of the Deceased are sealed up by the appraisers and now in the Deputy Governors house whereby all Recourse thereto is prohibited and thereby the Debts lyeing out cannot bee Received wch matters being proposed to the Council for their advice it was advised agreed that That the Deputy Governor being the Ord'nary of this province and haveing power of Adm'istration may either take keepe or Dispose of the said goods as hee sees Causes-Hee being not onely a proprieto' soe principall Creditor in the province to the Estate of the proprieto's in Captn Groomes hands --but as the proprieto's Estate was by Bill of Lading Consigned to him in Case of Captn Grooms Death-That as to the Bookes and pap's in Case that Garven Laurie the proposed Governor arive not heare by the 25th instant that then the appraisers of the Estate or such of them as Can Attend it takeing such to them as they shall see meet open and inspect his pap's and accompts and after Inventory thereof made Deliver the same to the Deputy Governor A Message from the Deputyes Desireing somany of the Councill as this board shall see meete to Joyne wth ffour of the Deputyes as a Committee to Debate about Two Bills one to Regulate Treatyes wth the Indians and the other to Regulate the makeing of pattents for Land Ordered that the Councill here p'sent forthwth attend the said service An Act for the Malitia sent here by the Deputyes An Act Entituled an Act to p'vent strangers Com'enceing vexatious suites agt the Inhabit: in this province also sent from the Deputyes Agreed that the same bee passed and signed by the Governor An Act for the making Rates for severall p'sons as Deputyes Clarkes &c sent from the Deputyes Agreed and Ordered that the members of this Councill also Debate in the Comee p'posed the amendmt of the Act for the Militia and the Act for makeing rates for severall p'sons as Deputyes Clerkes &c and also ye poll Act t The Comee mett together and Considered of severall matters to bee amended and Carryed vp the 4 Bills for Amendm The poll Bill, some amendmts made, Transcribed and ordered to bee sent back to the Deputyes A Bill Entituled an Act to build ye Com'on Goales and pounds read-Agreed that the Governor signe the same and the same to bee Carryed to the Deputyes by Captn Palmer and Benja Price A Bill sent here from ye Deputyes for a poll Tax, Agreed that the Governor signe the same A A Bill sent here from the Deputyes Entituled An Act for the Regular makeing of pattents for Land wth some Amendmts Ordered the same bee agreed unto and signed by the Deputy Governor A Bill Entituled An Act for building of Com❜on Goales and sent from the Deputyes wth their Concurrence A petic'on of Captn Palmer in behalfe of himselfe and Thomas Codrington John White and John Rice setting forth that they have had severall Tracts of Land Adjoyneing together and lyeing on the Raritan River lately surveyed to them by order and warrant from the Governor, Desireing pattents for the same It's ordered that pattents be forthwth made to them in pursuance of such surveyes WHEREAS Dayly Complaints have bin made to the Governor of this province that many p'sons and Inhabitants of this province and others Doe p'sume to Cutt Downe and barke Trees for Taning, others Doe Cutt Downe Timber Trees for pipe staves, and other uses vpon any Lands wthout Leave had or obtained from the owners or proprieto's thereof to the great wast and Destrucc'on of the Timber and in wrong and abuse of the owners or proprieto's thereof in Contempt of the Law and Authority of this province ;-It is therefore Ordered that proclemac'on bee forthwth made and issued out by the Governor to p'hibite all such felling and Distruction of Timber for the future, and that the same be sent into all Countyes in this province to bee published wth the Lawes of the gen'all Assembly -That all p'sons offending in the p'misses may be punished for the same According to Law Adjourned to 8 A Clocke next 2 day morneing Att a Councill held at Elizabeth Town 3d December 1683 Thomas Rudyard the Deputy Governor informeing this Board that at his Arrivall in this province in November 1682 hee Imported into the same Two daughters vizt Anne and Margerett Rudyard, and six servants viz Isaac Smuton, Benja Griffith, Nathaniel Neale, Hanna Beamond and Jane Baynes for weh According to the proprieto's Concessions and Agreem hee hee is to take vp and have and Enjoy to him and his heires in this province for himselfe as Master of a ffamily 50 Acres of Land, for every servant Imported Thirty Acres of Land apeece the whole Amounting to 230 Acres of Land and Desireing the same may bee laid out and Surveyed, It is agreed and Ordered that a warrt bee made and Issued out under the hand of the Deputy Secretary to the Deputy Surveyor to lay out the said quantity of Land vpon the River called the South River lyeing or Leading into the Raritan River A message from the Deputyes Desireing the Governor and Councill would be pleased to appoint so many of the Councill as they shall see goode to meete Two of the house of Deputyes in a Come to Debate Concerneing the Courts of Com'on Right and Courts of Sessions-The Governor and Councill takeing the same into their Considerac'on Doe order that all the Members of Councill here p'sent Joyne in the same Com'ittee wih the Deputyes A Bill sent from the Deputyes Entituled an Act to Rectifie some p'ceedings at Law read and orered that the same be signed by the