The Upper Mouse. 247

Saturday Dec^r 11th 1708
The Council Sate Present as yesterday

M^r Hemsley and M^r Covington bring up the Bill for relief
of poor Debtors and Prisoners
And the following Message viz.

U. H. J.

By the House of Delegates December 11^th 1708

Whereas your Excell has been pleased with the Advice of
her Majesty's honble Council to order that no Attorny shall
be admitted to plead in any Court of this province without a
Licence first obtained from your Excell and the Council which
with all Submission and respect due to your Excell & the
hon:ble Coun has been represented and seems to be an Ag-
grievance & contrary to the known practice of all Courts of
Law in Great Brittain and the usual practice of all Courts in
this Province and to the manifest Prejudice of her Majesty's
good and Loyal Subjects therein
In regard of its great hinderance to the said Attorney in
performing their Dutys for fear of incurring your Excell'' &
Honours displeasure, and also great Cause of their growing
insolent supposing the Courts of Law have not power to sus-
pend & displace them for their misdeameanours Whose quali-
fications with Submission we presume your Excell will believe
is best known to the Comm^rs of the County Courts wherein
they practice
For which reasons this House humbly address themselves
to your Excell to order and restore the Several Courts to their
antient Rights of admitting & Suspending the Attorney &
Practitioners and they will take all due Care that none shall be
admitted but such as shall meritt the same by their fair &
honest practice

p. 586

We also acquaint your Excell there has been Complaints
made to this House that several Merch^ts trading into this
Province under pretence that your Excell & Council has given
them leave have kept Stores at several Places not being Towns
Contrary to Law made in this Province several of which
Merch^ts have been presented at the Assizes for breach of the
said Law but the Queens Att^ny Gen^l hath refused to pros-
ecute them according to the Law af^d We therefore humbly
pray that your Excell will be pleased to lay your Commands
on the Attorney Gen^l that when any Presentm^t shall be made
that he prosecute all such who shall make any breach of that
or any other Law that is in force that we may not be repre-
sented to make Laws and have them dispensed withal without
our Consents Signed p order R Dallam Cl Ho Del.

p. 587