Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1700.     111

    Said Province without his Matys Express Order for that Pur-  Lib. H. D.

    pose, So We bid you heartily Farewel

                            Your very Loving Friends

      Reflecting upon what yor Predecessor, Stamford

    Colonel Nicholson has formerly Signifyed Lexington

    to us Concerning Forts in Maryland that Ph: Meadows

    they are of no use for the Defence of John Pollexfen

    that Country. We think it So much the Abr: Hill

    more Necessary that due Care be    Geo: Stepney

    taken for regulating the Militia, and Mat: Prior

    that they be so disciplined and Trained

    as to render them Usefull whenever there

    may be occasion And We therefore particularly

    recomend that Matter to your Care.

      At a Council held at the Town & Port of Annapolis in Ann    Lib. x

    Arundel County the 13th day of December in the tweth year     p. 268

    of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King William the third

    of England &Ca Annoq Dni 1700

                         Present

               His Excellency the Governor

  the honble Tho Tench Esqr Tho Brook Esqr

             Colo Jno Addison Colo John Hamm

      The Council representing to his Excellency that whereas

    this present General Assembly now on Foot had continued

    near three years they did believe it would be to the General

    Satisfaction of the Country they should be dissolved in the

    Spring & new one called His Excellency was pleased to

    assent thereto but withal Declared that having no Instructions

    from his most Sacred Majesty the Right honble the Lords

    Commsrs of trade & Foreign Plantations &Ca in that point

    to follow the late act of Parliament made in his Majestys

    Kingdom of England for dissolution of the Parliament there

    every three years he did not hold himself obliged to follow

    that Example here not knowing how far it might be agre-        p. 269

    able to his Majestys Inclinations And least it should be

    drawn into President hereafter

      Then was proposed how the Assembly should be Dissolved

    whether by their meeting or Proclamation to the respective

    counties resolved that it should be by writt framed for that

    purpose to the several Counties by reason of the Great charge

    & inconveeniency nay almost impossibility of their meeting

    this Winter all the delegates on the eastern shore being to