274 Assembly Proceedings, April 1650.

Liber A

6 Any of the 14 Burgesses (bownd to attend the Assembly)
that shall bee absent from their howse att the hower & place
appoynted (the Gou^r & Secretary or any one of the Counsell
being then assembled) is censured or adiudged to pay for
euery such default 50^l of Tob: & cask, unles iust excuse for
such absence be made appeare

P. 364

7 All Tobbackos w^ch shall accrew bee adiudged to the payd
or raysed for, or by reason of any misdemeanor, absence, or
censure of any of the Burgesses during this Assembly, The
Gou^r is pleased (& the Assembly doth thereunto consent) shall
bee disposed of towards the releife of the Poore of the Province
Will^m Stone.

m^r Tho: Mathews, m^r John Hatch & m^r Walter Beane fyned
by the howse in 50^l Tob. apeece for not appearing.

The Burgesses desyre in the first place to debate & aduise
concerning the 16 Lawes th^t his L^p might bee certifyed of their

proceedings therein this yeare, in some conuenient time. And
the Gou^r conceiuing that the consultaon of the Lower howse
touching the 16 Lawes would requyre long time, adiorned the
Vpper howse till Wednesday next att 11 of the clock

The Lower howse adiorned by the Speaker 'till 9 a'clock
next munday morning

Monday 8^o Aprilis 1650

All assembled, none absent. m^r Mathews, m^r Hatch, & m^r
Beane are remitted their fine for th^t it was proued not to bee
uoluntary or willfull neglect in them, but iustly occasioned
through fowle weather

was read his L^ps. Declaraon sent in hither this yeare.

m^r John Hatch & m^r Beane sworne, as in the Burges oath
m^r Tho: Mathews refused to make oath, who had time to con-
sider 'till afternoone. The howse adiorned till 1 clock.

Munday afternoone.

m^r Thomas Mathews Burgesse of St^t Inigos hund^d being
demanded to make oath as the other Burgesses.
Replyed That he thought That oath could not bee taken by
him, for th^t according to his L^ps instructions sent hither That
All Poeple belieuing in Jesus Christ, should haue the free ex-
ercise of their Religion. And accordingly hee ought to bee
guided in matters of conscience by his spirituall councell. And
if soe bee, hee understood not, & could not bee satisfyed in