That no Aid, Tax, Tallage, or Custom, Loan, Benevolence, Gift, Excise, Duty or Liiposi'lou whatsoever, sliall be Laid, assessed, imposed, levied or required of or on any of their Majesties Subjects in this Province : Or tlieir Estates upon any manner of Colour or Pretence w];atsoe\'er ; but by the Act and Consent of the Governour, and Counsels, and Representatives of the People, in General Assembly met and convened ; also by another Act of Assembly, made at the same time, confirming Patents and Grants, which by the Act may at large appear, And also luito all and every of the several i-espective Free Holders, tlieir Heirs and Assigns for ever witliin this Province, are to all Intents and Purposes wh.atsoever, hereby Ratified and Confirmed to have, Hold, Exercise, occupy, possess and enjoy all tlieir, and every of their Former Riglits, Customs, Prerogatives, Priviledges, Preheminences, Praetices, Imuuities, Liberties, Franchises, Royalties and Usages whatsoever : And int:;eir Majesties Letters Patent to t!ie Governour for the time being, saith. You s-iallc«ll to your Self, some of the principal Free-Holders to sit in General Assemldy, ynd such Acts as are made by tliem, consented to by the G'»vern(jur and Counst-l, shall be the Law of tlie Province, except they ai'e disallowed by us. These two acts above mentioned were njver disallowed by the Crown that ever I heard of,

374 PAPERS RELATING TO SUFFOLK COUNTY.

neither by Record or Inforination from tlie Crown to this Government ; so consequently they must be the Laws of this Colony, until they apptar to be disallowed by their Majesties : So that the Prosecution of me, for Whale- Fis/mig, I take it to be against the Form of our Grant to this Corporation; against the Laws of this Colony, and against Reason and the Governour for the tiine being's Listructions from the Crown ; for it is said therein.