The Lower House. 479

relating to Richard Clark & his Accomplices ; which being
read the Consideration thereof is referred till Afternoon.
The Petition of Thomas Collier Naval Officer of the Port
of Williamstadt being brought into the House was ordered
to be read ; which follows Viz.

To the Honourable the House of Delegates &^ca

The humble Petition of Thomas Collier Naval Officer of
Williamstadt

Humbly Sheweth,
That whereas one William Edmondson late of Talbot
County deceased in Sept. 1701 delivered to your Petitioner
as Naval Officer of Williamstadt three Bills of Exchange
drawn by the said Edmondson upon Peregrine Brown Mer-
chant in London for £50 Sterling and was for the Duty of
fifty Pipes of Wine imported from the Island of Fiall & at
the Time of the drawing & Delivery of the said Bills the said
Edmondson was esteemed to be a responsible Person and
your Petitioner indorsed the said Bills to the Trearer who
sent them to England for Payment The first Bill was lost at
Sea & two years after the second came in protested & then
Edmondson was dead & so much in Debt that his Estate was
not sufficient to pay half his Debts & the Executor had paid
as far as Assets & beyond it before the Protest came & the
Trearer has sued your Pet^r upon the Protest as Indorser of
the said Bill & got Judgment against him. Therefore your
Petitioner prays this Hon^ble House that they will take into
their Consideration & relieve him in the Premises by releasing
him from the said publick Debt, which if he be enforced to
pay will be to his utter Ruin.
And your Petitioner will pray &^ca

Which being read was ordered to be indorsed as followeth

Lib. 41.