362 Assembly Proceedings, June 2- July 3, 1714.

U. H. J.

Various in some very good, in some very bad in some none
at all. We cannot but aver that most of our Parishes have
but a very bare Competency which we are ready to make out
by Enumerating particulars & appealing to your Excellency
the Honble Council and all the World.

p. 906

We beg your Excellency's Leave to add a Word concerning
Library's that It is commonly received by many in England
and particularly the Honble Society for propagating the Gospel
in foreign parts there is a Library in every Parish yet we find
by careful Computation that there are Parishes in this province
that neither had nor have a Library

Article 2^d Every Minister is Principal Vestry man in his
Parish

Article 3^d We know of none that administer in the sacred
Office of the Church without Orders And for your Excel-
lency's full Satisfaction we are ready to produce our Minis-
terial Letters. Some of us who live most remote from this
City pray your Excellency would depute any of your honble
Council to inspect them.

Article 4th. We do all profess with one Voice that we have
a due Sense of the Lord Bishop of London's Ecclesiastical
Jurisdiction here And we will ever do all we can to promote
the same as long as It shall please God to continue him to us

Article 5th. The Case of Schools is very bad, Good School-
masters are very much wanting, What we have very insuffi-
cient And of their being qualified by the Bishop of London's
or Governours Licence It hath been entirely neglected

Artic 6^th There is a Table of Marriages in every Church
and there is a severe Law to prevent incestuous marriages

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To the 7^th and last Article which truly we regard as of the
utmost Consequence in Religion we say we have and shall
use our best Endeavours in the Exercise of our Functions to
discountenance the Sin of Drunkness Swearing and Blasphemy
and We pray your Excellency to enjoin the civil Magistrates
to see the wholsome Laws of this Province Executed in order
to suppress them more Effectually.

To conclude we hope your Excellency will not take it amiss
if we add that we humbly think the Penalties anexed to some
Laws against certain sins particularly the sin of Fornication
too light to Suppress the Sin and that your Excellency would
be pleased to propose to the Honble House of Delegates that
they would Seek an Expedient against the damnable Sin of
Poligamy too' rife in this Province

We have appointed a certain number of us to wit M^r Henry