vernor & Council send to the Justices in the several Counties yt are in arrear whoise collectors have not paid in the full tax charged on them, to cause the same to be Speedilie sent in to the Receiver: Caried in the affirmative. The memorial of Andrew Hamilton being read in Councill, for some encouragmt to support the post : The petion of y Repsentatives for the Countie of Sussex, being again read, about some defence to that Countie: The petion of Tho. Herris about clerk of ye markett being read: All these wer referred to y Consideraon of all ye members of Councill & assemblie, in a grand Comittee, to meet in y° assemblies room post meridiem, & to make Report to-morrow morning. Cornelius Empson & Jno Bradshaw brought in some more bills for the Governor's assent. Adjourned to 20th instant, Hora 9 A. M. [20th May, 1697. Att a Council att philad. die Jovis, A. M. 20th May, 1697. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Esqr., Governor Under Wm. Penn, &c., et ysdem ut antea, except peter Alrichs. Joseph Growdon, Chairman of y° Grand Comittee appointed to Consider of Andrew Hamilton's memorial for encouragmt to support y post; And of ye repsentatives of Sussex County's petion for some defence; And of y° petion of Tho. Herris, about Clark of the markett; made Report, That it was y vote of ye sd Comittee that a bill be prepared for encouragment to Suppor ye post, both by ye publick & upon private Letters. And it was also their opinion, that a watch be keept upon Cape Henlopen in sumer time, To give notice of the appearing of anie enemie, att y publick charge of ye governmt & that the justices of yt Countie order the same, & what sign ye sd watch shall give, And that the Last years charge, amounting to about Six pounds, be allowed as a debt of y' governmt; And yt Tho. Herris' petion was rejected. Ordered that Samll Carpenter draw up a bill for encouragment & support of y° post office, & psent it to the House of Representatives. The petition of the Repsentatives for the Countie of Sussex being again read in Council, and the said Report, Ordered that the Justices of the sd Countie Cause a watch to be keept on Cape Henlopen in sumer time, to give notice of the appearing of anie Enemy, att the publick Charge of the governint, & that the sd justices Order y° same, & what sign the sd watch shall give, and that the Last year's charge, amounting to about Six pounds, be, & is hereby allowed as a debt of the governmt. Adjourned to 22d May, 1697, p. m. [22d May, 1697. Att a Councill Held att philadelphia die Sabbatti, 22d May, 1697, P. M. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, esqr., Governor undr Wm. penn, &c., et ysdem ut antea, Except ut antea. The Governor desired Jno Hill & Jno Curtis to acquaint the assemblie that hee & Council do wait for them, who Returned that they wold forthwith attend him. The assemblie appearing, Mr Speaker presented to the Governor and Councill Sixteen bills which had past their house. The Governor told ym that hee would Cause ym to be read & Considered. After Reading of all the sd bills by the Secrie, The Governor, with advice of the Council, rejected & voted outt eight of them. The other eight being three times read, wer by the Governor and Council approved of. The first entitled, The Law for ratifying & confirming of y acts & proceedings of y° Assembly in 1696. The Second entitled, The Law for the encouragment & Support of the post office. The third entitled, The Law for the Speedie Collecting the arrears of y assessment Laid in 1696. The fourth entitled, The Law about Testats & Intestats estates. The fifth entitled, The Law agt Swine Running att Large in the Countie of Bucks. The Sixth entitled, The Law about married women having children in ye absence of yr Husbands. The seventh entitled, The Law against Swearing. The eight entitled, The Law for selling the Old Court house of Chester Countie; All which wer by the Governor and Council approved of. Then the Governor desired Caleb pussey & Richard Halliwell, to acquaint the assemblie that hec waited for them forthwith. The assemblie appearing, The Governor desired the Secrie to Read over all the said Bills; which hee did, and then underwrote each Bill in these words, viz: Philadelphia the 22d day of May, 1697. This bill being three times read, was assented to by the Governor and Councill. And then the Governor past ym all one after another, by affixing thereto His Hand and Seal of the province. Adjourned to ye 24th instant, Hora, 9 A. M. [24th May, 1697. Att a Council Held att philadelphia die Lunæ, A. M. 24th May, 1697. