The Lower House. 325

thereof, the several provisoes in the said last mentioned act not-
withstanding; and also reciting further that his said Lordship, the
aforesaid Moiety of two shillings per Hogshead under pretext of
maintaining a Magazine as aforesaid had to the time of making this
act Converted the same to his own use, to the Impoverishing of the
Country and Defraud of the publick: and that his Lordship being
then Incapacitated of Complying with what by the said act for the
said Moiety of two shillings per hogshead, was required; it was
therefore Enacted that the said one shilling per hogshead for the
Defraying the Charges of Government aforesaid Commencing from
the then present Shipping as well for such ships or Vessels as had then
already Cleared before the making of this Act, as for such then
remaining in this province should be raised levied Collected and
paid unto our then Sovereign Lord and Lady the said King and
Queen's most Excellent Majesties their Heirs and Successors for the
Support of their Government for the time being, in and over this
their Majesty's province, aforesaid and the Territories to the same
belonging for Every Hogshead and quantity of an Hogshead of
Tobacco, which had been for and during the time aforesaid or which
should thereafter be at any time Shipped in any ship or Vessel to be
Exported out of this province, or any the Territories Islands, ports,
Rivers, Creeks or places thereunto belonging as aforesaid; provided
always, and tis declared to be the true Intent and meaning of this act.
that this Act or any thing therein Contained, should [not] be adjudged
Construed, reputed or taken, any thing therein Expressed to the Con-
trary notwithstanding, to Disannul or make void his Lordship Right
to the other Moiety of the said two shillings per hogshead, to be paid
in Consideration of his rents and alienation money in Tobacco at two
pence per pound, during the Term of his natural life, but that the
same should be Kept, and by this law preserved to his Lordship, in
as full and ample Manner as by the said last recited law was Ex-
pressed or Intended, or in the least to Discharge his Lordship of
receiving the Rents aforesaid at two pence per pound as by the said
recited act was Enjoined, during also the term of his natural Life
nor, to Discharge his Lordship from Accounting for the arrears of
the one Shilling per Hogshead for supporting the Government, and
finding Arms and Ammunition, but that he should be Oblidged to
all the aforesaid Matters and things as fully and strongly, as if the
said recited Law were in full force; as by the said act whereto your
Committee Crave leave to refer, may appear, which act among others
we find Continued as a Law of this province by a general Assembly
held at Annapolis the 28^th Day of June in the Eleventh year of the
Reign of our Sovereign Lord King William the third of England &c
and in the year of our Lord God 1699.
Your Committee humbly observe, that, altho' the said Acts of 1671,
1674 and 1676 herein before recited had a duration respectively with

L. H. J.
Lib. No. 45