were given in some instances, as will be noticed in another place. The practice took its rise in the strong inducements of the Proprietary to effect settlements in the frontier parts of his Province, for which purpose it was necessary to carry to those quarters the requisite facilities for taking up land, which for still greater encouragement was, as some of the Conditions of Plantation will shew, set at half the price of land elsewhere¾This was in fact the case at some periods with the whole of the Eastern Shore, but the lands on the Chesapeak were at that time generally taken up. ¾     5th April 1653. These are to authorize Mr. Thomas Hatton his Lordship's Secretary to grant Warrants for land upon Patuxent River notwithstanding any former directions from me to the contrary in any place there at a convenient distance from any Indian town there as the Surveyour shall think fit, to any persons that have or shall before such Warrant granted make their rights duly to appear. The Warrants already granted by myself, as also the rights of Mr. James Knott, so far as he hath made demand be first served ¾Given the day and year abovesaid.                                         WILL. STONE.     LIB. A. B. and H. fol. 309. " At a Council held at St. Mary's on Friday the 6th of June                                         1662.     " Then it was ordered that this Oath should be tendered unto every person entering rights to land upon record.     " You shall swear that these persons here by you named " were transported into this Province here to inhabit, and " that no land hath been taken up for them legally within the " Province, So help you God."     COUNCIL BOOK, H. H. fol. 148.     On the 18th of February, 1667, Daniel Jenifer was appointed to prove rights and grant Warrants by a Commission from the Governor Charles Calvert, of which the following is an Extract. ¾     " I do hereby empower and authorise you Daniel Jenifer " Clerk of the Secretary's Office and the Provincial Court " to prove all rights of land, that shall be originally due to " any person or persons whatsoever and allowed according " to his Lordship's Conditions of Plantation in such cases " made and provided; also to sign, subscribe, and seal with " the seal of the said Office all Warrants for land be they of " what nature soever that have just grounds from the said " Conditions for the issuing of the same or upon any " considerations whatsoever now used and allowed in such cases " in the said Office¾signifying under all and every such Source: John Kilty. Land Holder's Assistant and Land Office Guide. Baltimore: G. Dobbin & Murphy, 1808. MSA L 25529.