Before James Hasell Esqre Chief Justice of the Province of North Carolina this third day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty personally came and appeared Edward Griffith of Craven County in the Province aforesaid Esqre who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God Deposeth and saith that this Deponent is and for eight or nine years past hath been private Secretary to His Excellency Gabriel Johnston Esqre Governor &c of North Carolina and hath during the time of this Deponent's service in that office and constantly attended all Courts of Claims since March one thousand seven hundred and forty two and hath seen most of the warrants that have been issued since the time aforesaid and that he never saw a warrant for surveying Lands as aforesd signed by His Excellency the Governor but what had therein inserted the quantity of Acres the County and Place where the same was to be laid out and surveyed and this Deponent further saith that he does not know or can remember that any Patent or Patents passed the Great Seal of the Province but what had the bounds of the Lands inserted therein and the Plot annexed thereunto nor never knew his Excellency the said Governor to sign any blank Patents except once which as near as he can remember was in September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty five in a great hurry of business at a Court held in Bath Town, the Governor then signed some Blanks what number this Deponent cannot well remember and delivered them to this Deponent then and now his Secretary as aforesaid with strict orders and directions to see that the same were properly filled up and this Deponent further saith that not one of them passed the Great Seal of the Province aforesaid till the Plot from the Secretary's Office was affixed and the bounds of the Lands ascertained in the Body of the sd Patents and this Deponent further saith that he cannot remember or to the best of his knowledge ever knew the said Governor either since or before the time aforesaid sign any Patent but the Surveyors Plot was brought with