Lt. Gov of this his Majties Province of N. Hamp', and this being the first opportunity I have had of seeing the Gen' Assembly, so I gladly embrace it:

To assure you that I will to the utmost of my power support and maintain the hon of the Crown, und the most happy reign of our Sovereign Lord King George and his most illustrious family.

And I doubt not but you will all as good and loyal subjects joyn wth me herein; and as I am for supporting the prerogative of the Crown, so you shall always find me ready and willing to fall into all such just measures as may tend to the maintaining & defending our rights and properties, so far as in me lies.

There has been an unhappy difference in this town, the occasion now too long to relate, weh difference has in some measure affected ye whole Province; but thanks be unto God, they are much abated, and some good steps have been taken for an accommodation, so that if every one of us in our several stations will put a helping hand, I doubt not but in a short time we may have a good harmony both in town and Province, the attaining of which will give glory to God and peace to ourselves.

Gent'n:-The Principal thing I shall recommend to yo' consideration at this time is [P. 91.] the Province Records, a matter that concerns posterity, and on wch our properties very much depend.

The Gent in whose hands they now are, is dangerously ill, & it's thought cannot continue long;-therefore, in point of prudence, we ought to think of a proper person to receive the records wth all the books, files & papers thereunto belonging.

I would also put you in mind of those bonds weh belong to the Province that was lodged wth Col. Smith, late of Hampton, deceased, that you will take care the vote of Gen' Assembly be observed therein.

Adjorned to to-morrow, 10 o'clock, A. M.

Pro: N. Hamp❜.

JOHN WENTWorth.

At a Gen' Assembly held at Portsm
Feb. 224, 1717-8.

Present in Councill,

The Honble Jno Wentworth, Esq., Lt. Gov',

Jotham Odiorne, Esq., brought up the following vote to this board:

Voted, That Mr. Speak Packer, Mr. Epha Dennet and Josha Peirce, be a Committee from this house to demand the bonds that were formerly given by sundry gent" of ye Prov: for fifteen hundred pounds bills of credit of ye Prov: formerly lent to them; wch bonds were lodged in ye hands of Col. Joseph Smith, deceased,

& now to be demanded of his widow relict, & when received, to be lodged in the hands of the Speak of the house of Represent for time being, till further orderd.

21st Feb., 1717-8.

Josh Peirce, Cler. Assem'.

In Councill.

Feb. 224, 1717-8. Voted a concurrence.

Rich Waldron, Cler. Con.

[P. 92.] Capt. Jotham Odiorne, Esq., and Capt. John Gillman brought the following vote to this board:

Whereas there has been some proposals of moving the Province Records from Maj. Vaughan's, it being supposed that he, the said Maj, was rendered uncapable of officiating in sd office through natural indisposition:

The House having by a committee conferred wth Maj. Vaughan, do find him capable to p'form wts needfull as formerly relating to that office; and we that are present being but abt half of the society:

Voted, That the sd Records be continued with Maj. Vaughan, till further ordered.

Josha Peirce, Cler. Assemb.

In Councill.

Feb. 22, 1717-8. Voted a concurrence.

Rich Waldron, Cler. Con. One of the membTMs of the House of Representatives brought the following request to this board:

Whereas we have been informed, that Oliver Noyes and Elisha Cook, Esq., of Boston, have had administration granted to them by the judge of Probate, &c., of this Prov: on the pretended rights and properties of Sir Charles Hobby, deceased, and the bonds given for their regular administration was not sufficient:

Whereupon, it is the desire of the whole house present, that the upper house, who is the Supreme Judge of Probate, &c., would putt a stop to any further proceeding in that affair, till the interest of the Province be a little consulted.

224, Feb. 1717-8.

Josha Peirce, Cler. Assem". The Gen' Assembly stands prorogued, according to former prorogation (viz.), to ye 29th day of April, 1718.

[P. 93.] Pro: N. Hamp".

At a Gen' Assembly held at Portsm by prorogation, April 29th, 1718.

Present in Councill,

His Excellency Sam' Shute, Esq., Gov', &c.,
His Hon' Jno. Wentworth, Esq., Lt. Gov",

Rich Wibird, Esq., was sent down to the house of Representatives to require their attendance at y Councill board. They came accordingly, where his Excellency the Gov made the following speech.

