Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1719. 357

       Whereupon it is the Unanimous Opinion of this Board, C. P.

     that his Excellency by that Law, has a Right to the Duty of

       p hhd thereby given, untill such time as his Comission

     shall be Superseeded

     To the Fifth

       His Excellency Desires the Opinion of this Board

       Whereupon It is the Opinion of this Board, That his Ex

     cellency has the Right to the three pence p Tonn given by

     that Law so long as he shall Continue Governour of Mary

     land

       Upon which his Excellency Declares he Cannot part with

     that Right he has by the Comission he now holds untill it be

     Superseeded

     To the Sixth

       His Excellency is Pleased to Declare it as his Opinion,

     That his being so Strictly Comanded to Prorogue the As

     sembly for so long Time may be of very Fatal Consequence

     unto this Province, more Especially in case of Forreign In

     vasions, which our neighboring Colonys are at this Time

     Threatned with all from the Indians, And Virginia Actually

     Invaded, As he is Informed by His Majtys Governour of that

     Colony And the Sea Coasts of this province frequently In

     fested with Pyrates and Priyateers, which have lately Come

     into the very Harbours on the Seaboard, and Carryed out

     Severall Tradeing Vessells

       And Requires the Advice of this Board Concerning the

     said Instruction And proposeth it as an Expedient for Secure

     ing the Good People of this Province from the Ill Consequence

     that may arise from the want of An Assembly, to make due

     Provision for the Safety thereof, That the said Instruction be

     duly Complyed withall, But that in Case of any such Forreign

     Invasion, Insurrection Famine or Further Instructions from

     Great Britain &Ca the present Assembly be Dissolved, And

     a new one Somoned, According to the Emergent Necessities

     of this Government, which he Intendeth to do upon no other

     Reasons than the foregoing Emergencies

       This Board are of Opinion That their Lordships were not

     well advised on giving that Instruction, But that the above

     Expedient is a very proper one, And Advised the Adjourn

     ing of the Assembly untill the first Tuesday in Aprill next

     Accordingly

     To the Seventh

       His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board the

     following Letter from the Honble the Comissioners of the

     Customes

       [The Letter Entered at Large in the Councill Proceedings]