The Lower House. 109

remain After All debts and charges paid and disbursd And
Acco^ts passed before the Comissary there shall be no such
duty Allowd but the remainder to be left intire for such as
shall have right to the same.
Resolvd it be Ascertaind by A law.
The house Adjournes till 2 A Clock Afternoon.

Post Merediem

The house mett againe being calld over were All p^rsent as
in the morning
M^r W^m Stone A member for Charles Co^ty enters the house.
The house being Informd that Coll Tho^s Smithson A mem-
ber of this house is come to towne Its Resolvd by the house
that in the gratefull remembrance of the many Eminent Ser-
vices he has done to this province the whole house with the
Speaker will wait on him to his place in the house which was
done Accordingly
Orderd that M^r Elias King M^r Thomas Frisby M^r W^m Bar-
ton M^r Joseph Hill & M^r W^m Watts attend the honoble
Thomas Smithson Esq^r and M^r W^m Stone to see them take
the oaths &c^a before his Ex^cy in Councill.
They returne and say they saw them sworne & signe the
test and oath of Abjuration & that his Ex^cy thanks the house
for the house for the hono^r done to so worthy a person as
Coll Smithson in sending soe many members of the house to
Attend him.
Then was read the following Lre directed to M^r Speaker Viz^t

M^r Speaker
I haue kept my bed this tenn days with A Swelling in my
feet and knees w^ch is the Cause of my Absence as soon as possi-
bly I cann shall Attend my duty I hope my p^rsent inabillity will
be Sufficient to excuse who am S^r Yo^r humb Serv^t
Tuesday 5^th Sept^r 1704 Henry Coursy

Which being read in the house his excuse is Allowd of
Orderd that Coll Tho^s Smithson M^r Robt. Goldesborough
M^r Charles Greenberry M^r W^m Stone and M^r Elias King be
& are by the house appointed A Comittee of laws.
The referrence relating to the Conversion of the Indians
was read & referrd till the morning for consideracon
The proposall of last Session of making A law to suppress
popish preists and others from perverting her Maj^ts Subjects
& bringing them over to the Church of Rome &c. was read
And the house finding it A matter highly to be considerd

P. R. O.

B. T. Md.
Vol. 17.