30 Assembly Proceedings, Sept. 5-Oct. 3, 1704.

Origins
Journal.

Council had the oaths appointed by Act of Parliament instead
of the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and the oath of
Abjuration and Settling the Succession of the Crown which
they took and Subscribed and also the Test and then took
their Places at the Board
The Board believing a Sufficient appearance of the Dele-
gates of Assembly were met at the House ordered that the
clerk of the Council go to the Court House and Speak to the
said Delegates to present themselves before his Excellency
the Governour Whereupon the said Delegates came up and
acquainted his Excellency they were met to the number of
twenty nine according to the several Writts of Election, and
Desired to know his Excellency's pleasure if they should
proceed to Business or attend for a greater number to which
his Ex^cy was pleased to say that he believed they were a Suf-
ficient number and desired they would proceed to choose
their Speaker for that Time was equally precious to them as
to himself and her Majties honble Council after which they
departed
Then came the Members of the House of Delegates and
present Col William Dent for their Speaker who excused him-
self as unfitt for that Honour and Trust but his Ex^cy was
pleased to say that it was only his modesty & Approved him as
Speaker after which he prayed free access to his Excys pson,
freedom of Debate and that if any mistake should happen he
would Impute it to his Weakness and then Departed to the
House
Maj^r Greenberry M^r Young and M^r Muschamp from the
House to know if his Ex^cy was pleased that the members who
had heretofore Sat in the last Assembly and qualifyed them-
selves by taking the Several Oaths required should now at
this their meeting take the same oaths againe, to which his
Ex^cy said he was of opinion that they must take now those
oaths againe for that this was not another Session but another
General Assembly their Several trusts in the other being
ceased and New ones reposed in them : the said Gentⁿ were
desired so to acquaint the House.
A Dedimus Potestatem under the great Seal of this her
Majties Province being prepared directed to the honourable
Thomas Tench Esq^r and Col John Addison Thomas Brook
Esq^r and Col John Hammond of her Majesties honble Coun-
cil to Swear the Delegates and Representatives in this present
General Assembly, The said Gentⁿ were ordered to go down
to the House and Swear the Several Members which they did
and made report that they had administred the oaths to Col
William Dent Speaker of the House and the following mem-