Gent":

This being the usual time for ye spring sessions, I am come to meet you and am glad to find that those coals of contention wch were kindled & blowing up amongst us are by your care in your several stations so happily extinguished. All that I have of moment to offer to you at this time is, that some speedy methods might be thought on, for ye encouragem of raising hemp and other naval stores, wch will be very acceptable to ye Court of Great Britain, & highly advantageous to this Province; as also that there may be an Impost & Excise, wch I am informed hath been your constant practice before my arrival in this governm*. Gent":

I believe this is a busy season of the year; I shall therefore, so soon as you have dispatched wht shall be necessary, dismiss you to pursue your own private affairs.

Sam' Penhallow & Theo. Atkinson, Esqs., were sent down to the House of Representatives, to recommend to their consideration the making an especial ord' of Gen' Assembly to appoint a new Grand Jury of Inquest, to inquire into the indictment exhibited against John Kenniston, on suspision of murthering an Indian, &c.

Capt. Josh Peirce came to this board and desired in behalf of ye House of representatives a Copy of the Govr's speech,— wch was granted, the same being sent down to sd house by the clerk. Adjourned to tomorrow, 10 o'clock, a. M.

[P. 94.] Pro: N. Hamp'. [Met according to adjornm.] Present in Councill,

His Excellency Sam' Shute, Esq., Gov',

His Hon' John Wentworth, Esq., Lt. Gov',

Sam' Penhallow, Esqs.

Theo. Atkinson,

Adjourned to 3 o'clock, P. M.

Pro: N. Hamp". Met again according to adjornm'.

Present in Councill,

As before-also,
Mark Hunking, Esqs.
George Jaffry, S

Capt. John Downing p'ferred a Petition to this board directed to his Excellency the Gov' and Councill, signed pr. ye Selectmen of Newington in behalf of that Parish, for an enlargemt thereof, as on file.

In answer to wch His Excellency the Gov and Councill say, That they find in the Records of Gen' Assembly, the said parish already polled off and cannot see any reason at p'sent to alter the

same.

Rich Waldron, Cler. Con.

Adjourned to tomorrow, 10 o'clock, A. M.

Pro: N. Hamp'.

At a Gen' Assembly held at Portsm by adjournm1, May 1st, 1718.

Present in Councill,

His Excellency Sam' Shute, Esq., Gov',

His Hon' John Wentworth, Esq., Lt. Gov',

George Jaffry and Rich Wibird, Esqs., were sent down to the house of representatives to make a second motion to that house abt passing an especiall Act for a new [P. 95.] Grand Jury in ye case of John Kenniston before mentioned.

Col. Mark Hunking, Esq., was sent down to the house of representatives with a vote for appointing a new Grand Jury.

Lt. Col. James Davis, Esq., brought up ye house of Representatives' answer to the Gov's speech to this board, wch is as follows: May it please your Excellency: —

It is with much pleasure that we now have an opportunity to meet yo' Excellency, when those jarrs and discords wch have for some time past unhappily disturbed and clogged the affairs of this Governm are vanished.

We are of opinion that the raising hemp and other naval stores would highly conduce to ye interest of this Province, as well as be serviceable to ye Crown of Great Britain; but by reason of the late long and tedious warr, the people of this Prov: have been so long pent up as that yet there is not land enough opened to raise a sufficiency of corn for their support, so that at present we are not capable to p'scribe measures that may encourage it.

And as to an Act of Impost, we are of opinion that the charges of the Governm are more easyly defrayed by way of tax upon all persons and estates, and that its most for ye interest of all his Majties good subjects of this Prov: to have a free port this year. But we think an Act of Excise very reasonable, & desire one may be p'pared accordingly.

And as it is ye seed time of ye year, we shall to our utmost forward all busyness that this session may be short, and in order thereto desire that the Committee for auditing accounts & revising and p'paring Laws may speedily give in their reports that we may proceed on them.

Thom Packer, Speak".

Capt. Hugh Reed brought the two following votes to this board, &c.

[P. 96.] Voted, That the Excise be continued for yo year ensuing as formerly.

30th Ap1 1718. Read three times, and ordered to be sent up for

concurrence.

Josh Peirce, Cler. Assem1.

In Councill.

May 1st, 1718. Voted a concurrence.

Rich Waldron, Cler. Con. Voted, That Capt. Hugh Reed and Mr. Epha Dennet be a Committee from this house to joyn such as shall be chosen by the upper House to form ye Excise of ye Province for ye year ensuing. Apl 30th, 1718. Read and ordered to be sent up for concurrence. Josh Peirce, Cler. Assem1y.

In Councill.

May 1st, 1718. Voted a concurrence; and that Theo. Atkinson and Rich Wibird, Esqs., be of a Comittee of ye Councill for ye service above.

. Adjorned to 3 o'clock, P. M.