Mess.^rs Hooper and Goldsborough from the Lower house acquaint
his Excellency that there is a sufficient Number of Members met to
make a house and wait his Excellencys Commands.

Colonel Hammond and Samuel Chamberlain Esq.^r are Sent to the
Lower house to acquaint the Speaker that his Excellency requires
their immediate Attendance in the Upper house.

The Lower house attend and his Excellency is pleased to make
the following Speech.
Gentlemen of the Upper and Lower houses of Assembly

I am very much concerned that the great Progress, the vast prepa-
rations and the avowed designs of our common Enemy, whose In-
croachments and Depredations on his Majestys Territories Occa-
sioned our last Meeting, have necessitated the neighbouring Gov-
ernments to repeat again most Earnestly their Sollicitations for us
to engage and unite with them in Supporting his Majestys just Right
and Pretentions to these his American Dominions at this Time at-
tached & invaded, Some Letters and Papers that I shall submit to
your perusal will Shew to what a pass matters are already come;
what Armaments have been, and are now making against us what
wrongs & Indignities the Enemy hath already offered; with what
arrogance they presume to obstruct the Freedom of a Commerce that
has been enjoyed by our Ancestors without Interruption ever since
the English first made Settlements on the Continent.

The particular and express Orders which his Majesty has been
pleased to give for raising Fortresses on the Ohio & the Resolutions
taken in a neighbouring Colony, after the most abundant Caution,