Court and Testamentary Business, 1642. 129

      to be hoped for the like at another time, he the said Giles               Liber P. R.

      Brent vpon his arrivall at Kent vnderstanding of a Commis

      sion granted to mr William Brainthwait for the command of

      that Iland; & taking disgust thereat, or for some other secrett

      discontent or disaffection to the good & wellfare of the govermt

      as may reasonably be supposed, did not vse or exequute the

      said Commission according to the power therin granted &

      the trust & charge vndertaken by him but devising how to

      make the Commission & designe ineffectuall & successlesse

      with his owne impunity as much as might be, and to give the

      people there an occasion of refusing and disobeying it, insteed

      of a serious & thorow exequuting of it as his duety & charge

      was did leave it to their consideration whether they were willing

      to be pressed or no, & vsed words to signifle they should not

      be vrged against their wills or to that purpose, & vpon their

      refusall of that so gentle a proposition did dismisse them with

      out pressing any, pretending (as he saith since) some illegalities

      then found in the Commission; which illegalities neverthelesse

      vpon some new thoughts he easily swallowed, and issued

      warrants for the pressing of 20. souldiers, who came wth their

      armes according to his comand & were ready to be employed

      by him; but receiving from them some expressions of vnwil

      lingnes he easily admitted thereof; & of his owne head

      without authority dismissed them againe, and so lett the whole

      enterprise & charge fall to the ground; in great contempt of

      the authority & govermt of the place, to the great disgrace &

      disrepute of or nation among the Indians our neighbors &

      dependants who had great expectaon of the issue of that

      expedition, to the encouragemt & ill example of the people

      to contemne the like commissions at another time, to the

      eminent danger of the whole colony, and the indamaging of

      his Lop and the country in a fruitlesse expence of so much

      tobacco beside much lesse & hindrance to pticular psons.

      Wherefore saving to him selfe the advantage of adding such

      other articles herevnto in time convenient as he shall think

      fitt & of replying to the allegations wch shalbe made by the

      said Giles Brent he prayeth that the said Giles Brent may

      be called to answere vpon oath to the said misdemeanors

      conteinpts & such further Interrogatories as shalbe admin

      istred to him therevpon & that such proceedings & sentence

      may be had & vsed agst him as justice shall require.

      Commission for examining Cecilius Lord Proprietary &c. To Or

      witnesses on mr Brents st trusty & beloved Robert Vaughan

      Lieutent of Or lie and County of Kent, william Luddinton

      & Richard Thomson gent greeting. we doe hereby authorise

      you & with all will & require you or any two of you whereof