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Colonial Pa-
pers. Vol.
VIII, No.
65.
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with his will to the great losse of many mens estates and a
generall feare in all. They had heard him in open Court revile
all the Councell and tell them they were to give their attendance
as assistants onely to advise with him which if liked of should
pass otherwise the power lay in himselfe to dispose of all
matters as his Majestie's Substitute. Next that he had reduced
the Collony to a great straight by complying with the Mary-
landers soe farr that betweene them and himselfe all places of
trade for Corne were shutt up from them and no meanes left
to relieve their wants without transgressing his Commands
which was very dangerous for any to attempt. This want came
upon us by the increase of above 2,000 persons this yeare to
the Colony as alsoe by an unusuall kind of wevell that last
yeare eate our Corne (againe they saw a daungerous peace
made by him with the Indians against the Councell's and
Cuntreye's advice that although the Indian had offered any
insolent injuries, yet he witheld us from revenging ourselves
and had taken of them satisfaction for many Hoggs, of which
in one place a Lyst was brought in of above 500 : which satis-
faction the Interpreter justifies he had received for the Gov-
ernor's owne use. The Inhabitants also understood with Indig-
nation that the Marylanders had taken Capt: Clayborne's
Pinnasses and men with the goods in them whereof they had
made prize and shared the goods amongst them, which action
of theirs Sir John Harvey upheld contrary to his Majties express
Commands in his Royall Letters and the Letters of the Lords,
which Letter from his Majestie he did not communicate to the
rest of the Councell though Capt: Clayborne in his Petition had
directed them to the whole Board, But said they were surrep-
titiously gotten. Sir these and infinite number of perticular
mens injuries were the grounds of their griefe and the occasion
of the Petition and Letter that they exhibited to the Councell
for some speedy redress of these evills which would otherwise
ruine the Colony. These generall grievances made some of
the people meet in some numbers and in an unlawfull manner
yet without any manifestation of bad intents only desires to
exhibit their complaints as did appeare upon strict examination
though Captain Purfrey had in a Letter accused them in a
neare sense to rebellion, which since he denyed under his owne
hand being usuall with him to affirme and deny often the same
things. The Governor having Intelligence of this Petition
grew enraged and sent out his warrants to apprehend the
Complaynants which some of the Councell accordingly executed,
upon these appearances he himselfe only constituted a new
Sheriff at James Citty a defamed fellow to whom he committed
the keeping of the Prisoners in Irons, Some of them desiring
the cause of their Committment to whom he answered that
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