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

U. H. J.
P. 241

The Bill confirming a Sale of Land made by Anthony Ivye
& Anne his Wife to Thos & John Davys being read in this
House was Endorsed

Read the first time & will pass & sent to the Lower House
by Mr Hall
This House reflecting on the vast Charge the Province
was at the last year 1715 for Squirrels & Crows heads
amounting by Computation to not less than £605000 tob^o
which reduced to Currt mony at a Moderate price as Tob^o
then bore ten shillings p Cent is not less than £3025 an in-
tolerable Burthen & such a Charge in the full time of peace
as has scarce ever been levyed in this Province so that the
Justices of Somersett County particularly for that Charge
levyed upwards of one hundd & forty thousand pounds of
Tob^o the last year upon the taxable Inhabitants of that
County

Wherefore It is proposed whether an Expedient cannot be
found by falling upon other measures to oblige every taxable
Person to bring in Six Squirrels heads to the Levy or pay
four pounds of Tob^o for what are wanting at least to make
the proportion more Equal to the Inhabitants For as the Law
Stands It is only an Encouragement to idle People
Which being drawn into a Message was sent to the Lower
House by Col Whittington & Phil Lloyd Esqr
Col Mackall & four more bring up a Bill for repairing the
Damages already Sustained in the Records of the Land

p. 242

Secretarys Commissarys & County Court Offices & for the
Security of the Same Records for the future
Which being Endorsed Read in the Lower House the first
& Second times & will pass And was Read in this House &
Resolved It will pass with this Amendment made to the Bill
Viz. the particular Rooms be assigned & fitted up for keeping
the Records in and a Clause added that no persons shall
make any searches in the Records but the respective Clerks
of the several Offices And that fair new Alphabets be made
to the several Record Books & fair Labells put to the several
Books with their marks numbers and years And further that
the Secretary's Security be but one thousand pounds & the
County Clerks to be two instead of one hundred pounds
Sterl
And Sent to the House by Lt Col Young
The Board Adjourned for two Hours

Post Meridiem
The Upper House Sate Present as in the Morning