416 Assembly Proceedings, July 17-Aug. 10, 1716.

U. H. J.

off so many Branches of the Powers & Authoritys He has
been pleased to grant you by his Commission for the Gov-
ernmt here & which you formerly so worthily exercised under
the Crown, and particularly that relating to the Naval Office
which by the Laws of Great Brittain & his Majesty's royal
Instructions are positively lodged in your Excellency; But
more particularly that those Powers & Trusts should contrary
to the known Laws as well of Great Brittain as of this Province

p. 219

be wrested from your Excellency & trusted in the Hands of
Papists who have refused to qualify themselves for the Execu-
tion thereof, by taking the Oaths appointed by our Acts of
Assembly And that whilst your Excellency according to the
Duty of your Station is doing his Lordship the Lord Pro-
prietary what we take to be the most Eminent & acceptable
Service, by Endeavouring to obviate their Encroachmts upon
the Governm^t here We are given to understand that It is by
their subtile Insinuations your Authority is so much dimin-
ished that you have been obliged to write to his Lordship &
his noble Guardian to beg leave to be recalled since you con-
ceive you cannot longer Serve his Lordship not only in regard
to your Honour & Character but in that you have it not in
your power to oblige many persons to forward his Ldsp's
Interest upon any emergent occasion those Offices & Trusts
not being in your Disposal whereby to recompence their
Services
This is a great Grief of mind to us and therefore We shall
not fail to address his Lordship the Lord Proprietary & his
noble Guardian & lay before them the unhappy Consequences
of your Removal The very thoughts whereof strike such a
damp upon our Spirits that we are scarce able to express the
miserys we may well fear are so likely to break in upon us
by an Inundation of Popery & Slavery should our Adversarys
prevail against us Which we have already by their Obtaining
those Commissions too much Reason to be apprehensive of

p. 220

We beg your Excellency will always retain a just sense of
our grateful Acknowledgments for the civil & just Treatment
you have been pleased on all occasions to afford us but more
especially for your Supporting the Protestant Interest in this
Province against which & your Excellencys Person & Fortune
may no Sinister Artifices & Evil Devices of your & our
Enemys ever prevail We are with much affection & Sincerity
Your Excellency's most
obedient humble Servants

Signed by all the Council, the Speaker, & Lower House of
Assembly

The House Adjourned for two Hours