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, esqr. Governor undr Wm. penn, &c. et ysdem ut antea, except ut supra. Wm. Clark, Chairman of the grand Comittee of both Councill & assembly, to whom the Consideraon of the petion of severall of the Inhabitants of the town and County of Chester and others, to the Governor & Council, for an Ordr for Building a bridge over Chester Creek, in or neer Chester Town: as also of another paper, Contain ing several reasons offerd agt the said petion, & signed by severalls, was referred, made Report: That after Reading of both the sd petion and reasons agt it, and several debates yrupon, It being by the sd Chairman putt to the vote of y said grand Comittee, whether a Bridge should be built over the navigable part of Chester Creek, as is petitioned, It was Carried in the negative, nemine Contradicente. Adjourned to 2 in the afternoon. Att a Council Held at Philadelphia die Lunæ, P. M. 24th May, 1697. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Esqr. Governor undr Wm. Penn, &c. et ysdem ut supra, except ut antea. The Gor desired the Secrie to acquaint the House of Representatives, that Hee and the Council waited for ym; Who returned that they would attend him forthwith. Mr. Speaker & the whole house of Representatives appearing, The Governor Caused the Secrie to read Mr. Blaithwait's Letter to him about the association to be taken in this province; as also, the act of parliament, Entitled ; As also, a fair draught of the association, taken from that which Mr. Blaithwait sent him,, and desired that the representatives both for Council & assembly, would with him sign the same. And accordinglie, the Governor & those members who wer free so to doe, signed the association in terminus, as also the Secrie; And those whois principles and religious persuasions would not allow them to sign the same in Terminus, presented to the Governor a paper which they had drawn up, entitled: A declaraon of the people called Quakers, repsentatives in Council and assemblie for ye province of Pennsilvania and territories thereunto belonging, mett att philadelphia in the 3d mo. 1697, with respect to our Loyaltie to the king, and fidelitie to His Government, and in reference to the late association. Then the Governor askt both Council & Assemblie whether they had prepared anie other bills for his assent, or whether they had anie other bussines at this time; who answered no. Then the Governor said: Gentl, I doe dissolve you, and hereby dissolved. The End of the 5th Sessions of Council and assembly. [9th Febry, 1697-8. you are Att a Council Held att Philadelphia Die Mercury, 9th Febry, 1697-8. PRESENT: WM. MARKHAM, Esq., Governor undr Wm. penn, &c. Samll Carpenter, John Simcocke, Edwd Shippen, Caleb pussey, Joseph growden, Richd Halliwell, The Governor exhibited to the Council a Lettr from the proprietor, directed for him, to be opened only and read in a full Council; Which being thought to be as full a Council as could be got in such a season of y year, It was yrfor Resolved that the sd Lettr should be opened and read which was done. The contents qrof wer as follows, verbatim, viz: "London 5th 7 m., 1697. Friends, The accu(6 saons of one sort, & the reports of another that are come for Eng"land agt yor governmnt, not only tend to or ruin, but disgrace. "That you wink at Scotch trade and a Dutch one too, Receiving "European goods from the latter, as well as suffering yors, agt the "Law & English interest, to goe to the other; Also, that you doe "not onlie wink att but Imbrace pirats, Shipps and men. These are yor accusaons, and one Fra. Jones of philadelphia has Com"plained of them to Gor Nicholson, becaus it was not redrest in the governmt. The Reports are, and a nameless Lettr is come to me "besides from Philadelphia, to ye same purpose, that there is no "place more overrun with wickednes, Sins so very Scandalous, open"ly Comitted in defiance of Law and Virtue: facts so foul, I am "forbid by Comon modesty to relate ym. I do yrfore desire and "( charge you, the Gor & Council for the time being, to issue forth "some act or acts of state forthwith to suppress forbidden trade and "piracy, and also the growth of vice and Loosness, till some severer Laws be made agt them: And I do hereby charge that no Licence "be granted to any to keep publick houses, that do not give great "securitie to keep Civil houses, and are not