Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1661-1675. 511

others concerned in the Colony of Virginia should meet to
consider of, and frame an Agreement between themselves, and
that if they could not joyfully agree thereupon then each party
to draw up distinct Proposalls, and deliver them to the Board,
that the Lords Committees of Plantacons might be desired to
meet, and consider thereof, and Report their opinions to his
Majesty whereupon no agreement being settled between them,
the said Colonell Moryson, S^r Henry Chicheley, Edward Digg's,
and John Jeffreys did upon the 16^th present deliver in Proposalls
which they conceived conducible to the good of Virginia, and
the Lords Committees taking the same into serious Con-
sideracon on the 19^th Instant, and having fully heard the Lord
Baltemore, and S^r Henry Chicheley, Colonell Moryson, M^r
Diggs, and M^r Jeffreys, touching the said Proposalls, and con-
sulted with the Farmers of his Ma^ties Customs thereupon their
Lo^pps thought fitt humbly to represent to his Majesty,
1. First. That the Proposall touching a cessation, stint or
limitation of planting Tobacco in the said Plantacons is incon-
venient both to the Planters and to his Ma^ties Customes.
2. That the proposall for limiting a time for Ships to return
from Virginia or Maryland will be prejudicial both to the Planters
and his Ma^ties Customes.
3. For incouragement of Planters in the said Colonies to
apply themselves to the Planting other Comodities which may
be of more benefit than Tobacco, his Ma^ty would be pleased to
permit that all the Hemp, Pitch and Tarr of the growth, Pro-
duction or Manufacture of Virginia and Maryland, which
should be brought into this Kingdome, for the space of 5 years
from the date hereof might be Custome ffree. Which report
being read at the Board his Ma^ty present in Councill, and con-
curring in all particulars with the Lords of the said committee
did order that there should be noe cessacon, stint or limitation
imposed on the planting Tobacco in Virginia, or Maryland, nor
any time limited for ships to come from either of those Plan-
tacons but every trader thither to be ffree to return theme at
his own time, and as his occasions should serve, and his Ma^ty
of his Princely grace and favour being desirous to give all en-
couragement to the Planters of both Colonies, did direct that
the Right Hon^ble the Earl of Southampton Lord High Treasurer
of England, and Lord Ashley Chancellor, and under Treasurer
of the Exchequer, should give directions to the Officers, and
ffarmers of his Majesties Customes for the time being to permitt,
and suffer all the hemp, Pitch and Tarr, of the growth, pro-
duction and Manufacture of the said Plantacons of Virginia
and Maryland, that shall be brought into the Kingdome during
the space of five years from the date hereof to be freely im-
ported, and unladed without demanding or receiving any Cus-

P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers. Vol.
XVIII, No.
148.