"Councills that have been held since the proprietor's restoration to "his governmt to be read, to remind you how we have fallen outt of "the method of governmt formerlie settled by the proprietor & the people's repsentatives, In which the provincial Councill used to "promulgate bills that were to be past into Laws twentie dayes before "the sitting of the assemblie, att the end of which time the assemblie "used to meet to Confirm or reject those bills.

"Gentl., You are sensible how much I was agt altering anie thing "in the charter which was granted us by the proprietor, wtout his "knowledge & consent, & how great occasion I had for an Assemblie was & is plain to you, Viz: to answer the Late Queen's Comands "in assisting Newyork wt or Quota agt or Comon enemie the French. "Gentl., I endeavored to bring the governmt to the method that was ever used in the proprietor's time, before his Excellie Governor "Fletcher had it, and accordinglie, I issued out writts to forme a provinciall Councill; In answer whereto you mett & performed by "Oathes, attests & Subscriptions, all things necessarie to it; and then "I did my dutie & Laid before you the Late Qeen's Letter & his "Excellie the Governor of Newyork's application to mee for the "Quota allotted to this governmt, expecting you wold have promul "( gated bills for the raising monie for it, but instead of that your "Resolves wer that you were not in a capacitie to give a full and Satis"factorie answer to so weightie a matter wtout a Generall Assemblie, "& most of you Living soe remote from this place, & Harvest draw"ing on soe neer, that you could not meet untill about the ninth day "of Septr then next; And yrfor, did advise mee to Comand the "assemblie to meet the said day, to consult & resolve yrupon. And "yrfor, it was resolved that the assemblie be conveened to meet at "philadelphia the sd ninth day of Septr then next.

"And now Gentl., you are to advise what course to steer to attain "to to the Chief end of or meeting, viz: to answer the Late Queen's "Letter, & when that is done & the Ice broken, all other things will "be easie.

"Gentl., the Assemblie is come according to appointment: The "first thing wee are to Consider of is the method of preparing and "passing Bills. Gentl., Both you of the Councill as well as of Assem"blie, are Repsentatives of the people, both being chosen by them ; "I Have not the choice of one member of either, therfore, when I "speak to you I speak to the people's Repsentatives, as much as "when I speak to the Assemblie, And wtout yor & their Consent, I "cannot raise monie, & wtout monie I cannot answer the Queen's "Commands. I pray God direct you that what you doe may be to "his glorie, the king's honour, & the saftie of this poore province. "Gentl., I expect your ansr.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning.

[10th Septr, 1695.

Att a Councill Held att philadelphia die Martis, 10th of Septembr,

VOL. I.-21

PRESENT:

WM. MARKHAM, Esqr Governor undr Wm. penn, Esqr & Jno Goodson, assistant, And all ye members ut antea.

Cornelius Empson & James Fox, two of the members of Assemblie, Came from the Assemblie, desiring to know of the Gor when the Assemblie might ye admitted.

The Governor answered that hee & Councill were readie to receive them.

In a small time afterwards they all appeared, & presented Edward Shippen for yr Speaker, of whom the Governor did approve.

Then the sd Edward Shippen, Speaker, & all the other members of Assemblie for the Counties of philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, newcastle, kent, & Jno Stoaklie & Thomas Oldham, for the Countie of Sussex, subscribed the test, profession of the Christian beliefe & declaration of fidelitie; and the Last foure for the Countie of Sussex, Viz: Joseph Booth, Henrie Malleston, James peterkin & Jonathan Baylie, took the oathes appointed by act of parliamt to be taken in stead of ye oathes of allegiance & supremacie, & subscribed

the test.

Then the Governor Spake to the Assemblie :

