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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

                           ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS
                             OF THE STATE OF TEXAS

Number                                                          Shares

                      FIRST COMMUNITY CAPITAL CORPORATION
                                Houston, Texas

THIS CERTIFIES THAT ___________________________________ is the registered owner
of ________________________________________ fully paid and non-assessable shares
of common stock, $0.01 par value, of First Community Capital Corporation,
transferable only on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person
or by duly authorized Attorney upon surrender of this Certificate properly
endorsed.

                     SEE RESTRICTIONS ON REVERSE.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be
signed by its duly authorized officers and to be sealed with the Seal of the
Corporation on this ______ day of ______________, 200__.
<PAGE>

                      [REVERSE SIDE OF STOCK CERTIFICATE]

          ARTICLE 4, SECTION 1.2 OF THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF THE
          CORPORATION PROVIDES THAT SHAREHOLDERS SHALL NOT HAVE PREEMPTIVE
          RIGHTS. THE CORPORATION WILL FURNISH A COPY OF SUCH ARTICLES OF
          INCORPORATION TO THE RECORD HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE WITHOUT CHARGE
          ON WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE CORPORATION AT ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF
          BUSINESS.

                                    No.

                                FIRST COMMUNITY
                              CAPITAL CORPORATION
                                HOUSTON, TEXAS

                                  CERTIFICATE
                                      FOR

                                    SHARES
                                      of
                                 Common Stock

                                   ISSUED TO

                            _______________________

                                     Dated

                            _______________________

     For Value Received, ____________________________________ hereby sell,
assign and transfer unto _____________________________ ________________ shares
of the Common Stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________________ Attorney to transfer
the said Stock on the books of the within named Corporation with full power of
substitution in the premises.

     Dated_________________________

     In presence of

___________________________________      ______________________________________
                                         NOTICE: The signature of this
                                         assignment must correspond with the
                                         name as written upon the face of the
                                         certificate, in every particular,
                                         without alteration or enlargement, or
                                         any change whatever.

                                       2<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10(a)

[SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP LETTERHEAD]

                   CONSENT OF SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP

We hereby consent to the reference to our name under the caption "Legal Matters"
in the Prospectus filed as part of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form N-4
(File No. 333-34894) for ML of New York Variable Annuity Separate Account A of
ML Life Insurance Company of New York. In giving this consent, we do not admit
that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7
of the Securities Act of 1933.

                                          SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP

                                          By:   /s/ KIMBERLY J. SMITH
                                          --------------------------------------
                                               Kimberly J. Smith, Esq.

Washington, D.C.
April 26, 2001<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10(b)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the use in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration
Statement No. 333-34894 of ML of New York Variable Annuity Separate Account A on
Form N-4 of our reports on (i) ML Life Insurance Company of New York dated
February 27, 2001, and (ii) ML of New York Variable Annuity Separate Account A
dated February 16, 2001, appearing in the Statement of Additional Information,
which is a part of such Registration Statement, and to the reference to us under
the heading "Experts" in the Prospectus, which is a part of such Registration
Statement.

/s/  DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

New York, New York
April 26, 2001<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10(c)

                       CONSENT OF BARRY G. SKOLNICK, ESQ.

I hereby consent to the reference to my name under the caption "Legal Matters"
in the prospectus included in Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-4 for certain variable annuity insurance contracts issued
through ML of New York Variable Annuity Separate Account A of ML Life Insurance
Company of New York, File No. 333-34894.

                                          By:         /s/ BARRY G. SKOLNICK
                                          --------------------------------------
                                               Barry G. Skolnick, Esq.
                                               President and General Counsel

April 26, 2001Prepared by MERRILL CORPORATION

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  Exhibit 10.16 to Ross Stores, Inc. 2001 Form 10-K    
    

 
 

AMENDMENT TO INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
  CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT    
  

    This Amendment to the Independent Contractor Consultancy Agreement (the "Amendment") is made and entered into this 10th day of January, 2001, by and between
Ross Stores, Inc. (the "Company") and Norman A. Ferber (the "Contractor"). The Company and the Contractor previously entered into an Independent Contractor Consultancy Agreement that became
effective February 1, 2000 and continues in effect until January 31, 2001 ("Consultancy Agreement"). It is now the intention of the Company and the Contractor to amend the Consultancy
Agreement as set forth below. Accordingly, the Company and the Contractor now amend the Consultancy Agreement as follows: 

