204 Assembly Proceedings, 1694-1728.

Liber LL, 4
Acts

at two pence Sterling per pound in such Manner and on such Con-
ditions and Termes as his noble Ancestors have heretofore done for
the greater Ease to their Tenants in the payment of their Rents and
the better to Encourage the Cultivation and Settlement of the remoter
Parts of this their Proprietorship
And For as much as the Gratuity formerly settled on his said
Lordships Ancestors before the Decease of the late Right Honour-
able Charles Lord Baron of Baltemore was raised by an Impost of
twelve pence on the Exportation of every Hoggshead or four Hun-
dred pounds of Tobacco which Impost determined by the Death of
the s^d Right Honourable Charles Lord Baron of Baltemore so that
thereby his Lordships Rent became payable in money But Forasmuch
as to have continued the payment thereof in money would have been
wholly impracticable from the great Scarcity of it amongst us and
that it would not only have tended much to the disappointment of his
Lordship in receipt of his Rents but also to the Oppression of such
Tenants as held Lands under Conditions of such punctuall Payment
as the Tenour of their Grants requires and to the disenheriting many
who would have been obliged to Surrender their Estates for want of
Ability to comply therewith which in all probability would have

p. 308

proved a Check to the further Cultivation of the Remote and Farrest
Lands of this Province being parte of his Majestys Dominions. All
which Inconveniencies that Generall Assembly most earnestly desired
might be provided against. And for asmuch as the Quantity of
Tobacco then usually exported on w^ch might be exported in a Hoggs-
head of the Gage by this Act settled exceeded the Quantity which
was commonly reputed to be the Contents of a Hoggshead at the time
when the af^d Twelve pence p Hoggshead was setled on his Lordships
Ancestors for the makeing easy the payment of his Rents & Times
for Alienations af^d and also for that altho the number of Hoggsheads
annually exported hath much increased since that time yet for that
the value of his said Lordships Rents hath much more encreased a
Law was then passed for the raising an Impost of Eighteen Pence
Sterl p Hundred on Tobacco exported out of this Province in Box
Chest Barrell or Case for the use of the said Lord Proprietarie in
Consideration of his takeing Rents and Alienacon Fines in Tobacco
at two pence Sterl per pound And whereas his present Lordship the
Right Honourable Charles Lord Baron of Baltemore since the De-
cease of his noble Father the late Lord Benedict has signified to this
present Generall Assembly his Willingness to accept of an Additionall
Duty of Six pence Sterl per Hoggshead in full Satisfaction of his
Quit Rents & Fines for Alienations that shall arise or grow due
within this Province during the Continuance of this Act which is
thought by the Generall Assembly to tend to the Good of the Gener-
ality of the poorer Sort of Planters and especially those Orphans
who holds Lands within this Province Be it Enacted by the Right