Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1716. 341

  From the sence of these hardships You were likey to Labour C. P.

  under, I have in order to yr Releif, laid the Case before his

  Lordship's Guardian & himself,

    Their Lordships, out of their tender Considerations of Your

  Circumstances, have Instructed me to pass an Act, which I

  may well terme in Your Favour, it being for the whole Rents,

  a Condescention I have never heard was made You before

  this tyme. The method which their Lordships have Pre

  scribed me in this Affair being too Copious to be mentioned

  here, I shall send downe to V' House, for your Perusalb.

    I am not ignorant it is the Interest of some particular

  wealthy Gentlemen, to pay their Rents in mony. The Lord

  Proprietarie wou'd be well pleased this Interest was genrll in

  the Province; But as it is by much the greater Number, and

  Consequently those that are the least able to bear this Burthen,

  that will reap the Benefitt of the Lord Proprietaries favour

  and Generosity. I hope it will be Considered tht a Particular

  ought allways to give way to the Publick good. It is there

  fore of these Wealthy Gentlemen I must Address myself to.

  Pray remember the Poor.

    Mr Speaker & the Members of the Lower House took

  their Leave & repaired thereto. Mr Stoddert and Capt Fris.

  by came from the Lower House and presented Thomas

  Macnemara Esqr to be Sworne as their Clerk. And the

  said Macnemara took the Oaths to the Governmt subscribing

  the Test and Abjuration, and also the Oathe of Clerk of the

  Lower House in Presence of the said Members thereof.

    Colonel Tilghman and Col Smith were sent to the Lower

  House with a Copy of the Clause of the Law proposed.

    Colonel Hopkins Mr Stoddert & Lt Col Scott brought up

  the following Message Viz.

       By the lower House of Assembly Aprill 24th 1716.

  May it Please Yr Excellency.

    As the Information this House has received from Sundry

  Prints and otherwise tht the Right Honble the Lord Proprie

  tarie of this Province departed this life sometime last Feb

  ruary has given us Cause of great Greif so it very much

  Deters us from further Proceeding on any Business least we

  should Spend Our time, and the Country's mony to little pur

  pose which must be; if that Acct should Prove True, as we

  very much fear it will: And for that we are informed some

  Progress is made in the Parliament of Great Britain for En

  abling the Crowne to reassurne all the Proprietary Govern

  ments in America. We therefore humbly Pray Your Excel-