A.  Amendments.  

    Paragraph 8.1, Term will be amended in its entirety to read as follows: 

	8.1
	Term. This Amendment is effective as of February 1, 2001 ("Effective Date") and will continue until January 31, 2002
("Consultancy Termination Date"). This Agreement is renewable upon the mutual consent of both parties. The terms of such renewal must be in writing and signed by both Company and Contractor. 

    Paragraph 9.5,
Entire Agreement is amended to read as follows: 

	9.5
	Entire Agreement. This Amendment to the Independent Contractor Consultancy Agreement and the Independent Contractor Consultancy
Agreement that became effective February 1, 2000 constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to this subject matter and all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements
concerning such subject matter, including the relevant terms from the parties prior Amended and Restated Employment Agreement and subsequent amendments. The terms of the Amendment to the Independent
Contractor Consultancy Agreement and the surviving terms of the Independent Contractor Consultancy Agreement will govern all services undertaken by Contractor for Company beginning on
February 1, 2001 and continuing until January 31, 2002, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the parties. 

    Paragraph 9.7,
Arbitration, shall be amended to read as follows: 

	9.7
	Arbitration. In the event of any dispute or claim relating to or arising out of this Amendment to the Independent Contractor
Consultancy Agreement or the surviving terms of the Independent Contractor Consultancy Agreement, all such disputes shall be fully, finally and exclusively resolved by binding arbitration conducted by
the American Arbitration Association in Alameda County, California to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that the parties shall be entitled to pursue all provisional remedies
allowed by California Code of Civil Procedure, section 1281.8. 

B.  No Other Modifications.  

    Except as modified by this Amendment, the Independent Contractor Consultancy Agreement that became effective February 1, 2000 shall remain in full force
and effect during the term of this Amendment. 

1

 

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment on the date(s) shown below. 

	Company:	 	Contractor:
	

ROSS STORES, INC.	
 	

NORMAN A. FERBER
	

By: /s/Michael Balmuth	
 	

By: /s/Norman A. Ferber
	

Name: Michael Balmuth	
 	

Title: Chairman of the Board
	

Title: Vice Chairman & CEO	
 	

Date: January 9, 2001
	

Date: January 10, 2001	
 	

 

2

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Exhibit 10.16 to Ross Stores, Inc. 2001 Form 10-K

AMENDMENT TO INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT<PAGE>

EXHIBIT  4.1

             ------------------------------------------------------
               INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
             ------------------------------------------------------

------                                                           --------------
  No.                                                                 Shares
------                                                           --------------
                               The State of Nevada

[LOGO]
                             Foothills Resources, Inc.
        One Forty Five Million Common Shares Authorized, $0.001 Par Value

This Certifies That SPECIMEN is the owner of ______________________ Common
Shares $0.001 par value each of the Capital Stock of

                            Foothills Resources, Inc.

transferable only on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person
or by Attorney upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed.

In Witness Whereof, the said corporation has caused this Certificate to be
signed by its duly authorized officers, and to be sealed with the Seal of the
Corporation this ______ day of _____________ At

[SEAL]

-------------------------                               -----------------------
       President                                               Secretary

                               -------- ---------
                               SHARES $0.001 EACH
                               -------- ---------

                                   CERTIFICATE
                                       FOR

                                     SHARES

                               [SEAL APPEARS HERE]

                                     OF THE

                                  CAPITAL STOCK

                            Foothills Resources, Inc.

                                    ISSUED TO

                                      DATED

         For Value Received ______ hereby sell, assign and transfer unto
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Shares of the Capital Stock represented by the written Certificate and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________________________________ to

<PAGE>

transfer the said Stock on the books of the within named corporation with full
power of substitution in the premises.

Dated _________________________

In presence of _______________________

NOTICE. THE SIGNATURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN
ON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE, IN EVERY PARTICULAR WITHOUT ALTERATION AND
ENLARGEMENTS OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER

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