Gentl., you are now qualified for bussines, and that you may "the better know yor dutie, you shall heare the papers following:" and then desired the Secrie to read their Maties Letters patents restoring Mr penn to his governmt, which was accordinglie done. Then Gor penn's Comission to his kinsman, Wm. Markham, to be Gor undr him; THen Gor penn's Comission to Samll Carpenter & John Goodson, or anie of them, to be his assistant; Then the Late Queen's Letter of y° 21st of August, 1694, appointing eightie men, with their officers, or the value of the charges of maintaining the same, to be the measure of the assistance to be given by this province & countrie of newcastle for the defence & securitie of the province of Newyork, Requiring & Comanding or proprietar, upon applicaon of the Gor & Comandr in Chief of the province of Newyork, to send ye same. THen His Excellie Benjn Fletcher, the Gor of Newyork, his Letter to Gor Markham of the 15th of Aprill, 1695, demanding from this province the sd 80 men & their officers, wt arms, amunition, & pay for one year, to be att Albanie the 1st of May then next ensuing, or as soon as possible may be. Then his sd Excellies other Letter of 12th June, 1695, then applying himself to Gor Markham for the sd Quota of 80 men wt yr proper officers, or that the value of the chairges for maintaining them be provided & sent to Newyork ye 1st of Augt then next, in obedience to the Comands of her Late Matie. Then his Excellies other of 3d 7br., 1692, Renuing his applicaon to Gor Markham for ye above assistance in men or monie, with a copie of the mohaques proposions. And then wer read the propositions made by ten of the principall Sachims of the Mohaques Countrie to Gor fletcher, in the Court house of Albanie, y 28th of Augt, 1695. And yn y Gor said: Gentl., I thought it necessarie to cause the above papers to be read, as the

"foundation & beginning of yor prceedings. I made a speech to the "Councill yesterday which they shall have, and they will Resolve "into a Comittee of the whole house to consider yrof; & Mr Speaker, "I desire you to doe the same, yt you may meet together & give yor "best concurrent advices in ordr to answer my sd speech.

Ordered, That the whole members of Councill doe Resolve into a grand Comittee of the whole house to Join a grand Comittee of the whole members of Assemblie, to consider of an answer to the Gors speech, att 3 post meridiem, And to make report to-morrow morning.

Adjourned to yth Septr, 1695.

[11th Septr, 1695.

Att a Councill Held att philadelphia die Mercury, 11th of Septembr, 1695.

WM. MARKHAM, Esqr, Governor undr Wm. penn, Esqr, and all the members, ut supra, except Wm. Biles.

The Committee to whom the consideraon of an ansr to the Gors Speech was comitted, Reported That the Gors speech to the Councill Having been read to the Assemblie, They did upon the vote putt, agree That they might proceed to legislaon wtout promulgaon of bills, (as was usuall by the Late Charter,) Considering the present emergencie. They also did upon the vote putt, agree that the power of preparing & proposing bills to be past into Laws may be in the Councill as well as in the Assemblie, (while both are the people's choice.) They did also agree that the Gor be requested to appoint a Comittee of Councill to meet a Comittee of the assemblie, To Consider of an answer to the Queen's Letter, & an act of settlement.

THe Governor did accordinglie appoint two members of each Countie, Viz: Samll Carpenter, Samll Richardson, Joseph Growdon, phinchas pemberton, David Lloyd, Caleb pussey, Jno donaldson, Richdt Halliwell, John Brinkloe, Griffith Jones, Wm. Clark, & Tho. pemberton, to Join a Committee of the Like number of ye members of assemblie, to Consider of an ansr to the Queen's Letter, And his Excellie Gor Fletcher's demands therupon, & of an act of settlement, to meet at two of the Clock in the afternoon.

[19th Septr, 1695.

Att a Council Held att philadelphia die Jovis, 19th Septembr, 1695.

PRESENT:

WM. MARKHAM, esqr Governor undr Wm. penn, esqr, & all y⚫ members except Jno Williams & Jno Brinkloe.

The Committee to whom the Consideration of an answer to the Queen's Letter, & his excellie Gor Fletcher's demands therupon, & of an act of Settlement, was Comitted, Gave in yr report in answer to the Gors speech in writing, Which was read, viz: The report of

the Comittee of certain members of Councill & assemblie in answer to the Govrs Speech:

