Maryland ss^t
Att a Councill in Assembly held att the Town and Porte of
Annapolis on Thirsday the Eighth day of May in the Thir-
teenth Year of the reign of our Sovereigne Lord William the
third by the Grace of God of England Scottland France &
Ireland King Defender of the Faith &^o Annoq Dni 1701.

Present

His Excellency Nathaniel Blakiston Esq^r
Cap^t Generall & Governo^r in Chief of this
Province

Original
Journal,
p. 1

Tho^s Tench Esq^r

Robert Smith Esq^r

TheHon^rble

James Frisby Esq^r

Col^o J^no Hammond

Tho^s Brooke Esq^r

Francis Jenkins Esq^r

His Excellency is pleased to lay before the Board what he
Intends to say to the house of Delegates of Assembly now re-
turned to Serve att this Sessions and Asks their Advice there-
on whether the same be Proper or not to which they answer
they do Conceive it very Proper and Advisable being as
followeth.

Gentⁿ
The last Assembly having Continued some Years I was
Advised by his Ma^tys Councill here that Notwithstanding all
things had been hapily Enacted and Concerted by them for
the Advantage of the Province yet it would be to the Generall
Satisfaction of the Inhabitants to have a New Election wherein
I am Glad to find so good a Judgment of the People in send-
ing so many of you whose Services in the former Session have
so well deserved from them as also the other Gentⁿ that
appear with you whose Characters stand very fair with me
I must Confess I am much in the Dark as to the State of
our Laws which are of the greatest moment to us and were
sent home the last Assembly, and was not without hopes, that
long ere this I should have rec^d some Instructions Concerning
them, That if there had been any irregularity or false steps
therein to have had it Corrected this Sessions, But some un-
expected Accidents as we are Informed have alarm'd Europe
and no Ships Arriving from thence in some Time we may
Justly Conjecture has been the reall Impediment, but we are
Crown'd with That blessing of having a Prince and Patron

p. 2