Governor for Concurrence A Bill from the Deputyes to Enable 2 Members onely to Determine Cases monthly in the Court for small Causes, Read and Ordered to bee signed by the Governor for Concurrence An Address from the Deputyes as followeth To The Governor and Councill The Humble Addresse of the rep'sentitives of the Inhabitants of this province p'sent Showeth That whereas Captn Baker of Elizabeth Towne from the ffirst setling of this province to this Day hath approved himselfe to bee a man evill principled not onely to the Govermt Established in this province but also in all other his Acc'ons wch as wee humbly concieve makes him verry vnfitt for any place of Trust either Millitary or Civill Doe request that the said Baker may bee Discharged from all and every such offices or places of Trust as hee the said Baker holds now in this province December 3d 1683] p. order of the house JOHN BOUND After the Reading of the said Addresse and Debate thereof in Councill all and every the Members in Councill this day in Councill Did agree and Advise that this board Concurr wth the Deputyes Deputyes in their Request-It is therefore Ordered that what ever Com'issions are made to the said Captn Baker that they bee Recalled and that the said Captn Baker bee Discharged from all offices of Trust in this province Captn Berry informeing this Board that there will bee a necessity to have a Constable yearly Chosen by the Inhabitants of Hackinsacke and those Inhabitants lyeing and being above Bergen Bounds-It's ordered that the Governor issue out his warrt for the Choyce of a Constable in those parts, The warrt to bee sent to Captn Berry It's further Ordered that the like warrt be issued forth for the Choyce of a Constable by the Inhabitants at Aquaninoncke and New Barbadoes necke, the warrt to bee sent to Captn Sandford ffor the better setling and Exerciseing the Militia in every County wthin this province It is Ordered that there bee one Major and so many Captaines Com'issionated in Each County as there bee Inhabitants to make vp Companyes It's Ordered that Captn John Berry be Com'issionated Major for the County of Bergen-John De Macais Lievtenant-and Rouloft Vanderbrick Ensigne ffor the County of Essex, Captn Will: Sandford to be Com'issionated maior-John Ward of Newarke Lievtenant-Joseph Johnson Ensigne-It's ordered that Maior Sandford appoint an officer to exercise the Inhabitants of Aquaninocke ffor the Company in Elizabeth Towne, Justice Parker to bee Com'issionated Captn-George Rosse Lieutenant and John woodruffe sen" Ensigne ffor the County of Middx wthin the bounds of Pascataway, Justice Tyler to bee Com'issionated Maior Sam11 Dotey Lievetenant-and Jediah Higgins Ensigne ffor the Inhabitants on Raritan River above Piscataway bounds Thomas Codrington Captn of horse John Rice Lievetenant and John White Cornett ffor the Coporac'on of Woodbridge the Corp'ac'on by Charter may p'sent and the Governor approve and Com'issionate ffor the County of Monmouth Captn John Bound to bee Com'issionated Maior—ffor Middle towne James Grover Lievetenant-Safty Grover Ensigne ffor Shresbury John Slocomb Captn--George Stowlett Lievetenant Lewis Morris Ensigne It's also the priviledge for the Corp'ac'on of Bergen (as it's Alledg'd) to p'sent and the Governor approve It's Ordered that the Governor forth wth issue out Com'issions to the several officers to bee Com'issionated as above, Agreed upon, L upon, As also to such as hee shall approve of those to bee p'sented by the Corporac❜ons of Woodbridge and Bergin Persons proposed and Agreed upon to be the Chiefe Rangers in and through out this province ffor the County of Bergen and Corp'ac'on Maior John Berry ffor the County of Essex James Emott ffor the County of Middx Sam11 Dennis ffor the County of Monmouth Captn John Slocomb It's Ordered that Joseph Baker of Aquapoch bee high Sheriffe for the County of Bergen and Clais Arentson Toures-Coroner -Richard Berry high Sheriffe-Isaac Whitehead Coroner-for the County of Essex Adjourned to 7 A Clocke tomorrow morneing At a Councill held at Elizabeth Towne in the County of Essex 4 Dec 1683 p'sent The Deputy Governor Maior Berry of the Counc. A Blll from the Deputyes to fine every member of the Deputyes 5o p day for Absence from Generall Assembly read and agreed to be signed by the Governor for Concurrence A Bill Entituled An Act for Defraying the publicke Charges of this Province being read in Councill and many things therein being (in the sence of this board) matter not prop' to bee Enacted without Considerable Amendmts Doe propose as the most expeditious way for a Right vnderstanding to have some Members of the Council to meete wth some members of the Deputyes in A Come to meete this afternoone 2 A Clocke, And that a message bee sent to the Deputyes to that End, Benja Price to Carry that message The Deputyes and Members of the Councill mett and after some Considerable Debate and Conference returned to their house The petic'on of Elizabeth Carteret widd. setting forth That John Durham has Inveagled her neg Servant by wch shee has suffered wrong and Losse of her service-Desireing Justice agt him The Governor and Councill Considering thereof-And being senceable that there are Lawes agt such matters of wch shee Complaines-It's the sence of the Governor and Councill that shee take her Due Course at Law agt Durham for the same, if shee see Cause soe to Doe. Adjourned to 8 A Clocke tomorrow morneing Att |