266 Assembly Proceedings, October 3-November 2, 1728.

Session
Laws

" you shall hold your Courts according to the Acts of Assembly,
" and the Directions in your Commission: That you shall do and
" procure the Profit of the Lord Proprietor, in all Things where
" you may lawfully and reasonably do the same, And that you shall
" not debar or hinder the Prosecution of Justice; nor take any Gift,
" Bribe or Fee, for delaying, or rendering Judgment; but shall be-
have yourself justly, honestly and faithfully, to the best of your
" Knowledge and Understanding, so long as You shall continue in
" the said Office." So help you God.

p. 2

And be it likewise Enacted, That the same Oath shall be taken
by the Members of the Court of Appeals, as Judges to correct Errors
in Judgments, and other Proceedings at Common Law, the Justices
of the Provincial and County-courts, and the Mayor, Recorder and
Aldermen of the City of Annapolis, for the Time being, as their
proper Oath of Office, to be administred as hath been heretofore
used; and that the same be administred to the Members of the Court
of Appeals, as Judges to correct Errors in Judgments, and other
Proceedings at Common Law; the Justices of the Provincial and
County-courts, and the Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen of the City
of Annapolis, now in being, by Virtue of, and according to the
Directions of the several Commissions, Writs of Dedimus Potest-
atem, or the other Authorities that the late Form of their Oath of
Office was administred by: And that after the last Day of March
next, none of the Members of the Court of Appeals, as Judges to
correct Errors in Judgments, and other Proceedings at Common
Law, nor the Justices of the Provincial or County-courts, nor the
Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen of the City of Annapolis, be capable
of acting in their respective Stations, without having first taken and
continuing under the Obligation of the said Oath, as their proper
Oath of Office, in Manner aforesaid.
Provided, That if the Judges in the High Court of Appeals, Pro-
vincial Courts, and Courts of Assize, take the said Oath at any time
before they proceed to the Judicial Determination of any Matters
of Law in their respective Courts, the same shall be taken as a full
Compliance with the Directions of this Act; anything herein before
contained to the contrary, in any wise notwithstanding.

Chap. II
[The Pro-
prietary
dissented]

An Act for Improving the Staple of Tobacco.

Whereas it is Evident, to this General Assembly, That unless
some Provision be made for the Improvement of the Staple of To-
bacco, the People of Maryland, whose present Dependance is on the
Produce of that Commodity, must be inevitably reduc'd to want
common Necessaries, or to fall upon some other Ways and Means,
however difficult, to supply themselves :
Be it therefore Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Pro-
prietary, by and with the Advice and Consent of His Lordship's