they arrived at their respective homes, at the rates following, viz: Colonels, twelve Pounds; Lieutenant-Colonels, nine Pounds, twelve Shillings; Majors, eight Pounds; and Adjutants, three Pounds, twelve Shillings, each, per month; and lodge them in the Secretary’s Office, for the consideration of the Court.

And whereas some of the men who marched on the alarm aforesaid to the places of rendezvous did from thence return to their homes, without leave of their respective Officers:

It is further Resolved, That this Court highly disapprove of such unjustifiable conduct, whereby not only the lives of their worthy friends and fellow-countrymen left in the field, but also the rights and liberties of their Country, were greatly endangered. And while the Court, from an aversion to censure those persons, have forborne to order them to be discriminated in the Muster-Roils, it is expected that such conduct in future be wholly avoided in this Colony; that the Officers and Privates of the Militia faithfully attend their duty, when properly called thereto; and that, on all alarms, each person repair to his place of parade, observe orders, and never quit his post, until regularly dismissed; and all persons who in future shall disobey this Resolve, will make it indispensably necessary for this Court, as well as Colony, to exercise their utmost resentment against them therefor.

Ordered, That a copy of the foregoing Resolves be attested by the Secretary, and that Mr. Pitts procure it to be printed in the Cambridge, Watertown, and Worcester Papers.

In Council, November 9, 1775: Read and concurred.

Wednesday, November 8, 1775.

A Petition of John Worth and Enoch Coffin, in behalf of Edgartown, on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard, setting forth their exposed situation, and praying advice and direction. Read, and committed to Mr. Whitney, Mr. Carpenter, and Major Ely.

Major Brooks was excused from serving on the Committee for procuring Wood for the Army.

The Committee to whom was recommitted a Resolve for the more expeditious method of settling Accounts reported. Read and accepted.

Whereas a necessary attention to the more important affairs of the Government, in the present extraordinary times of difficulty and distress, renders it impracticable for this House to receive and examine the numerous Accounts now daily exhibited against the Government, agreeable to the mode heretofore usually practised, and the payment thereof has been greatly delayed, to the detriment of individuals, as well as to the injury of the credit of the Government:

Therefore, Resolved, That Nathan Cushing, Esq., Mr. Wood, Mr. Durfee, Mr. Watson, Major Brooks, Mr. Webster, and Captain Lock, be, and they hereby are appointed a Committee, until the further order of this House, to receive, examine, and, in behalf of this House, finally to pass upon all Accounts, not otherwise committed, which shall be presented to them for payment of services done and articles supplied, by order of Congress or the General Court, and properly vouched, and the doings of said Committee shall be considered as valid as any Vote or Resolve of the House touching said Accounts, as well in the recess of the Court as during the sitting of the same; and said Committee, or any four of them, who are hereby appointed a quorum, are directed to open an Office, and advertise the publick thereof and of this Resolve, that the business may be constantly attended and effectually performed. And said Committee are further directed to keep in a book a true copy of all Accounts which shall be passed by them and sent to the Board for concurrence and payment, and an. alphabet thereto, and to cause the same to be laid before the House, for perusal and inspection, once or oftener in each session, as the House shall order.

Also Resolved, That the Secretary be, and he hereby is directed, to keep such Accounts as shall be passed by said Committee, and, in consequence thereof, concurred and ordered to be paid by the honourable Board, in separate files.

Also Resolved, That the honourable Council, or such Committee of Council as they shall appoint, be, and they hereby are empowered, both in the sitting and recess of the Court, to concur such Accounts as shall have been passed by the Committee aforesaid; and the payment of said Accounts thus passed and concurred shall be ordered in the manner the Charter directs: Provided, always, That the foregoing method of allowing Accounts shall be taken to be adopted merely from the necessity of the present times, and not considered as a precedent for the future.

In Council, November 10, 1775: Read and concurred; and Benjamin Lincoln, John Taylor, and Benjamin White, Esqs, are a Committee, on the part of the Board, to transact the business assigned the Committee of the Board in the foregoing Resolve.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That the Committee on the Rolls for the Soldiers on the Sea-Coasts prepare a Resolve for making up said Rolls to the 1st of November.

Afternoon.

The Message of the major part of the honourable Council of the 7th of this instant read again, and, together with the two Letters therein mentioned, committed to Mr. Speaker, Major Hawley, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Nye of Sandwich, and Colonel Orne, who are directed to consider the propriety of an application to General Washington.

Another Message from the major part of the honourable Council, of the 3d of this instant, taken up again, and committed to the same Committee.

The Vote of Council on the Letter from the Committee of the Continental Congress for collecting an account of the depredations committed by the Ministerial Troops. Read and concurred; and Mr. Cooper and Colonel Thompson are joined, and the Committee are directed to extend their inquiries as far back as the taking place of the Port-Bill.

A Letter from Joseph Greenleaf, Esq., in behalf of the Post-Office Committee, asking direction for the regulation of their conduct. Read, and committed to Colonel Lovell, Major Johnson, and Colonel Sayer.

The Committee appointed to prepare the form of a Muster-Roll for the Soldiers stationed on the Sea-Coast reported. Read and accepted, as follows, viz:

In order that the Soldiers on the Sea-Coasts may be conveniently billeted, and enabled to provide for themselves and families necessaries for the ensuing winter:

Resolved, That the Captains of those Companies on the sea-coast service who are desirous of receiving their Wages before the term of their enlistments is expired, have liberty to make up the Muster-Rolls of their respective Companies to the 1st of November, instant, expressing each man’s name, rank, time of enlistment, time in the service, pay received, balance due, each in separate columns; which Muster-Rolls, being attested before a Justice of the Peace, shall be lodged in the Secretary’s Office, for inspection and payment. And, also, that the Selectmen and others who have had the care of billeting said Soldiers, by order of Congress, have liberty to exhibit their Accounts for said billeting to the 1st of November, and lodge the same in the Office aforesaid for payment; and that Mr. Hopkins procure this Resolve to be printed in the Cambridge Paper.

In Council, November 9, 1775: Read and concurred.

A Petition of John Lane, setting forth that his men stationed at Gloucester have received only one month’s Pay, and are needy; therefore praying further payment. Read, and committed to Captain Foster, Mr. Batchelder, and Mr. Mighill.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Captain Dix be of the Committee for procuring Wood for the Army, in the room of Major Brooks.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker, Mr. Gerry, and Colonel Orne, be a Committee to consider and report the best method of procuring Sulphur, and the expediency of erecting Powder-Mills.

Upon a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Pitts procure an attested copy of the Act for encouraging the fitting out Armed Vessels to be printed in the Watertown Newspaper.

A Report on the Memorial of John Pitts, in behalf of