Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1769-1770. 303

lative Powers as you and they shall Judge most necessary and
expedient in like manner as hath been practised and done with
the usual Reservation to me by my Assent to all such Proceed-
ings of Yours and Theirs as I shall declare from time to time
most meet and fitting under my Hand and Seal at Arms.
3^rd In Case of the Death of any of Our Councillors of State
you are to inform us of the Vacancy Transmitting the Name

Lib. C. B.
No. 20

of the Person you shall Propose and think most fit to succeed
in Our said Council, and you are not to fill up such Vacancy
or Vacancies until you have received either Our Commission
of Appointment or Approbation But if the Council should
be reduced below the Number of Six you are then at Liberty
to Nominate and appoint any Member or Members so as to
keep up the Number of Seven Resident in Our said Province
reserving to us a Power to approve or disapprove of such your
Nomination and Appointment. In your Choice and Nomina-
tion of the Members of Our Council and also of Our Judges
Assistant Justices and Sheriffs you are to take care that they
be Men of good Life and well affected to Our Church and State
as by Law Established and of good Estates and Abilities and
not Necessitous Persons or much in Debt. You are neither to
Augment or Diminish the Number of Our said Council as it is
already establish't, and you are to Signify Our Pleasure to the
Members of Our said Council that if any of them shall here-
after absent Themselves from Our said Province and Con-
tinue Absent above the space of Twelve Months together with-
out Leave from you first obtained, or shall remain Absent for
the space of two Years or the greater part thereof successively
without Our Leave given them under Our Seal at Arms, their
place or places in Our said Council, shall be immediately
thereupon Void, and we will forthwith appoint others in their
Stead.
4^th You must strictly Act consonant to the Royal Charter
from King Charles the First to Our Illustrious Ancestor Ce-
celius Baron of Baltimore and you are to Uphold and maintain
Our said Charter and all the Royal Prerogatives Rights
Powers and Authorities thereby granted and Derived to Us to
the Maintenance and support of Our just Rights and the true
good Rule of Our Government both in Church and State as
by Law Establish't, doing equal and impartial Justice unto all
Persons, His most Sacred Majesty's Subjects and Our faith-
ful Tenants committed by Our Powers to Your care.
5^th You shall suffer no Law to pass, that introduces the
Statutes of England in the Gross.
6^th You are to pass no Act of Assembly by which the Pro-
vision made for the Clergy in An Act for the Establishment of

p. 65