his Excell, that he required the attendance of the House at the Board.

Mr. Speaker and the House went up accordingly. His Excelly made a Speech of which Mr. Speaker pray'd a Coppy, had it and then Mr. Speaker & the House return'd.

The Speech was read, viz.

Gen't of the Council & House of Representatives.

You being now, conformable to my Prorogation conven'd in Gen1 Assembly, I hope you will apply yourselves with good unanimity in the dispatch of the Publick affairs, and so as may most of all tend to his Majties Hon' & service, and to the lasting weal of his good subjects of this Province; and in such your proceedings, you will be always sure of my hearty concurrence. As I have it in command from his Majtie to give all possible countenance to virtue and Religion, and also to encourage Trade and Comerce among you, I should be glad you would look back on what I have said to you (and the late Ass.) on those heads, and after you have carefully reviewed your Laws, I wou'd chearfully joyn with you in doing what may be still needfull on these

accounts.

I wou'd at this time gen' againe recomend to you the settlem* of the Boundaries between this Province and the Mass in the manner so wisely directed to by his Majties Royal Instruction. I assure you, I have no other Interest in the matter than to discharge my duty to my king in a faithful care of his People under my Goverment; and I am sorry the House of Representatives (at this Courts meeting in July last) did not in Fidelity to their Country, fall in with what his Majties Council so prudently voted for reviving the Comittee to meet at [P. 350] Newbury, and, protracting the time from June 22d to August following, or at least with the time the Massachusetts Assm. had agreed on, viz. the 13th July. This matter has been once and againe laid before his Majtie, and as yet no final Issue made upon it, That I think it must plainly appeare his Majtie judges it best the affaire shou'd be adjusted between the two Govermts themselves; and I should be very glad to see all sinister views laid aside, and this great and publick good still pursu'd to a happy conclusion, and which you will see the Assm. of the Mass Bay are desirous of by what they past at their last sitting, which shall be delivered you by the Secretary.

Gen't of the House of Representatives.

I shall order the Comiss" of the Treasury to lay their accounts before you, that you may see the Expense of the Province since our last

already commenced between them increased as long as Dunbar continued in the country. He was not allowed a seat in the Council. Shadrack Walton, the senior Councillor, in the absence of the Governor, presided at the Board. But Dunbar was commander of the Fort at Great Island; he had authority to grant passes to outward bound vessels, and licenses for marriages. From these several appointments he received about £50 sterling. As Surveyor General, £200, and the perquisites nearly £100.-[See Ad. Ann. Portsmo. pp. 158-159. Farm. Belk. pp. 226-334.] ED.

meeting, for your better judging what further necessary supply must be made for the support of his Majties Govermt & for the safety & Protection of his People.

Gen't of the Council and House of Representatives.

If you have any thing more than what I have mentioned to suggest for the Publick service, I shall be glad to do every reasonable thing on my part towards it; and since it will soon be a verry busy season, I doubt not you will, for your own sakes, as well as to save expence to the Province, give the best dispatch you can to every thing that may come before you.

Sept. 15th 1731.

J. BELCHER.

Voted, That Nathaniel Weare and Theo. Atkinson, Esq. be a Committee of this House to draw up an answer to his Excellys Speech, & present to the House for approbation. Then the House adjourn'd to Thursday the 16th curr

[P. 351.]

Thursday, Sept. 16th A. D. 1731.

The Answer to his Excelly" Speech bro't in by the Comittee was read and voted to be amended.

Post Meridiem

The Answer as amended read again & voted, accepted & sent up which was in the words following, viz.

May it Please your Excellencie.

We being now met according to Prorogation, in Gen' Assem. we assure your Excelly we shall be unanimous in the dispatch of all the Publick affairs that shall properly ly before us, always showing a just regard to his Majties Hon' and the best good and Prosperity of his good subjects in this Province, which we imagine can't be Established upon a better Basis than Vertue and Religion, which we shall always countenance and encourage to the utmost of our Power.

As to what your Excelly has moved to us for encouraging Trade And Commerce amongst us, the want of a medium is the greatest hinderance.

As to the settlem of the Boundary Lines of the Goverm, we apprehend we have no other power to transact in that affaire than what is given and directed to by his Majties Instructions, and whenever we depart from that, we exceed the power given us, and of consequence render fruitless and ineffectual all our attempts. Now your Excelly can't be unsenceible that we have once and againe passed such acts and votes as was directed by said Instruction; and tho' this house did not concurr with the vote of Council of the first July last past, we assure your Excelly it was done in great Fidelity to the Country we represent; and we believe to their satisfaction; and tho' we believe it would be pleasing to his Majtie to have the Lines settled between the two Govermts, yet we are assured it would be far otherwise if we should derogate from the method he hath so wisely prescribed, and which we

apprehend the Massachusetts hath not followed [P. 352] by their vote laid before us by the Secretary; and we assure your Excell'y that no sinister ends hath nor shall not be in view, neither in this nor any other affaire that shall come before us, which we imagine is far otherwise by the equivalent &c. mentioned in the above mentioned vote of the Mass. As to the supply of the Treasury, when the Accounts are laide before us, we shall take it into consideration to do the best we can considering the circumstances of the Province.

