The Lower House. 339

they could by no means take it ill that they were Expected to
answer them, nor properly Call it an Accusation. Your
Comittee therefore proceeded to ask whether they or any of
them had taken the Oath of Justice agreed upon by both
Houses of Assembly as necessary to the Due administration
of Justice but particularly whether they had taken any oath
of Justice that had the Clause in it mentioned in the Resolves
of this House, which Clause your Comittee Read to them
Whereupon the Chief Justice askt your Comittee if that was
all Your Comittee Reply'd that they were Instructed to ask
them that, and desired their answer to it. Thereupon The
Chief Justice desired that such Questions as were to be askt
them might be given them in writing whereupon your
Comittee desired them to withdraw, and on Considering of

L. H. J

the Motion were unanimously of the Opinion that Your
Comittee ought to proceed according to the Method they had
begun in as most agreeable to their sence of the Houses In-
structions, and on the Magistrates again appearing, the
opinion of the Comittee was again declared to them, Where-
upon the Chief Justice Insisted on his having them in Writing,
and said he thought it an hardship to be denied it, which he
desired Your Comittee to Lay before Your Honours, in which
M^r James Govane alone joyned with him, alledging that he
could not give so direct an Answer without it. Your Comittee
thereupon acquainted them they should lay it before the
House, And the Gentlemen then Answered the Question that
they never had such oath of Justice offered them as the
Question Mentions.
Your Comittee then acquainted them that the next Ques-
tion they should ask would be what they had already given
Some Answer to, when they desired to be heard at the Barr
of the House viz: What was their Reasons for disallowing
a Statute of England to be Read in the Afternoon when they
had desired in the forenoon to hear it Read on the Arguments
Concerning the Convicts at their Last County Court, on
which they answered, that after their Court in August Last
Adjourn'd till the afternoon of that day, when the Arguments
were used before Concerning the Convicts, His Honour the
Governour met them at M^r Bowes's and told them of the
Statute made in the fourth Year of his Majesty Concerning
the Transportation of Convicts and told them to take Care
that they were not lead into a Snare as the Corporation was.
Also your Comittee enquired if they knew the Causes of
the great Alterations made in their County Comission to
which they Answered they were unacquainted therewith.
Signed p order Sam^ll Hepburn Cl Come.

p. 44