The Sheriff of the Countie of Sussex, His return of Representatives was read, and there, were elected Wm. Clark for 3 years, Thomas pemberton for 2 years, & Robert Clifton for one year. The sd Wm. Clark, phineas pemberton & Wm. Biles, did subscribe the declaration, &c. profession, &c. test & Secresie, & took their places att the board. The said Thomas pemberton & Robt Clifton took the Oathes, test & promise of secresie, & took their places as above, & so wer psent: phinehas pemberton, Anthony Morris, William Biles, David Lloyd, Caleb pussey, George Marris, Samll Richardson, Jno Donaldson, Jno Williams, Richd Hallywell, Griffith Jones, After the reading of yr Maties Lres patents for restoring the proprietarie to his governmt, & the proprietaries Comission to Wm. Markham to be Governor under him, & to Jno Goodson & Smll Carpenter to be his assistants, by the Secrie, The Governor said: "Gentl., You are Convened by virtue of a power derived unto "mee from Mr penn, Our absolute proprietarie & Chief Governor, "under whois governmt you Lived happilie for manie years. Their "Maties, our Soveraign Lord and Ladie Wm. & Marie, wer pleased "upon some apprehensions that this province was in danger of being "Lost from the Crowne of England, to take us undr their more "Imediate care & protection, During which time I was yor Leivt. "Governor, & I must say that I have observed in you (I mean both "you & those you repsent) a dutiefull affection to their present "Maties, in a readie Compliance with all yr Comands, after such mannr as yr tender Consciences could permitt. Most of you were "either of the Councill or of the Assemblie first called by his Ex"cellie Governor Fletcher, and when the Queen's Lre for the assist"ing the province of New york to defend yr fronteers was read, I "rejoiced to see yor readiness to Comply, and tho' the principles of "most of you were agt giving any thing to Maintain warr, yet you "Dutiefullie & prudentlie, & without example from yor neighbours, "raised money under the title FOR THE SUPPORT OF GOVERN"MENT, but to be disposed of as his Excellie Governor Fletcher "should think fitt, Which monie was by his sd Excellies order trans"mitted to New york, & no doubt well imployed in the service of "the Crown. And now Gentl., Their Maties Have been graciouslie "pleased to restore our proprietarie to His governmt, a gentl, I'm "sensible, has allwayes been verie affectionate to us, & I hope none "of us (I am Confident there is not one here) will be wanting in "gratitude towards him, nor in due respect to & Love for him; Let "us yrfore, Like dutifull, Obedient & gratefull subjects, entreat or "proprietarie to return their Maties or most Humble & Heartie "thanks for this yr great & gracious favor & to assure ym yt wee "shall ever Continou to be yr most Loyll & obedient subjects." To which the whole members of Councill Heartilie assented. [22d May, 1695. Att a Councill held att philadelphia Die Mercury, 22d May, 1695 PRESENT: WM MARKHAM, Esq., Governor under Wm. penn, &c., et ysdem Sicut antea. The Governor Ordered the whole Representatives to resolve into a grand Comittee to Inspect and revise the Laws of y° province, In order to repeal those that were not fitt to be Continued, and to prepare Bills for such Laws yt are necessarie & wanting. Resolved yt y 5th instant be and is appointed for the hearing of petions and complaints. Adjourned to 25th instant. [25th May, 1695. Att a Councill Held att philadelphia Die Saturni, 25th May, 1695. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Governor, under Wm. penn, &c, and all the repsentatives in, No. 18. Joseph Growdon, Hitherto absent, subt. the declaraon, Test, and promise of Secrisie, and took his place at the board. And soe wer present y Governor and a full Councill, viz: Samll Carpenter, Samll Richardson, David Lloyd, Caleb pussey, George Marris, Jno Donaldson, Anthony Morris, Wm Biles, Richd Hallywell, John Brinkloe, Griffith Jones, Thomas pemberton, Pat. Robinson, Secry. The Grand Comittee of y° whole Repsentatives, to whom the inspecting and revising of the Laws of ye province was Comitted, presented to the Governor a Bill Relating to the new modelling the government, which was read once. Adjourned to ye 27th instant. [27th May, 1695. Att a Councill Held att Philadelphia die Lunæ, 27th May, 1695. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Esqr. Governor under Wm. penn, &c., and all the members except Jos. Growden & Jno Williams. The said Bill was again begun to be read & debated, but it Could not be agreed upon. Adjourned to 28th instant. [28th May, 1695. Att a Councill Held att philadelphia die Martis, 28th May, 1695. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Governor under Wm. penn, &c., & all y⚫ members except Jos. Growdon. The said bill being Laid aside, becaus it could not be agreed upon, A Comittee of one member for each County, viz: Samll Carpenter, Wm. Biles, David Lloyd, Richard Hallywell, Jno Brinkloe, and Wm. Clarke, were appointed to Consider of a new frame & modell of Governmt, & to make report to the Governor & Councill this afternoon. POST MERIDIEM, Præsentibus ut antea. The Comittee to whom the Consideraon of a new forme & modell of governmt was Comitted, Reported: That they had made some attempts, but Could not agree upon a new frame; And yrfor, the Governor appointed the same Comittee to meet wt himself to-morrow morning, about the same, And to make report. Adjourned to 29th instant. [29th May, 1695. Att a Councill Held att philadelphia Die Mercury, 29th May, 1695. