And it was Concluded by this board that A Letter bee writt by the Governour to Mr Povey Clerk to the Plantation Office, giveing him an Accpt: of the Receipt of the said Packett which was Accordingly done In these words. The Express from the Right Honourable the Lords of his Majesties Most Honourable privie Councill, bearing date from the Councill Chamber at White Hall the 10th day of March 169%, came to my hands via. Virginia upon the 22d of May, I called, A Councill In Each Province, & produced theire Lordsp Letter together with the papers Inclosed. As the Barbarous & wicked designes against the sacred person of A prince who so often shews himselfe at the head of his Armies, The only oppertunitie A generous Enemie could desire, created detestation & Abhorrence. So the happy disapoyntment of it by the good providence of God, And the defeat of the Enemies Attempts against his Majesties Kingdomes & Government, was a matter of great Joy. I have therefore with Advice of councill of both East & west Jersey, Appoynted a Solemn day of thanks giveing In Each Province, upon which I am well Assured the unfeigned thanks of All the Inhabitants will bee offered up to Almighty God for so great A deliverance, & all imigineable Expressions of Joy upon so solemn an occasion AND: HAMILTON Perth Amboy 24 June 1696| Att A Council of Generall Assembly begun and held at Perth Amboy the 16th day of March Anno Dom: 1693 The Members of the house of Deputies being most of them mett, came before this board, and told the Governour the Major part of them were conveened & the Governour desired them to withdraw & chuse theire speaker & present him. And In A short time they returned & presented Samuell Denniss theire Speaker. The Governour told them, hee would have called them together Last yeare, as hee has yearly done since hee came Into the Goverment, but the reasone (why hee did it not) was because Mr Gordon was sent home on the publick Accpt: and was unwilling to putt the Countrie to the charge of A Generall Assembly Assembly till his returne, but the reasone why they were now called together was because the Justices & severall others of the Inhabitants of the Province had Addressed him to call an Assembly, And hee was willing to heare what they had to offer Adjourned till to morrow at 8 A Clock Att A Councill of Generall Assembly the 17th of March 1697 Governour Hamilton Present Capt: Andrew Bowne of the Councill James Dundas A Message to this board from the house of Deputies by Lewis Morris & William Sandfoord, to desire one of the Members of this board to take the Deputies oathes-And Accordingly James Dundas & John Barclay Clerk to this board went to doe the same,& In a short time Returned & gave an Accpt, they had done it. A Message to this board from the house of Deputies by Lewis Morris & William Loveridge, Acquainting this board. that they see not cause to Admitt Thomas Warne to bee one of theire Members, therefore desires A New writt may be Issued out to chuse an other In his Roome Adjourned till to morrow at 8 A clock in the morning A Message to this board from the House of Deputies by Richard Hartshorne & Cornelius Longfield, to Intreate the Governour to Issue out his writt to chuse an other Deputy for Perth Amboy In the Roome of Thomas Warne. Adjourned till morrow morning at 8 A Clock The 19th day present As Above Adjourned till monday at 10 A Clock In the morning The 21st day present As Above A Message to this board from the House of Deputies by John Pike & Lewis Morris, to Acquaint this board that theire House had Adjourned themselves until the 17th day of May next JOHN BARCLAY Dept Sctr & Rgst Att Att a Council held At Perth Amboy In the Countie of Middx: the 7th day of Aprill Anno Dom 1698 Jeremiah Basse Esq' produced to this board A Com'ission to bee Governour and Com'ander In Cheeffe of this Province of East New Jersey, given under the Seale of the sayd Province In London, & signed by the Proprietors there bearing date the 15th day of July 1697 Hee Also produced here A Com'ission given under the broad Seale of England by order of the Lords Justices, bearing date the thirtieth day of Aprill Anno Dom': 1697 (directed to Edward Randolph Esq & severall others, In All Eight In Number, or any five of them, or In case of theire Absence by death or otherwise, then to five of the Council And In case of any of theire Absence, then to three of the Councill), to take the oath (of the Governour or Com'ander In Cheeffe