To whom his Excellency was pleased to say that as he had
never done any thing of moment without their Concurrence
and Advice so he never would and thereupon Communicated
to them what he intended to say to the General Assembly upon
their first meeting which was unanimously approved of as
necessary and Convenient and very full and Efficacious at this
present Juncture

Col^{o
William Holland entered the Council and took his
place at the Board}

Evan Jones admitted and sworn Clerk of the Council in
Assembly who took the Oaths appointed by Act of Parliament
instead of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy the Oath of
Abjuration and Subscribed the same with the Test.

M^r Robert Bradley Col^{o
Nicholas Lowe Mr John Salter and
Mr John Whittington acquainted his Excellency that two and
Forty of the Delegates Were met in their House in order to
receive his Excellencys Commands whereupon his Excellency
was pleased to command them to give their Immediate At-
tendance upon him in the Council Chamber where they attended
his Excellency in Council and he was pleased to Order them
to make Choice of A Speaker in order whereto they withdrew}

The Delegates came up to the Council Chamber and gave
his Excellency & this Honourable Board to understand that
they have chosen and elected Col^{o
Thomas Smithson to be
Speaker of their House who in Honour to the House was ap-
proved of by his Excellency afterwards his Excellency bespake
them as follows}

M^r Speaker and you Gentlemen Delegates

I cannot believe but every person here present is well Sat-
isfied my Consideration of the many severe difficulties the poor
province labours under was the only true Reason I did not
call an Assembly sooner being desirous to demonstrate to you