At the request of the gentlemen of his Majesty's Council of this province, by their letter to me enclosed, I take the liberty to forward to your Lordship their Address to his Majesty, praying his Majesty would be graciously pleased to take under his royal consideration the various duties they perform as members of that board; for the discharge and performance whereof, no salary or emolument is annexed excepting the small stipend of seven shillings sixpence proclamation money per day, during their attendance in the General Assembly.

The various branches of these gentlemens duty as Councellors, are attended with a certain expence, and as the best estates in this country are but very moderate, those gentlemen who do not enjoy any office of emolument under the crown, bear with great difficulty the expences necessary to support the credit and dignity of so honorable a station.

I am sensible should his Majesty in his great goodness think proper to grant the petition of his Council here, the receipt of the quit rents, till further regulations, and a better mode of collecting them, are established, would be insufficient to create a fund able to answer his Majesty's liberality, unless the receiver general had orders to permit the gentlemen of the Council to set off the quit rents they may owe to the crown for the lands they possess, as part of their salary, and also that the receiver general might give them notes, or orders for the remainder, on persons who may be in arrear for quit rents to the Crown, which order the gentlemen of the Council might get satisfied, by taking of the produce of the country when specie could not be obtained.

I confess the testimonies these gentlemen have given of their attachment to his Majesty's person and family, and their steady adherence to his Majesty's interest, and the just principles of his government, would alone be motives sufficient to induce me to be an advocate for them in this instance, It is with all dutiful submission therefore, I beg leave to submit to his Majesty's royal wisdom and beneficence, the address of the Council of this province, requesting your Lordships good offices in presenting the same to the King.