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Esqr. Governor undr Wm. penn, &c., & all the Repsentatives ut antea. The Governor & Comittee to whom y Consideraon of a new form & modell of governmt was comitted, Reported: That nothing could be agreed upon in ordr to a new modell of governmt notwithstanding all ye pains & time spent about ye same. Then the Governor said: "Gentl. By the writts issued by me for "Calling you together, you may see it was to choose repsentatives "to forme a provinciall Councill, to advise wt mee in matters relating "to y governmt; Accordinglie the elections wer made, & you that (( were chosen have appeared & pformed all the Ceremonies Usuall "by any former provinciall Councill. Gentl. you have taken up much "time in endeavouring to Lay aside the Charter granted you by the "proprietarie, which you then thankfullie accepted of, & to propose " & make a more easie frame than formerlie by y' sd Charter & act "of settlement you had, but yo difficulties yt attended yor new bill & "frame were so great that they Could not be gott over. Since yrfor "the end of my Calling and of yor Coming together was to advise "wt mee in matters Relating to ye governmt, I Lett you know That the Queen's most excellent Matie Hath, upon the 21st of Augt, 1694, signified to or sd proprietor & in his absence to the Comandr in Chief of y° sd province of pennsilvania for ye time being, That a Quota not exceeding eighty men, with their officers, or the value of the chairges of maintaining ye same, be the measure of the assistance to be given by y sd province of pennsilvania & Countrie of Newcastle for y' defence & securitie of the pro vince of Newyork, Thereby Requiring & Comanding or sd proprietor att all times, upon application of the Governor & Commander in Chief of the province of Newyork, to send y° same for the defence & Securitie yrof; And yt the said proprietor give directions that due provision be forthwith made, att the publick charge of the sd province of pennsilvania & Countrie of New Castle, for the furnishing such assistance as the same shall be soe demanded from time to time, by the sd Governor or Comandr in Chief of the sd province of Newyorke. The Serious & due Consideraon of which Letter I Recommend unto you, & according to your dutie, doe require your advice & assistance in the prosecuting this weightie affair, upon which yor owne & yor nighbours securitie and preservaon soe much depends. I also Let you know, That His Excellie Benjn Fletcher, by his Letter of y 15th Aprill, writts mee that hee is necessitated for yr Maties Service & the securitie of ye fronteers, to demand from us eightie men & yr officers, with armes, amunition, & pay for one yeare. The officers yt will be requisite are One Captain, Two Leivtenants, foure sergeants, foure Corporalls & two drumers; & yt yr Maties have Comanded us to furnish him with this assistance from pennsilvania & newcastle, & yt y' frontiers are soe circumstantiated att psent, that their being att Albanie on the first of May next ensuing, or as soon as possible may be, is thereby required. Both which Lres having been read, The Governor added: Gentl, you are the Repsentatives of the people, yrfor I again desire yor advice here. The Repsentatives Having desired some time to Consider therof, the Governor did Resolve the whole Repsentatives into a grand Committee, to Consider of an effectuall answer both to her Majesties Letter and Governor Fletchers, and delivred to Wm. Clark, one of their number, both the sd originall Letters for their perusall, & to make report to-morrow. Adjourned to 30th instant. [30th May, 1695. Att a Councill Held att philadelphia die Jovis, 30th May, 1693. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Esqr, Governor under Wm. penn, &c., & all y members except Joseph Growdon. Wm. Clark Reported from the Committee of the whole Representatives, to whom the Consideraon of her Maties Letter & of Governor ffletcher's Letter, & their advice yrin & ansr yrto, was Committed. That having taken the same in to their Serious Consideration, Humblie offerr yr opinion that they are not in a Capacitie to give a full & Satisfactorie ansr to soe weightie a matter wtout a generall Assemblie, & most of ym living soe remote from this place, & Harvest drawing on so near, that they cannot meet untill about the 9th day of Septr next, And yrfore, doe advise the Governor to Command the assemblie to meet the sd day, to consult & resolve yrupon. Then the Gor said: "Gentl., You are my wittnesses that I "have done my dutie: Onlie wish that this your delay may not be "taken for a deniall, The Consequences wherof may prove verie "fatall to us all. And desired they wold Consider further before "they resolved." They replyed that they had deliberatelie Considered of it, & yt it wold tend to the ruine of manie families to be from home in harvest time. Resolved yt the Assemblie be Convened to meet att philadelphia the said 9th day of Septr next, by order from the Governor. Then the Gor said further: "Gentl., you know yt in their Maties "Lres patents for restoring Mr penn to his governmt it's said, That "he, the sd Mr penn, Has given yr Maties good assurance that hee "will take care soe farr as in him Lyes to secure the province. What "will you advise me in this case about securing ye same agt anie "attempts that may be made upon us by or enemies? will you be "willing yt if an enemie should assault us I should defend you by "force of armes ?" Some made ansr yt they wold; Others that they must Leave everie one to yr Libertie, & yt Governor penn's instrucons yrin must be followed, and it being his business they had nothing to doe with it. Then the Gor desired to know of Jno Goodson, his assistant, whether he was dissatisfied wt any thing hee had done during this time of Sessions? Jno goodson ansred yt hee was well satisfied wt all yt had been done. Then the Gor desired yt the repsentatives that Lived nearest to philadelphia might give yr attendance in Councill upon anie emergencie, when called by the Govr & his sd assistant. Adjourned to 9th Septembr, 1695. [9th Septembr, 1695. Att a provinciall Councill Held att philadelphia die Lunæ, the 9th of September, 1695. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Esqr. Governor undr Wm. penn, Esqr. &c., and John Goodson assistant. Tho. pemberton, Robt. Clifton, Pat. Robinson, Secrie. The Governor desired the secrie distinctlie to read all the minutes of Councill that have been held since the restoration of the proprietor to his governmt, Which the secrie accordinglie did. Then the Governor said: "Gentl., I ordered all the minutes of * His name was George. |