"May it please the Governor. Wee Having dulie Considred thy "speech delivred us att the opening of this Assemblie the ninth in"( stant, As also the Late Queen's Letter, dated the 21st of Augt, "1694, together wt Coll. Fletcher's applicaons for the Quota appinted "by the sd Queen to be sent from this governmt for the defence of "New york, and also having perused the minutes & proceedings of "the Councill & assemblie for the two Last years, Wee find that the "Generall Assemblie in the year 1693, in Compliance with the "Queen's former Letter, soe farr as the religious psuasion of the "major part of them could admitt, did Humblie psent king Wm. & "Queen Marie with an assessment of monie upon all estates wtin the "sd province & territories for support of this governmt, which sd assessmt amounting to about 760lb. this Countrie monie, The nett "produce wherof being Computed upon the then Councill book to be "about 500lb. st. The greatest part of which wee understand, is "gathered & sent to newyork by ordr of Coll. fletcher, Who having "soe much regard to the tender Consciences of such as might scruple "the giving of monie to support warr, did declare before anie assessment was agreed on, that what monie should be raised here for sup"port of governmt, should not be dipt in blood, (as hee was pleased "to phrase it) which hee afterwards explained upon severall occasions, "&pticularlie in h's speech to the assemblie in the yeare 1694, "wherein he expressed in these words, viz: Gentl. I consider yor "principles that you will not Carie armes nor Levie monie to make warr, tho' for yor owne defence, yet I hope you will not refuse to "feed the hungrie & cloath the naked; my meaning is to supplie "those Indian nations wt such necessaries as may Influence ym to a "Continuance of yr friendshipp to these provinces. Therfore, It is "the Opinion of this Committee, that all the monie alreadie raised, or att this time intended to be raised for support of governmt, & "not expresslie appointed for anie other pticular use, ought to be "deemed & taken in stead of the assistance required from this go"vernmt, the same being in ansr to the Queen's Letters, soe farr as "in Conscience & abilitie wee can Complie therwith, And that the "same may be appropriated accordinglie, as the Gor, or his deputie "for the time being, shall see meet.'

""

THe Governor then told ym, "that if that narrative of what they "had done in 1693, relating to the Late Queen's first Letter, might "be serviceable to ym, hee should be satisfied yrwt, and yrfor desired "as they had begun, soe they wold proceed to give an effectuall "answer yrto, & to his Excellie Gor Fletcher's demands yron, by "raising of monie."

THen all the members Unanimouslie declared, that it was their design to raise monie for the king, To be made use of as hee pleased. The sd Committee also gave in yr Report relating to an act of settlement in writting, which was also read.

THen the Governor told them, "that what they had heard read was but Reports of a Committee, both members of Council &

"assemblie, & yrfore, It was necessarie, yt y' whole members of "Councill should signifie their acquiesence yrwith. Wherupon the "Gor putt this Vote: all you Gentl. that acquiesce with the two re"ports now read, stand up & say YEA, all you that doe not acquiesce "therwith stand up & say NAY." Caried in the affirmative.

Therafter the Gor ordered Joseph Growdon, Samll Richardson, david Lloyd, Richd Halliwell, Griffith Jones, & Wm. Clarke, to present the said two Reports to the assemblie for their acquiesence, and after they had done the same Hee, the Gor, wold make such observaons thereon as hee should think fitt.

Adjourned to the 20th instant.

[20th Septembr, 1695.

Att a Councill Held at philadelphia die Veneris, 20th of Septembr, 1695.

PRESENT:

WM. MARKHAM, Esqr., Governor undr Wm. Penn, Esqr., &c., & all the members except Anthony Morris, John Williams, & John Brinkloe.

The members who wer ordered to present the sd two Reports to the Assemblie for their acquiescence, made report that they had delivrd the sd two reports to the assemblie, who ansred they wold Consider the same.

Ordered, that Samll Richardson & Wm. Clarke goe to the assemblie & acquaint them That the Governor & Councill do waite for them. John Blunston, James Fox, Wm. Rodeney & Edwd Gibbs brought from the assemble ye sd two Reports, & told the Gor & Councill that they acquiesced yrwith, With some few amendments.

Therafter the Gor. Caused the sd two Reports, The one relating to the Queen's Letter, & the other relating to the act of settlement, to be read, agt which act of settlement The Gor made objections to severall paragraphs therof.

Ordered that the whole members of Councill doe Resolve into a grand Committee of y° whole house, to join a Grand Committee of the whole members of assemblie, to Consider further of proceeding effectuallie to ansr the Late Queen's Letter, By drawing up a bill for raising of monie to answer y° same, & his Excellie Governor Fletcher's demands therupon. And by drawing up another Bill for the act of settlement.

[27th Septembr, 1695.

Att a Councill Held att philadelphia die Veneris, 27th of Septembr, 1695.

PRESENT:

WM. MARKHAM, Esqr., Governor undr Wm. Penn, esqr., John Goodson assistant, & all ye members of Councill, And all yR members of Assemblie except Nicholas Wallne & John Betts, sick, and daniell Brown, dead.