seven Pounds fifteen Shillings and two Pence, in full of his losses at the battle of Charlestown.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Colonel William Prescott, the sum of six. Pounds and six Pence, in full of his losses at the battle of Charlestown.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Zebeon Hooker and five others, the sum of eight Pounds two Shillings, in full for their losses at the battle of Charlestown.

Adjourned to nine o’clock, to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, May 7, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourable James Otis, Walter Spooner, Caleb Gushing, John Winthrop, Thomas Gushing, Benjamin Chadbourn, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Resolved, That Colonel Orne, Mr. Webster, and Major Moody, or the major part of them, be a Committee forthwith to apply to Mr. Jacob Boardman and others, who have lately imported Powder into Newburyport, for the purchasing said Powder on account of this Colony; and if the said Boardman & Co. shall refuse to sell said Powder agreeable to the encouragement given them by this Court for the importation thereof, (as is reported,) that the Committee aforesaid purchase the same on the best terms it can be obtained, not exceeding six Shillings per pound.

Resolved, That the Committee appointed to purchase Powder at Newburyport be, and hereby are, directed to store the Powder in proper Magazines, in the following manner, provided the whole quantity is purchased; if not, to be distributed in the several aftermentioned Towns or places in proportion to the quantity purchased, and put under the care of the Selectmen of the several Towns, said Selectmen giving their receipts to the Commissary-General of this Colony for the quantity received, and for the use of this Colony, viz: At Falmouth, in Casco-Bay, nine hundred pounds; at Gloucester, one thousand pounds; at Marble-head, one thousand pounds; at Danvers, two thousand five hundred pounds; at Salem, five hundred pounds; at Beverley, two hundred and fifty pounds; at Watertown, four thousand pounds; at Roxbury, four thousand pounds; at Concord, five thousand pounds; at Stoughton, two thousand pounds.

A Bill entitled “An Act for fixing out Armed Vessels to defend the Sea-Coast of America,” having passed the House of Representatives to be enacted:

In Council: Read a second time, and passed a concurrence to be enacted.

Whereas Elisha Porter, Esq., Sheriff of the County of Hampshire, is now absent from his County in Canada in the service of the United Colonies, and doubts may arise whether it will be regular and lawful for any one of his Deputies to sign and send precepts to the Selectmen of the several Towns in the said County for the choice of Representatives for the next General Assembly:

Therefore Resolved, That either of the Deputy Sheriffs of the said Elisha be, and hereby is, fully authorized and empowered to make, sign, and issue Precepts for the choice of Representatives for the said General Assembly to the several Towns in the said County of Hampshire, and return the same; and that such Precepts so made, issued, and returned, be to all intents as valid and effectual, and all proceedings thereon held as good in law, as if they were signed, issued, and returned by the said Elisha himself, notwithstanding the Writ for issuing and returning such Precepts is directed to the said Elisha solely, and not . . . . . .

Whereas this Court at their present session passed a Resolve that there should be delivered out of the publick Treasury the sum of one thousand two hundred Pounds unto the Honourable John Taylor, James Noble Shannon, and others, to be expended as by the said Resolve is provided, for the support and benefit of the inhabitants of the County of Lincoln, between Camden and Machias, inclusively: And whereas the Committee of the Township of Frenchman’s Bay, which is included between said Camden and Machias, are desirous of laying out that part of the said sum which is designed for them in such way as they suppose will be most for the advantage of the inhabitants of the said Townships:

It is therefore Resolved, That the said James Noble Shannon, and the others of the said Committee who have the said sum in their hands, be, and they hereby are, directed to pey Agreen Crabtree, Ezra Young, and Daniel Sullivan, Agents for the said Townships of Frenchman’s Bay and Mount-Desert, the sum of one hundred and forty Pounds, being the share of said Townships according to their number of inhabitants, said Sullivan, Young, and Crabtree, giving their security therefor to pay the same to the Treasurer of this Colony on or before the time which they (the said Shannon and others) are obliged to pay the sum aforesaid into the Treasury, which security of the said Sullivan, Young, and Crabtree, shall be lodged with the said Shannon.

Whereas there is a number of Fire-Arms left by the ritish Troops, which Arms belonged to the inhabitants of Boston, were delivered up by agreement in April last, and were appraised by five Armourers in the condition they were left in, with some old brass and iron Trimmings for said Arms, at the sum of two hundred and fifty-four Pounds six Shillings and one Penny three Farthings:

Resolved, That the Commissary be directed to apply to the Selectmen of Boston for said Arms, and cause them to be repaired for the use of said Colony, he paying the Selectmen of Boston the aforesaid sum of two hundred and fifty-four Pounds six Shillings and one Penny three Farthings.

Return of the Fire-Arms, with their value, as appraised by five Armourers, in the condition they were left by the British Troops, which Arms belonged to the inhabitants of Boston, and were delivered up by agreement, in April 1775:

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to the Honourable Benjamin Greenleaf, Stephen Cross, Esq., Mr. Daniel Hopkins, and Captain Daniel Vose, the Committee appointed by this Court to purchase Sulphur, the sum of six hundred Pounds, said Committee to be accountable to the General Court for the same.

Resolved, That the Committee appointed to take into their possession the Effects of such obnoxious persons who have left Boston with the Fleet and Army, be, and they hereby are, directed to take an inventory of the Books, Bonds, valuable Papers of all kinds, and all other articles which have been or may be found, which were in the possession of Harrison Gray, Esq., as Treasurer of this Colony; and that they deliver said Books, Papers, &c., into the hands of our present Colony Treasurer, and take his receipt for said articles, and lodge it in the Secretary’s Office.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Samuel Tufts and Captain Edmund Sawyer, or their order, the sum of two thousand Pounds, to enable them to purchase and pay for Saltpetre, for the use of this Colony, they to be accountable to the General Court for the same.

Wednesday, May 8, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourable James Otis, Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, John Winthrop, Thomas Cushing, Benjamin Chadbourn, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Whereas, William Wood, Robert Ayles, and others, who were taken in bringing supplies to the enemy of the United Colonies, have obtained leave from this Court to proceed to Great Britain on their parole; but the said Wood, Ayle, and others, having delayed their voyage, and being now on board a Schooner in the Harbour of Gloucester, with design to proceed on the voyage aforesaid; and as a powerful Fleet