that the King's post might have his ferriage free throughout this Collony, the Assembly having taken the matter into consideration, do order, and by these presents determine, that at the ferry at Providence, the King's post shall have ferriage free from time to time, [when] there is occasion to pass; and that Mary Edmonds, of said Providence, relict of Andrew Edmonds, shall have the benefit and profit of the said ferry between Providence and Rehoboth, so far forth as this Assembly is capable to invest her, and no person shall within the precincts of this Collony, deprive her thereof till further order; and that the judgment that was passed against Henry Stase, concerning the premises, the execution thereof shall be, and is remitted.

Voted, Whereas there is a petition presented by the inhabitants of New Shoreham, in this Collony, to remit the late levy on the inhabitants of said Island, this Assembly, upon consideration, do remit the levy of one penny on the pound ordered at Warwick, in October last; any act to the contrary notwithstanding.

Voted, It is enacted by this Assembly, that the whole house of Representatives or Deputies, or the major part present, are a Committee to draw up what may be thought best for the raising of money to defray the Collony charge, and other matters that may conduce to the good and weal of the Collony, and present it to the Court.

We, the Deputies of the Generall Assembly, now sitting in Newport, the 6th day of May, in the year of our Lord, 1696, desire that it may be made an act of this Assembly, and pass as a vote of the house, that all the Deputies of each respective town, shall sit as a House of Deputies, for the future, and have liberty to choose their Speaker among themselves, and likewise the Clerk of the Deputies; and that the majority of the Deputies so assembled, shall be accounted a lawfull House of Deputies. The abovesaid act is voted and allowed, any former act or clause in this Collony to the contrary, notwithstanding.

Voted, It is enacted by this Assembly, that all the respective Deputies of this Collony that have sat in the Generall Assem

bly since October last, shall receive their several sallaries of the respective Constables in each town of this Collony, out of the next generall levy upon this Collony, made to defray the Collony charge, which per the Act of the Assembly in October 30, 1695, may appear.

And it is further enacted, That there shall one penny in the pound assessed upon the inhabitants of this Collony, according to the form of the Act in October, 1695; and this money to be collected and paid in to the Generall Treasury by the last of September next ensueing.

And whereas, in the Act above recited, it is mentioned that each town shall choose two or three able men to proportion the rate as is therein mentioned, this Assembly do give power to each town to choose so many men as they shall think convenient. And the major part so chosen, shall have full power to assess each town, and proportion it according the afore recited Act.

Voted, Whereas it hath been presented to this Assembly by some of the Deputies of the town of Warwick, that by the remoteness of the Deputy Governor, and Assistants in that town, that they may have the benefit of other towns to have a Justice of the Peace in said town; which is allowed by the Assembly. And in order thereunto, Mr. Benjamin Barton was in the Assembly elected to a Justice of the Peace, and engaged.

Capt'n William Champlin, is by vote of the Assembly chosen to the office of Justice of the Peace, for the town of Westerly, and engaged thereunto.

Capt'n Thomas Fry is by vote of the Assembly chosen to the office of a Justice of the Peace, for the town of Greenwich, and engaged thereunto.

Voted by this Assembly, That the commissions formerly granted to the Justices of the Peace in this Collony is continued in full force till the next Election of Generall officers; and the form of the same commission to be granted to the Justices newly elected.

Voted by this Assembly, That whereas there was a petition presented by Capt'n William Champlin and Nicholas Cotterell,

Deputies for the town of Westerly, for the settling the northern bounds of their town, and the Assembly not knowing the bounds of their Town Charter, lest they may on Kingstown think it convenient that Westerly make choice of two men and Kingstown two men to inspect their severall bounds, and make return to the next sitting of this Assembly.

Voted, Ordered, that the Acts of this Assembly be published at the Collony House door, in Newport, by beat of drum, within ten days after the adjournment of this Assembly, under the seal of the Collony.

Voted, That this Assembly is adjourned to the last Wednesday in August next, without the Governor or Deputy Governor by the Governor's order, see cause to call it sooner upon any speciall occasion.

Letter from Governor Fletcher of New York, to Governor Clarke.

April 24th, 1696.

Sir: I have formerly at sundry times, made application to your predecessor, the Governor of Rhode Island, for the quota of assistance assigned in the Royall mandate, from that Province, being forty-eight men, for the defence of the frontiers of this, and have not prevailed to get so much as one man, nor any of your assistance. The copies of the severall answers I received, were transmitted to the Plantation Office, to be laid before his Majesty, and hearing of your coming to the government, I was apt to expect a more dutiful complyance to the Royal commands. But to make things as easy as may be, I desire you to send forty-eight men, or such number of them as you can get, at the charge of your government, to New York, and I will furnish them with the King's arms and ammunition, victuals, lodgings and pay, and they shall remain in the service upon the frontiers one year from their arrival at New York, and shall have three pounds a man, levy money, paid into their hands, at their arrival. If possible, let them be here the latter end of May, or beginning of June next; It will be an advantage to your youth to learn the use of their arms after the modern way of his Majesty's army. Your complyance and care in effecting this, shall be fairly represented to his Majesty as a mark of your true respect to his service, by Sir, Your friend and servant, BEN: FLETCHER. To Walter Clarke, Esq'r, Governor of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

[Walter Clarke was Governor of Rhode Island in 1686, when the Charter was suspended by Sir Edmund Andros, He filled the same office, again, from 1696 to 1698.]

