Acts. 353

parture of such Shipp or Vessell and the Master or Masters
of Every such Shipp or Vessell Coming into this province shall
att their first arrivall here and before their Loading on board
any goods or Commodities of the Growth production or Manu-
facture of this province give good and Sufficient Security to his
Excellency or to the Officer thereunto Especially appointed for
the paymt of the said duty or Imposition accordingly
And whereas this present Genl Assembly on notice of the
Decease of the right Honrble Charles Lord Baltemore Late
propry of this province have upon their Humble Application
to the right Honrble Benedict Leonard Lord Baltemore pres-
ent Lord propry thereof that he would be favourably pleased
to accept of their rents and fines for Alienations in Tob^o at
two pence Sterl per pound in such Manner and on such Con-
ditions and Termes as his Noble Ancestors have heretofore
done for the greater Ease to Tenants in the paymt of their rents
and the better to Encourage the Cultivations and Settlemts of
the remoter parts of this their proprietorship
And forasmuch as the gratuity formerly Settled on his said
Lordships Ancestors for such their favours was raised by an
Impost of twelve pence on the Exportation of Every hhd or
four hundred pounds of Tob^o which Impost is Determined by
the death of the said Late Lord propry soe that att present

C. P.

his Lordships rents are payable in Money but forasmuch as
to Continue the paymt thereof in money would be wholly Im-
practicable from the great scarcity of itt amongst us and that
itt would not only Tend much to the disappointmt of his Lord-
shipp in receipt of his rents but alsoe to the Oppression of
such Tennants as should hold their Lands under Condition
of such punctuall paymt as the Tenr of their grants requires
and to the Disinheriting many who would be obliged to
Surrendr their Estates for want of ability to Comply therewith
in all probability itt would put a great Check to the future
Cultivation of the remote and forrest Lands of this province
and be a Cause to Sev^ll of those remoter Inhabit" to Desert
their (yett but poor) Improvemts to Lessening the revenue of
the Crown and discouraging the Inlargent of his Majesties
Dominions in these parts All which Inconveniencies this
present Gen^ll Assembly most Humbly Desires may be pro-
vided against and for as much as the Quantity of Tob^o now
Usually Exported or which may be Exported in a hogshead
of the gauge by this Act Settled Exceeds the Quantity wch was
Cofnonly reputed to be the Contents of a hogshead att the
time when the afd twelve pence per hogshead was Settled on
his Lordships Ancestors for the making Easy of his rents and

p. 264

fines for Alienations afd and Alsoe for that altho' the number
23

p. 265