of this Province of East & west New Jersey for the time being) Appoynted by the Act of trade & Navigation &c: to bee taken by the Respective Governours of his Majesties Plantations. Hee Also produced here A Certificate (given under the hand & Seale of his Excellency Richard Earle of Bellamont Capt: Generall & Governour In Cheefe of the Province of New Yorke &c: dated 5th Aprill 1698) therein setting forth (that before his sayd Excellencie) hee had taken the oathes Appoynted by Act of Parliment to bee taken Instead of the oathes of Alleadgiance & supremacie, both which Com'issiones & Certificate were here read In Councill, And then hee Im'ediately tooke the oath of Aleadgeance to the King & fidelity to the Interest of the Proprietors of the sayd Province As Governour thereof. And it was then ordered by this board that Proclamatione should bee Issued out to Each Countie throughout this Province, setting forth the New Governours Com'ission, And ordering All officers both civil & Militarie to continue In theire severall offices & places till further order. Adjourned till to morrow morning Att 8 a Clock Att Att A Councill Held Att Perth Amboy the 8th of Aprill 1698 present Jeremiah Basse Esq' Governour James Dundas of ye Councill Agreed & ordered by this board that A proclamation bee Issued, for All Magistrates & other officers to put the Lawes In Executione strickly Against im'oderate drinking swearing & other vices & the breach of the sabbath day. Agreed & ordered Also that an other Proclamation bee Isued out, setting forth that the Com'issioners of his Majesties Customes in England Have Allowed Perth Amboy to bee a free Port. Agreed & ordered by this board that the peace bee proclaimed here the first day of the next Court of Com'on Right. The Governour Requested the members of this board to Administer the Oath (to him) Appoynted by the Act of trade & Navigation, According to the Com'ission under the broad Seale of England by him here produced, And this board were of opinion (at present) that they had not power to Administer sd oath, because there are severall other persones Nominated In the sayd Com'ission to Administer the same. Adjourned till further order Att A Councill held att Perth Amboy the 20th day of Aprill Anno Dom: 1698 Present Jeremiah Basse Esq Governour Capt: Andrew Bowne Samuell Dennis Cap' John Bishop Thomas Codrington > of the Councill This day the Members of this board Administered the oath to the Governour (Appoynted by the Act of trade & Navigation &c) According to the Com'ission under the broad Seale of of England, here in Council! produced. All the Members of this board here present, tooke this day the oathes Appoynted by Act of Parliment to bee taken, Instead of the oathes of Aleagiance & supremacie, (Except Richard Hartshorne) who scruples swearing After the usuall forme Agreed Agreed & ordered by this board, that A writt bee directed to the Sheriffe of the Countie of Bergen to sum'ons the Justices of the sayd Countie to Appeare before the Justices of the next Court of Com'on Right to render theire reasones why they refused to obey A writt of Habeas Corpus directed to them. Adjourned till further order Att A Councill Held Att Perth Amboy The 12th day of May Anno Dom: 1698 Capt Andrew Bowne Samuel Dennis present Capt: John Bishop of the Councill Thomas Warne Richard Hartshorne It's Agreed by this board that the Letter directed to Coll: And: Hamilton & the Councill of this Province from the Proprietors dated 12th of October 1697, bee Recorded In the pub. lick Records of this Province, & safely kept In the Secretaries office. It's Also Agreed by this board, that notice bee given to the severall members of the present Generall Assemble of this Province, that they doe not meete here According to theire owne Adjournment the 17th day of this Month, but that they delay theire meeting untill they have further order by Proclamation from the Governour. Att A Councill held att Perth Amboy 30th May Anno Dom: 1698 present Jeremiah Basse Esq': Governour Samuell Dennis John Royse Thomas Codrington Capt John Bishop Thomas Warne Richard Hartshorne of the Councill The Governour Administered an oath of Secracie to John Tatham Esq' hee not being of the Council of this Province, but of West New Jersey, who was Accordingly Admitted by this board to Assist them with his Advice, After the reading of A Late Proclamation signed by Bellamount Governour of New Yorke the 24th of this Month, This board |