known to be of a sober "Conversaon, and that the Courts of Justice in each County have "the approbaon, if not Licensing of ym, In order to prevent such "acts of the Lewdness and Idleness as are too often seen in such "places; And that you take Care that Justice be Impartially done r upon transgressors, that the wrath and vengeance of God fall not "upon you to blast your so very flourishing beginning. I hasten "to you as fast as ye Complaints here agt you will give me leave, "that make my presence now but too necessary. Let neither base gain nor a byast affection mak you partial in these Cases, but for "my sake, yor own sakes, and above all for God's sake, Let not the "poor province Longer suffer under such grievous and offensive Im"putations; and will oblige him that loves you, prays for you, and prays to be with you, and is with true Love your real friend & affec"tionate proprietary. WM. PENN." The Contents whereof, & the Complaints yrin mentioned being strictlie inquired into, The Gor did appoint Samll Carpenter, Joseph Growdon & Wm. Clarke a Comittee of Council further to peruse the sd Letter, & to inquire into the sd Complaints, & to make report yrof to the Gor & Council next day, by way of ansr to ye sd Letter. Adjourned to 10th instant." [10th Febry, 1697-8. Att a Councill Held at philad die Jovis, 10th February, 1697-8. WM. MARKHAM, Esqr., Governor et ysdem ut antea. Joseph Growdon, Chairman of the Comittee appointed further to peruse the sd Letter, & strictlie to inquire into y Complaints yrin mentioned, & to report the same to the Gor & Council by way of ansr to the said Letter, this day Exhibited to the Gor & Council their report in writing, viz: The Comittee having perused & thoroughly Considered the proprietor's Letter, Charging the Governor & Council to suppress forbidden trade & piracie; & also the growth of vice & Loossness, &c. within this governmt, doe Humblie make this Report unto the Governor and Council. First. As to the Scotch & dutch trade, wee are not privie yrto nor any of us Concerned therein, but if any such trade has been & escap't unpuneshet, It may rather be attributed to the Connivance or neglect of those officers appointed by Edward Randolph to inspect those things, or others particularly appointed in that behalf; for wee can say, that the magistrats & Courts of Justice have been ready & diligent upon all occasions to punish, suppress, & discourage all illegal trade that came to their knowledge. Secondly. As to Imbracing of pirats, &c. Wee know of none that has been entertained here, unless Chinton & Lassell, with some others of Avery's Crew, that happened for a smal time to sojourn in this place, as they did in some of the neighbouring governments; but as soon as the magistrats in Philadelphia had received but a Copie of the Lords Justice's proclamation, gott all that were here apprehended, & would have taken the Care & Charge of securing ym, untill a Legall Court had been erected for their trial, or an opportunity had presented to send ym to England; but before that Could be effected, they broke goale & made their escape to New york, where Hues & Crys wer sent after ym, And as to pirats' shipps, wee know of none Harboured or ever came in here, much Less encouraged by the Gor or people, who as it is well known, are generally sober & industrious, & never advanced yr estates by forbidden trade, piracie, or other ill ways, notwtstanding what is suggested by or enemies to the contrary. As to the growth of vice, Wee cannot but owne as this place hath growne more populous, & the people increased, Loossnes & vice Hath also Creept in, which wee lament, altho' endeavours have been used to suppress it by the care & industry of the magistrats from time to time, offenders Having received deserved & exemplary punishments, according to Law. As to Ordinaries, Wee are of opinion that there are too many in this governmt, especiallie in philadelphia, wch is one great cause of the growth of vice, & makes the same more difficult to be supprest & keept under. On the whole, Wee being at all times Heartily inclined to show or Loyalty to the King, & readie obedience unto His Laws, do think it necessarie, & do yrfore make or request to the Gor & Council, that an Ordinance be made, & a proclamaon do forthwith Issue from the Governor & Council, strictly to suppress forbidden trade & pirats, if any shall Happen; and also the growth of vice & Loossnes within this governmt, until some wholsome & severer Laws be made for a |