272 Assembly Proceedings, Nov. 29-Dec. 15, 1708.

L. H. J.

Sent up to his Excellency and Council by M^r Worthington,
M^r Hemsley M^r Robins and M^r Covington. They return and
say they delivered their Message.
Major General Lloyd and Col^{o
William Holland from his
Excellency and Council enter the House and deliver Mr Speaker
the following Message.}

p. 163

By his Excellency the Governor and Council in Assembly
December the first 1708

Gentlemen, Your Message by M^r Worthington and three
other of your Members being read at the Board his Excellency
is pleased to declare he is well satisfied he has ample Authority
from her Majesty to erect Cities and Buroughs as well as
Castles and Forts and that the first are to be erected by Privi-
leges & Grants from the Crown neither are Buroughs seldom
or ever walled or fortified. That what he has been pleased
to do in Favour of this Place being the Seat of Government
was with a true Regard to the Interest and Honour of this
Province and is not to be questioned by your House being her
Majesty's Prerogative but if he has made any irregular Step
he is answerable to our Sovereign only wherefore we wish you
not further to insist thereon to the Delay of other Business of
more Importance it being no Dishonour for Men of Reason to
give up a groundless Opinion on better Satisfaction for since
it's plain her Majesty has impowered his Excellency to erect
Cities and Burroughs, it's not Walls but incorporating makes
them so. Signed p Order W Bladen Cl. Co.

The foregoing Message being read in the House Resolved
That the following Message be sent to his Excellency and
Council

By the House of Delegates first December 1708

This House humbly desire a Conference with some of the
Members of her Majesty's Honble Council upon the Subject
of the last Message and that you please to appoint the Time
and Place.
Signed p Order Rich^d Dallam Cl. Ho. Del.

Sent up to his Excellency and Council by M^r Mackall, M^r
Hill, M^r Lee, and Col^{o
Smith
They return and say they delivered the same.
Then was read his Excellency's Speech to this House and
ordered That Mr Salter Mr Hemsley, Colo
Smith, and Captain}