130 Assembly Proceedings, Sept. -Oct. 3, 1704.

P. R. O.

B. T. Md,
Vol. 17,

their Ma^rs plantacons to the no Small damage of the neighbour-
ing Stocks of Cattle hoggs &c^a which he humbly conceives an
Agrievance to the Inhabitants Aforesaid
It being by this Comittee Considerd of and Judgd an inde-
niable Agrievance and very prejudiciall to the good people
inhabitants of the said County is humbly referrd to the con-
sideration of the house of Delegates.
It is by this Comittee thought A great agreivance and
humbly offerrd to the house as such that therr is no law pro-
vided Against the frequent meetings & Assembly of Negroes
in this province w^ch proove very prejudiciall to the Countrey
by their plotts and ill contrivances ag^t their Masters &c^a at
Such their meeting's.
Upon the mocon of An honob member of the house it is
offerrd that the present method of having one provinciall
Court Justice, out of every County is not at all necessary it
causes A great charge to the province by the number of them
and enforce that many Unlearnd men are in that office to the
dishonour of her Maj^ty and that A Small Competent number
would Suffice who by her Maj^ty may be paid (As it Justly
ought to be) to the ease of the province And that such reason-
able Sallary may be Allow'd to such Justices as may encourage
such industrious and studious persons as would endeavour to
quallify them selves for their Maj^tys Service the present method
being such as deterrs any Judicious person even from owning
or pretending to any reading which prooves only a Snare to
entangle them in troublesome and unprofitable offices.
It is in humble manner offerrd as an Agreivance and prayd
that it may be enquird into why his Lopps officers make the
people pay four hundred & Eighty pounds of tobacco for A
Warrant of one hundred Acres of land Whereas his Lopps
order is but 240 or thereabouts as it is sayd.
It is likewise offerrd As A great Aggreivance to the publiq
that the charge of Cleaning and repairing the County Arms
is A Constant and durable charge to the respective County's
Therefore since the province is Allready well Supplyd with
Arms it would be A great ease to the County's that some part
of the three pence p hhd w^ch is assigned to the supplying of
Arms be applied to pay for the cleaning of them &c^a that each
respective County be Acquitt of such Yearly and Constant
charge Signd p order Ino Collins Cl Com

Which being read the house resolves to debate the same.

I^st Relating to Negroes Carrying of Gunns &c^a
Read & Resolved that negroes and other slaves be not
permitted to carry any Gunns or other offensive weapon from