Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1761-1769. 143

At a Council held at the Council Chamber on Friday the
23^d day of May in the Sixteenth year of his Lordship's Do-
minion Annoq Domini 1766.

Present
His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq^r Governor.

The honourable Benjamin Tasker, Cha^s Hammond, Sam^l
Chamberlaine, Rich^d Lee, Bened^t Calvert Daniel Dulany, Jn^o
Ridout, Cha^s Goldsborough and Henry Hooper Esq^rs

His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board the
following Instructions, desiring their Opinion and Advice
thereon.
Frederick Absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces
of Maryland and Avalon in America Lord Baron of Baltimore
in the Kingdom of Ireland.
Orders and Instructions to be observed and pursued by Our
Trusty and well beloved Horatio Sharpe Esq^r Our Lieutenant
General and Chief Governor of Our Province of Maryland.

F: Baltimore
Whereas, It appears to me from Perusal of the Journals
and Proceedings of the Assembly of Our said Province of
Maryland, that various Altercations and Controversies have
arisen and Subsisted for some years past between Our Upper
and Lower Houses of Assembly as well touching the Applica-
tion and Disposition of the Duties, Fines, Penalties and For-
feitures Arising from Ordinary Licences and other Licences
Granted within Our said Province, as touching the Ordering
and Regulating of the same Licences and the Collection and
Receipt of the Duties, Fines Penalties and Forfeitures arising
from the same, whereby Our Antient and Undoubted Rights
and Prerogatives are drawn in Question, and Attempts made
by one branch of the Legislative Authority in Opposition to
the other Branches of the same Legislature to Divest us of
Our said Revenue, and to appropiate the same at the Arbitra-
ment and Appointment of one House, contrary to Our Dignity
and equally Injurious to Our Public and Private Rights, to
the great Interruption of the Business of Our said Assembly,
and to the heavy Burthen and Expence of Our said Province.
And we being advised, That the sole Power of granting, or-
dering, and regulating Licences within Our said Province
with all Incidents thereto appertaining is vested in us by Vir-
tue of Our Prerogative and Charter Rights, and the Antient
Exercise and usage of the same by Our Noble Ancestors, I

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.
p. 421