The Lower House. 93

your Obedience; and we sincerely pray, that divine Providence may,
at all Times, guide your Councils, and direct your Arms, so as to
reduce your Enemies to a Compliance with your Royal Will.
Your faithful Subjects, the Delegates of Maryland, on the first
notice of that Conquest, by his Excellency Governour Shirley's Let-
ter, communicated to us by the honourable Thomas Bladen Esq^re
the Lord Proprietary's Governour here, did all that was in our Power
to contribute towards maintaining the same, by passing a Bill in our
House, granting the Sum of three thousand Pounds, Current money,
to be applyed to the Purchase of Provisions, as also half a Ton of
Gun Powder, and two Tons and an half of Lead, and Leaden Ball,
to be taken out of our publick Magazine, for the Service of that
Garrison. In which Bill was likewise included, a Duty of two Pence
Access to your Majesty free and easy and which our distant Scitua-
Sterling per Hogshead, on all Tobaccos to be exported out of this
Province for the Support of an Agent in Great Britain, to render our
tion, and being under a Proprietary Government, makes absolutely
necessary; which occasioned his Lordship's honourable Council to
refuse passing the same, that thereby your faithful Subjects might
want the means of Access to your Royal Person for Redress of the
many Grievances we labour under, and which we have for many
years been endeavouring to lay before your most sacred Majesty:
And we esteem it not the least of our Misfortunes, that we are pre-
vented from being equally serviceable to your Majesty, with our
other Fellow subjects upon this Continent, on the present Occasion.
We therefore most humbly implore, and request, that from your
Princely Affection, and general Regard for all your loving Subjects,
you will give a favourable Interpretation to our Actions on this
Occasion, and that the Loss of that Bill, and the affectionate supply
intended for your Majesty's Service, may not be imputed to us; and
that your Majesty will believe, that none of your Subjects exceed us,
in a hearty Zeal for your Majesty's Service, Royal Person and
Family, which we have, and at all Times, to the utmost of our
Power, on all Occasions shall demonstrate.
Signed by Order and on behalf of the House of Delegates.
Edw. Sprigg, Speaker.
M^r Speaker communicates to the House the three following mes-
sages from his Excellency, viz.
Gentlemen of the Lower House of Assembly.
In Answer to your Address wherein you desire to know by what
Authority one Pound of Tobacco is assessed and levied on every
Taxable Inhabitant within this Province: The said one Pound of
Tobacco per Taxable, is assessed and levied by virtue of an Act of
Assembly for the ordering and regulating the militia of this Province
for the better Defence and security thereof, which you will find in
the Body of Laws, Page 101. T. Bladen

L. H. J.
Liber No. 46