The Lower House. 313

Tuesday 14^th December 1708

The House met according to Adjournment. Being called
over were present as yesterday. Read was done Yesterday
The Message last Night by Col^{o
Greenfield and Philip Lynes
Esq. Read and Ordered the following Message be prepared
in Answer thereto.}

By the House of Delegates 14^th 1708

In Answer to your Message by Col^{o
Greenfield and Philip
Lynes Esq. Yesterday intimating that this House had mis-
recited his Excellency's Order in Council concerning the Ad-
mission of Attorneys &ca This House did not recite the said
Order and are satisfied that there is a Saving to all such who
had ever been of the Inns of Court or Chancery &ta And
notwithstanding such Saving are of Opinion it's an Aggriev-
ance; and altho' this House are not so well acquainted with
the Practice of the Courts in Great Britain yet they are well
satisfied the Serjeants at Law are called by the Queen's Writ
and that the Attorneys are never sworn or admitted by any
Masters or Prothonotary of any Court without the Knowledge
or Consent of the Justices of those Courts and altho' the Infancy
of this Province cannot in some Persons Opinion plead
Prescription, yet it appears to this House that ever since the
Seating the Province no Attorney has been admitted without
the Consent of the Courts and by them silenced if Occasion
required and the contrary Practice is an Aggrievance to the
whole Province And the House desire the Honble Council
not to construe their Message as if they were Suitors for
any practicular Person but for the whole Province in General
and the Lives and Fortunes of the present Inhabitants
thereof, and their Posterity, and therefore move the Honble
Council to concur with the Bill proposed for settling the
same. As to the other Part relating to the Merchants sell-
ing Goods at Towns this House did not, by their Message
desire any Prosecution for any Offence past against the Act
for Towns but only inform the Honble Council what Construc-
tions were put on their Proceedings in the Country and repre-
sented to this House as an Aggrievance and hope the same
will be prevented for the future
Signed p Order Richd Dallam Cl. Ho. Del.}

Resolved That the Act for the Encouragement of Tillage
and Relief of poor Debtors be revived for three Years or to
the End of the next Session of Assembly which shall first
happen

L. H. J.