Andrew Wiggin, Speaker.

Voted, That Nathaniel Wear, Theo. Atkinson and Joshua Pierce, Esqs. be a Committee of this House to joyn with a Comittee to be appointed by the Honble the Council, to meet a Comittee appointed by the Mass at Newbury the 30th of Septem' currt there to conferr and see, if they can calculate an Act to be passed by both Goverm's in order to settle the Boundary Lines between the two Goverm, and that the Comittee appointed by this Govermt be instructed strictly to adhere to his Majties 77th Instruction to his Excelly Gov' Belcher, & exactly conform thereto in every article, and that they do not repaire to Newbury to meet the said Comittee appointed by the Mass untill they shall be apprized that the Massa govermt have given the like Instruction to their Comittee.

Provided also, and it is the intent of this House and 'tis hereby voted accordingly, that in case the Mass" goverm should not give their said Comittee such Instructions as shall be correspondt to his Majties Instruction to his Excell'y Gov. Belcher, relating to the Boundaries, or if it shall happen that the Massa Comittee should not meet at the time abovesaid, or in case they should not agree upon the draught of an Act according to the said Instruction, That then and in such case the above mentioned Comittee from this Province, be impowered and directed to write home to the Right Honble Lords Comiss" for Trade and Plantations giving an exact account of the proceedings of this governmt from time to time, and how far this Province hath acceeded to the settlemt of the Said Lines, and to [P. 353] transmit authentick copies of all acts and votes passed thereon, and to pray their Lordships favorable answer thereto, and that his Excelly be desired to do the same.

Sent up for concurrence.

Then the House adjourn'd to the 17th currt.

Fryday, Septem' 17th A. D. 1731.

Voted-That each Town and Precinct within this Province pay their respective Representatives chosen by them, out of their Town Stock, on a certificate from the Cler of the ass as usual from the third day of X 1730, at six shillings per day, and that each member of the Council be paid eight shillings pr day out of the Treasury from the same time, for the time of their sitting in Gen1 assm. Sent up. Post Meridiem

The above vote bro' down with amendment viz.

In Council, Eodem die.

Read and concurrd, with the following amendm1, viz. That the Councils dayly allowance be ten shillings instead of eight and that the Representatives seven instead of six, that both be paid out of the Treasury.

and

Read and nonconcurr'd and voted that the House adhere to their former vote.

The vote about the Lines bro't down for amendm' which was done and sent up. Then the House adjourn'd to Saturday the 18th cur't.

Saturday Septem' 18th A. D. 1731.

A Petition of Jere Walford bro't down with a vote of Council thereon, read and concurr'd and the parties to ap peare next Wednesday at 10 o'clock.

A vote for new Proportioning the Province Tax to continue for three years past both Houses.

A Petition of the minister of Oyster River was read and voted that he serve the Parrishon's with a Coppy thereof.

A vote of Council about the lines sent down and read. Then [P. 354] Mr. Secretary by order of his Excelly adjourned the gen" assembly to Monday the 20th curr'.

Monday 7 the 20th A. D. 1731.

The vote of Council bro't down Saturday was read, viz. In Council Septem' 18th 1731.

Voted-That a Comitteee of Both Houses be appointed to meet a Comittee of the governm' of the Mass at Newbury any time between the date of these Presents and the 12th day of October next, to confer and try whether they can

agree upon a Bill to be enacted by both govermts in order to settle the Divisionall Lines of the two Provinces, and that the Comittee of this Province strictly adhere to his Majties 77 instruction to his Excelly Gov Belcher. But that they do not proceed to Newbury till they heare that the govermt of the Mass have given direction to their Comittee to conform their draught to the Royal Instruction in that regard made and Provided.

But in case the govermt of the Mass shall not see meet to give such directions to their Comittee, or if the Comittees should not meet, or meet and not agree, That then the Comitte of this Province do forthwith prepare coppys of all acts and votes passed on either side, and put them into his Excellcies hands, who is hereby humbly requested to transmit the same to his grace the Duke of New Castle, one of his Majties Principal Secretaries of State, and duplicates thereof, to the Right Honble the Lords Comiss for Trade and Plantations; and further that his Excelly be desired to make a favourable representation of the affaire to his Grace, and the Right Honble the Lords Comiss" aforesaid.

Sent down for concurrence.

7 20th read and nonconcurred.

A Petition of Wm Donnils was read and voted the prayer of the Petition be granted and that he has Licence for a House of Publick Entertainment till 7 sessions next & then to apply there for a licence as usual.

A Petition of Stephen Barton Read and a vote [P. 355] of Council thereon read and concurr'd and that he have a hearing next Thursday, he serving the Selectmen of New Castle with a coppy thereof.

A Petition of John Salter was read and a vote of Council thereon read and concurr'd and voted he have a hearing Thursday next. Then the House adjourn'd to the 21st currt.

Tuesday, Septem' 21 A. D. 1731.

Voted-That Whereas Nathaniel Weare Theo. Atkinson and Joshua Pierce Esqs. are chosen a Comittee of this House to joyn a Comittee of the Upper House to meet a Comtee to be appointed by the Mass at Newbury, to see if they can calculate an act according to his Majties Instruction for settling the Boundaries between the two governmts & in case