PREFACE.

In this volume are contained the Proceedings and Acts of the Gen-
eral Assembly from October, 1720, to October, 1723, during which
period five sessions of the Assembly were held. The lengthy record
of the session of 1723 has caused the size of this volume to be extended
much beyond the usual dimensions.

The beginning of the period is coincident with that of the administra-
tion of Charles Calvert, the successor of John Hart as Governor of
Maryland. In his letter of commission Governor Calvert is described
as a cousin of the fifth Lord Baltimore, the Proprietary, whose name
was also Charles Calvert.

The exact relationship between the two has never been successfully
traced, or the parentage of Governor Calvert ascertained. Most of the
known facts bearing upon the subject were given in a note by the late
Dr. Christopher Johnston, published in the Maryland Historical Maga-
zine, Vol. I, p. 289. They are briefly as follows: On July 10, 1701,
Charles, third Lord Baltimore (grandfather of the fifth Baron), out
of " affection, special favor, certain knowledge and mere motion,"
made a gift of a tract of one thousand acres of land in Anne Arundel
County, Maryland, to Charles Calvert Lazenby. On September 10,
1709, Charles Calvert Lazenby of the Parish of St. James, West-
minster, made a deed of this land to Henry Darnall of Prince George's
County; and on November 27 of the same year a commission as ensign
in the First Regiment of Foot, or Grenadier Guards, was issued to
Charles Calvert, who was promoted to lieutenant and captain, January
18, 1718, and appointed Governor of Maryland, May 17, 1720. Colonel
Henry Lazenby was High Sheriff of Anne Arundel County, and in
the record of the death of his wife, Margaret, which occurred on
August 8, 1722, she is described as the aunt of the Governor.

On November 21, 1722, Governor Calvert was married in St. Bar-
nabas' Church, Queen Anne Parish, to Rebecca, daughter of John and
Elizabeth Gerrard. An allusion to the marriage of the Governor ap-
pears in his speech to the Assembly at the opening of the session of
1723, and in the response of the Upper House. Under his conciliatory
administration the animosities and antagonisms which were rife during
the sway of Governor Hart were quickly allayed, so that in his speech