404 Assembly Proceedings, May — June 1674.

Liber
W H & L

& obedient to your Lordshipps Lawes Yet for that your Peti-
coners are not of Brittish or Irish discent they cannot take the
Benefitt of the Lawes and Customes of this Prouince as other
the said People of this Prouince of Brittish or Irish descent may
to their great losse prejudice and hinderance as alsoe of the
Deterring of divers others of the same forreigne Nacons afore-
said from Comeing into this Province and by Consequence
foreslowing the peopling of this Prouince with vsefull artificers
and handy crafts men May itt therefore please your Lordship
of your abundant goodnesse and wonted Care of and over this
Prouince That itt may be Enacted and ordeined by your Lord-
shipp And bee itt Enacted and ordeined by the Right Hon^ble
the Lord Proprietary of this Province by and with the aduice
and Consent of the upper and lower houses of this present
Generall Assembly That your Lordships humble Peticoners
John Johnson & Henry Greene they and each of them shall
from henceforth be adjudged reputed and taken as Natureall
borne people of this Prouince of Maryland and alsoe that they
and each of them shall and may from henceforth by the same

p. 90

Authority be Enabled and adjudged to all intents and Purposes
able to demand Challenge aske haue hold and enjoy any Lands
Tenements Rents or Hereditaments within this Prouince as
heire or heires to any of their Ancestors by Reason of any
descent in fee Simple fee tayle Generall or Speciall or Remain-
der vppon any fee tayle generall or Speciall or come to them
or any of them by descent in fee simple fee tayle Generall or
Speciall or Remainder vpon any Estate Tayle as aforesaid or
by any other Lawfull Conveyance or Conveyances or meanes
whatsoever as if they and each of them had been borne within
this Prouince or were of Brittish or Irish descent as aforesaid
and alsoe that they and each of them from hence forth may
and shall be enabled to prosecute maintaine and avow Iustifie
& defend all manner of accons suites plaints or other demands
whatsoever as Liberally ffranckly freely fully Lawfully and
securely as if they & each of them had been Natureally borne
within this Prouince of Maryland or were of Brittish or Irish
discent aforesaid and as any other person or persons Natureally
borne within this Prouince or of Brittish or Irish discent may
any waies Lawfully doe any Law Provisoe act or Custome of
this Prouince or other thing whatsoever had made ordeined or
done within this Prouince to the Contrary thereof in any wise
Notwithstanding.

An Act for the building of a state house and
Prison att S^t Maries.

To th end there may be a decent and Convenient place for
the administracon of Justice and a prison Erected for the Re-