564 Assembly Proceedings, April 2-19, 1706

Lib. 41.

postpone Matters to the last Eight or ten Hours of your
Rising and then Things of very great Consequence are
naturally hurried up or so procrastinated that at our next
Meeting they are forgot. Witness many of her Majesty's
Royal Instructions laid before you Gentlemen at your first
sitting down and tho' I heartily desired your Advice & As-
sistance in a strict Enquiry what became of the Arms and
Ammunition of the Province in Time of a foreign War &
intestine Disturbances when we last met which seem to threaten
us still you did not then think it proper to enquire into a
Matter so very necessary for your own Safety & Defence.
Give me Leave Gentlemen to desire you will now apply
yourselves heartily to the Business before yon that so perni-
cious a Thing to all wise Councils may not be brought to a
Custom by you Gentlemen Delegates, and then I can never

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doubt but by calm and serious Debates the many great
Things under your present Care will be in a few Days ripened
into good wholesome Laws fit for the Royal Sanction ; and
as every Body knows this part of America was discovered by
Englishmen in the Reign of the famous renowned Queen
Elizabeth I would have us of this Province always remember
no Prince since (in so short a Time) ever applied their Royal
Care more emphatically for your Welfare Preservation and
Happiness than our present Glorious Queen Anne.
I have had an Account from the Head of the Bay the In-
dians intended some motion this Spring and with the Advice
of her Majesty's Honble Council have taken proper Measures
about it for the present but hope Gentlemen you will enquire
particularly into the Truth of this Affair for on our last Alarms
the several Persons I sent on long & hazardous Journeys to
bring me a right Intelligence of their Design were so nar-
rowly rewarded it must be on a very emergent Occasion I'le
trouble any Gentlemen again if I may not be thought a proper
judge what such a publick Service deserves.
I have neither Lands nor Houses to lose here on any sud-
den fatal Insult as you Gentlemen Freeholders have yet my
Reputation which is dearer to me than any thing in this world
lies at Stake. But with all the chearful Willingness immag-
inable will expose myself on a true handsome Occasion for
the Defence Service & Peace of this Country.
Gentlemen, I have several other material Things to offer
to your Considⁿ this Session but shall presume to do it by
Way of Message.
Ordered it be read in the Morning and the Speaker and
the Members return to the House where he having taken the
Chair & finding it late, adjourned till 8 o' Clock to morrow
morning.