Burgesses now met in Assembly, beg leave to render your Honour our most hearty thanks, for the zeal you have been pleased to Express for the Welfare and prosperity of this Colony, in your most kind and affectionate Speech, delivered to us, at the opening this Session.

We must always esteem it the greatest happiness can befall a people to be governed by the Laws of their Country, under the direction of a person whose Inclinations lead him to advance their Interest and prosperity; you, Sir, by your Example truly delineate to us the paths to those most valuable Blessings of Union and Agreement, and by your mild and equall administration give us hopes. of Entire Satisfaction during the time of your presiding

over us.

We are highly sensible of the Blessings We enjoy under the present Establishment of the Crown of Great Britain, and must reflect with abhorrence on the Wicked and Traitorous attempts which have been made to Dethrone the best of Kings; and as our ancestors have ever acted with firm and Steady Loyalty to their Soveraign, so we shall strictly persevere therein.

We are greatly Encouraged, from the assurance your Honour is pleased to give of your assistance, to prepare such Laws as may tend most to his Majesties Service, and for Securing the Lives and Advancing the Interests of his Subjects here; and humbly beg leave to assure you, we will most heartily endeavour to find the most effectuall means to attain those ends.

GOVERNOR DRYSDALE'S ANSWER.

Mr. Speaker and Gent. of the House of Burgesses.

I am glad to find that what I have Communicated to you at the opening of this Session of Assembly meets with

your approbation. I thank you for your kind address, and I assure you while I have the Honour of presiding among you, I will pursue the true Interest and Welfare of the Colony.

A LIST OF THE HOUSE OF BURGESSES,

Assembled in 1723.

Accomack. Fully Robinson, Northum-Peter Presly.

Charles

City.

Essex. {

Edm'd Scarburgh berland.
Sam'l Harwood, Nanse-
John Stith.

Rob't Jones.
Wm. Dangerfield.
James Pickets.
Thomas Wythe.
Giles Cooke.

Eliz. City. {

Glocester.

Henrico. {

Wm. Randolph.
John Bolling.

Hanover. Nich: Merriwether.

Richard Harris.

James Town, Wm. Brodnax.

James

King and S Richard Johnson.

mond.

New Kent

George Ball.

S Thomas Goodwin.
Henry Baker.

Thomas Massey.
John Thornton.

Norfolk. George Newton.
S William Crafford.

Prince S Robert Bolling.

George.

Princess
Anne.

John Poythress.

Henry Sprat.

{Maximilian Boush.

Charles Barber.

Thomas Griffin.

Larkin Chew.
Francis Thornton.

Stafford. George Mason.

William Robinson.

Westmore- S Geo. Eskridge.
land.
Daniell McCarty.

Rich

mond.

{

Spotsyl

vania.

S Archibald Blair.

City.

John Clayton.

Isle of

Wight.

S Henry Applewhaite
Joseph Godwyn.

Queen.

George Braxton.

Williamsburgh, Jno. Holloway,
Speaker.

Gentlemen of the Council and House of Burgesses.

It is with Intire Satifaction, That I meet you a second time in Assembly, to give you new opportunitys of consulting among yourselves what may be further necessary for your happiness and prosperity.

The reasons that prevailed with me to agree to so many prorogations, were partly to save the Country Charges, after such a Loss as they suffered in their Cropps by the last year's Gust, and partly because I heard of no grievances wanting to be redressed, all persons and things being in a perfect Calm and Tranquility.

And indeed it is not so much any necessity of State that has now occasioned your meeting, as that you might have

an opportunity to defray the Usual Debts and Contingencys which how inconsiderable soever they are, it seems cannot be discharged by your Constitution without an Assembly.

Gentlemen of the House of Burgesses.

You laid a Duty last Session on Liquors and Slaves Imported as had been done by former Assemblys with very good Effect, to make those Assemblys more easy to the Country by lessening the Levy per poll; But the Interfering Interest of the Affrican Company has deprived us of that advantage, and has obtained a repeal of that Law, But a Duty on Liquors being expressly recommended in my Instructions, if you think fit to Enact it, by itself, I am persuaded it will meet with approbation at home.

As I never had any design upon the Country to make gain for myself, I think (Gent'n) I may with a better grace recommend to your Considerations the Contributing some assistance towards the support of a Work which in my Judgment, (if duly cultivated,) would prove of great Service to your Country and posterity; I meane the College it lys in a Languishing Condition, and wants help to found their full Number of Masters, which when once perfected, will make a Noble Seminary not only for the Education of your young Gentlemen in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, but for furnishing your Churches with a Set of Sober Divines born of yourselves and bred among you; advantages of greater Importance than at present you may be aware of.

I doubt I shall be under a necessity, through an ill state of health to take a Passage to England, but (with God's assistance) I intend to return to you with all Expedition.

I am truly sensible of your good Dispositions to his Ma

jestys Government, and of your great respects to myself, which calls upon me to promise you, that if there is any thing I can do for you during my stay in England, I shall think myself happy to have an occasion to show my readiness to serve so Loyal, peaceable and kind a Country as I have experienced you to be during my Administration, and I make no doubt, but that you'l so continue during my absence.

In the Interim if you have any Usefull Laws to propose agreable to my Instructions, and I know you will propose no other; I shall be glad to pass them here, and will Endeavour to get them approved by his Sacred Majesty King George, whom God long bless and preserve.

HUGH DRYSDALE.

May the 12th, 1726.

THE COUNCIL'S ADDRESS TO THE GOVERNOR.

To the Honourable Hugh Drysdale, His Majesties Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia.

May it Please Your Honour.

We his Majesties most dutifull and loyal subjects the Council of Virginia gladly embrace this opportunity of our second meeting in Assembly to acknowledge our happiness under your Just and mild administration, and to return our unfeigned thanks for your Honours kind and affectionate speech to both houses at the opening of this Session.

As we are truly sensible that the ease of the people prevailed with your Honour to agree to so many prorogations of this Assembly, so we are equally satisfy'd that your call