Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 1.djvu/575

 administration, requiring that thereafter all surveys should be entered in a book in the office of the Secretary. The patent was drawn by the clerk in the Secretary&#8217;s office in conformity with the measurements of the plat, and was then delivered to the Governor, who by law was required to read it in Council in order that the consent of that body to it might be obtained. The Governor then signed it and the seal of the Colony was attached to it, this instrument being kept in the office of the Secretary The seal had been used for the authentication of patents from a very early period in the history of Virginia, and had in its general character undergone from time to time changes of importance. Previous to the administration of Howard, it had been affixed to patents without the imposition of a fee; Howard directed that two hundred pounds of tobacco should be charged, and that when this was not paid, the sheriff of the county in which the delinquent resided should levy upon his property. The proceeds from the use of the seal were calculated by Fitzhugh to amount annually to one hundred thousand pounds of that commodity, its impression being required by law for all public