OF LANCASTER COUXTV. 05 



pretexts, and the proprietaries were driyen, in 1735, to the English court 

 of chancery for relief. In 1750, Lord Chancellor Ilardwicke decreed 

 specific performance, and determined several questions which had arisen 

 out of the agreement during the controversy.^ But the Maryland pro- 

 prietary contrived also to dela}^ the execution of this decree. A supple- 

 mentary bill was filed, pending which Frederick, Lord Baltimore, in 

 1760, made a new agreement, explanatory of the last. The line, pursuant 

 to these agreements, was run, in 1761, the distance of two hundred and 

 thirty miles." 



Penn about this time divided the province and territories, each into 

 three counties ; those of the former were called Bucks, Philadelphia and 

 Chester; those of the latter, Nevj Castle, Kent and Sussex. Sheriffs and 

 other officers having been duly appointed for the several counties, writs ^ 

 for the election of Members of Council and Assembly were issued con- 

 formable with the Constitution,^ and on the 10th day of the First month, 

 1683 (O. S.)* Penn met the Council at Philadelphia, and the Assembly 

 two days later. The number of members for both the Council and As- 

 sembly was twelve for each county, viz.: three for the Council and nine 

 for the Assembl}^, making in all, seventy-two. Their names, with brief 

 notices of the more prominent, are here subjoined : 



Names of the Council — William Markham, Christopher Taylor, Thomas 

 Holme, Lacy Cock, William Haige, John Moll, Ealph Withers, John Sim- 

 cock, Edward Cantwell, AVilliam Clayton, William Biles, James Harri- 



1 Gordon. 



-The following form of these writs is taken from the original, viz: 

 [L. S.] "William Penn, Proprietary and Governor of the province of Ponn-sylvania, 

 "and the territories thereunto belonging : 



•'I do hereby, in the King's name, empower and require thee to simimou all the ft-ee- 

 holders in thy bailiwick, to meet on the 20th. day of the next month, at the falls upon 

 Delaware river; and that they then and there elect and chuse out of themselves, twelve 

 pei-sons of most note for wisdom and integrity, to serve as their delegates in the pro- 

 vincial council, to be held at PMladelphio, the 10th. day of the first month next; and 

 that thou there declare to the said freemen, that they may all personally appear at an 

 Assembly, at the place aforesaid, according to the contents of my charter of liberties; 

 *)f which thou art to make me a tnie and faithful return. 



" friB«H «< Philadelphia, the day of the month, 1G82. 



AVILLIAM PENN. 

 "To Itiehard JVoble, High Sheriff of the county of Bvck»; (ind 

 the other fite Sheriffs likewise for their several cot/ntie^." 



3 Proud. 



* The following extract from the acts of the first General Assembly of Pennsylvania, 

 passed Dec. 7, 1682 shows that the first settlers began [the year on the first of March. 



* ' And bee it enacted by the authority afores'l that ye days of ye week & ye month.s 

 of ye year, Shall be called as in Scripture, & not by Heathen names, (as are vulgarly 

 used), as ye first second and third daies of ye week, and first, second & third months of 

 ye year, beginning with ye day called Sunday, and ye month called March. 