Governor Clarke to Governor Fletcher.

Newport, Rhode Island, May the 14th, 1696. Esteemed: Your lines, bearing date from New York, April the 22d, 1696, I received, and having represented them to his Majesty's Generall Assembly, sitting at Newport, May 6th, 1696, upon perusal thereof, we take notice that your Excellency is pleased, as you say, having made application according to the Royall mandate, for forty-eight men, and that for the defence of the frontiers of New York, and have not prevailed so much as to get one man, or any other assistance; signifying also, that the copies of the severall answers you received, were transmitted to the Plantation Office, to be laid before his Majesty; and further signifying that you hearing I was come to the government, you were apt to expect a more dutifull compliance to the Royall command; but nevertheless, to make things as easy as may be, you are free to take up with easier propositions, as are more largely inserted in your Excellency's letter. In answer whereunto, I reply, that forasmuch as those answers of ours are transmitted to the Plantation Office for his Majesty's determination, we humbly are ready to submit thereunto, believing that our King's Majesty requires no impossibilities of any of his subjects; and for a further manifestation hereof, we take notice, that her late Majesty in said Royall mandate doth declare that if the Governor or Commander in Chief draw of any forces in the time of invasion for support of the interest, he should not leave the Colony unprovided from whence the forces are drawn. We are not unwilling, but always ready to serve his Majesty with our persons and estates. But this his Majesty's Colony, by reason of the government of the Province of the Massachusetts detaining severall towns from us, being a considerable part of the Colony incapacitates us, so that if we part with any men, it may be the overthrow not only of this Colony, but endanger the rest of the Colonies and Provinces, for those reasons following:

In the first place, we have three inlets that no forts can be erected, to annoy the enemy, lying near forty miles, fronting upon the ocean; and also in moderate seasons they may land almost in any part of the government; so that the greatest security consists in suitable numbers of forces to watch their motion at the severall suspected places; so that we find our all, if attacked, is too little for the defence of our frontier, lying in as much danger of the enemy as any of his Majesty's governments in America. I hope you need not question but as formerly, we have always held a good correspondency betwixt this his Majesty's government and his government of New York. We shall use our utmost endeavor to promote the same, and in obedience to his Majesty, be ready to serve you.

WALTER CLARKE, Governor.

Since the writing of the above premised, one of the 12th instant, arrived here one Capt'n Loverell, from Jamaica, a private man of war, of six guns, one hundred and two men, bound for the coast of Canada; he commanded with him one small ship, which he took off the coast of Cuba, the mariners leaving her as was suspected, being near land, found no person in her, by reason of the fogs, laying long off and on this coast; so that they were very suspicious to be enemies, which occasioned some trouble. But sending out a boat of twenty men, was discovered and made known to us, and are both come into our harbor of Newport, endeavoring for a pilot, with intent to proceed as premised. This I thought needful to give a notion of, being a

general concern, and as we should gladly receive in the like case. Here being nothing more of novelty to communicate, I take leave, with due respects, and remain in any office of love to my power. WALTER CLARKE, Governor. Newport, this 15th of May, 1696. For his Majesty's service. To Benjamin Fletcher, Esq'r, Captain Generall and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Province of New York.*

Proceedings of the Generall Assembly held for the Collony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, by adjournment, called by the Governor, on speciall occasion, the 1st day of July, 1696.

Voted, In answer to the Governor's motion to the Assembly, for the speedy raising a suitable sum of money for the defraying of the Collony's charge, and paying the Collony's debts.

It is voted in this Assembly, That all the Deputies of this Court are appointed a Committee to draw up and present to the Court a method for raising a levy on this Collony, to [pay] the Collony's debts, and pay public charges that may imarge, with all expedition.

Whereas, in the beginning of this Assembly, it was agreed upon, and by that Assembly ordered, That a rate be levied. upon the inhabitants of this Collony of a penny upon the pound on each man's estate. But upon further consideration, that such a sum as one penny on the pound will not satisfy at present to support the government, the Assembly do therefore order, and by these presents declare and enact, that one penny on the pound more upon each person's estate within this Collony, shall be assessed and added unto the aforesaid rate, and levied all in one levy; and to be gathered and paid in all at the time, as the aforesaid order expresseth, and in the same

manner.

Voted, and it is further enacted by the Assembly aforesaid,

*New York Documents, Vol. IV. p. 155-6.