Board of Trade. Maryland. Vol. 17.

Journall
of the councill in Assembly from the 26^th
of Aprill to third of May 1704.

P. R. O.

Maryland ss.
Att a Councill in Assembly held att the Port of Annapolis
in Ann Arundell County the Twenty sixth day of Aprill in
the third Year of the Reign of our Soveraigne Lady Anne by
the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland
Queen Defender of the Faith &c^a Annoq Dni 1704.

Were Present

His Excellency Iohns Seymour Esq her Ma^tys Cap^t Gen^ll &
Gov^rnour in chief in & over this her Maj^tys province &c.

p. I

The
Hon^ble

Thomas Tench Esq
Thomas Brook Esq
Col. In^o Hamond

Col. Edward Lloyd
L^t Col. W^m Holland &
M^r Iames Sanders

His Ex^cy the Gov^r being acquainted by Majo^r William Dent
M^r Philemon Lloyd & other Members of the house of Dele-
gates that a sufficient Number of them were assembled at the
Stad' House but that Lieu^t Col. Thomas Smithson the Speaker
of their House was very Sick & not able to come to this Ses-
sions was pleas'd to direct them to go to the house & make
choice of Some other fitt person to be their Speaker.
And after some short time came the said M^r Philemon Lloyd
& Maj^r Charles Greenberry who acquainted his Ex^cy that their
house had made Choice of Majo^r W^m Dent to be their Speaker
And desired to know if they might now present him for his

Ex^cys Approbation To which his Ex^cy answered he was ready
to Receive them.
Then came the Members of the house of Delegates & pre-
sented to his Ex^cy Majo^r William Dent for their Speaker who
thus Addrest himself to his Ex^cy that Alltho' the house had
been pleas'd to make choice of him for their Speaker Yett he
hop'd & pray'd his Ex^cy would be pleasd to direct them to
make choice of other person better Qualified for that weighty
Trust & Service from which he desired to be excused as al-
together unfitting. But was answered by his Ex^cy that he
could not Disapprove of what the house had done especially
in this their choice of him Then M^r Speaker in the Name of
the province did intreate his Ex^cy that all her Ma^tys Good

p. 2