A Letter being Read, from the Reverend Mr

               Councill from

               Mr Brechin James Brechin a Minister of the Church of Eng

               Minister in in land in Somerset County therein Complaining

               Somerset County that he has not his dues according to Act of

                        Assembly, this Board does say that they don't find

                by any Law of England or of this Province that any dissent

                ing Minister can be admitted to Receive the 40 p poll:

               Ordered therefore that the sd W Brechin have Right and

               Justice done him pursuant to the Laws of England and of this

               Province.

               A Lrc Read in  His Exncy having formerly Recd: a Lre from the

               Council in

               relacon to     honrble Edward Randolph Esq one of his Ma

                Trade &ca honrble Councill of this Province and Surveyor

                Genll of his Mat Customs, Dated the 16th day of May last,

                that he with other prsons in each Governmt was to Administer

                the Oath appointed to be taken by the late Act of Parliamt

                Anno Septimo et Octavo Gulielrni tertij Regis intituled an

                Act for preventing ffrauds and Regulating abuses in the Plan

                tacon Trade unto his Mats Governrs on the Continent of

                America, which is the Reason he hath not taken the sd Oath

                before, expecting the sd Esq Randolphs coming; but the time

                of the sd Act for taking the sd Oath being near expired he

                does in prsence of his Mats honrble Councill take a Solemn

                Oath upon the Holy Evangelist that he will to the Utmost of

                his Power; how that all the Clauses, Matters and things Con

                tained in the afore recited Acts of Parliamt here to fore passed

                and now in fforce, Vizt One Act of Parliamt made in the 12th

            p. 474  year of the Reign of the late King Charles the Second

                intituled, an Act for increasing of Shiping and Navigacon

                another Act made in the 15th Year of the Reign of his sd late

                maty intutled an Act for Encouragemt of Trade, another Act

                made in the 22th & 23th years of his sd late Maty Reign,

                intituled An Act to prevent the planting of Tobo in England

                and for regulating the Plantacön Trade, Another Act made

                in the 25th Year of the Reign of his sd late Maty intituled an

                Act for the Encouragemt of the Greenland and Eastland

                Trades and for the better Securing the Plantacon Trades,

                relating to the sd Colonies & plantacons and that all and

                every the Clauses contain'd in this prsent Act be punctually

                and bona fide observed, according to the true intent and

                meaning thereof.

                                             So help me God.

                 Ordered that the respective Navall Officers within this

                Province, do pursuant to the directions of the sd late Act of

                Parliamt intituled an Act for preventing ifrauds and Regu