16 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1667-75.

P. R. O.

Colonial Pa-
pers, Vol. 21,
No. 133.

I^st In regard all Masters are obliged by the Custome of
both Collonies to give every one of their servants that have
served out his time a years provision of corn, clothes & planting
tooles upon his departure out of service to set up for himself,
it would so happen that the said Masters would not be able to
perform this obligation to such servants as should become free
at the end of the Cessacon yeare, because they would have no
crops of Tobacco to purchase clothes, planting tooles, and
other necessaries for them. Because in such year of Cessacon
no shipping would come into those parts, and such Cessacon
would be a means to force those ships which usually traded
thither to seek and settle in new employments, and to engage
in new waies of Trade never in probability to return thither
again. This way therefore not being approved another way
by a stint from planting of Tobacco after the 20^th day of Iune,
every yeare was agree'd on to be proposed to the next respect-
ive Assemblies of each government, and accordingly it was
proposed unto, but disapproved by the next Assembly of
Maryland.
I^st Because of the disadvantage that would be drawn upon
them in Maryland as scituate more northerly than Virginia.
2^nd Because for the present the people of Maryland were
uncapable of carrying on any other worke to procure a
livlyhood.
3^rd Because it would not answer the end proposed unless
your Majesty put the same restraint upon all your Majesties
Dominions in the West Indies to whom occasion might be
given to increase their quantityes, by the lessening or Cessacon
imposed in Virginia and Maryland. This being the issue of
that Meeting and Treaty by Commissioners, it pleased the
governor Councell & Burgesses of Virginia to prefer a petition
in the year 1664 unto your Majesty in Councell, by way of
complaint, or charge against those of Maryland as refusing to
give obedience unto your Ma^ties Commands, & praying your
Ma^ties reliefe in relacon to the premises, & to annex certaine
Proposalls thereunto upon which your Majesty was graciously
pleased to order copies of all their papers to be sent unto
the Lord Baltemore, and an answer was then humbly given
in by him in which he humbly offered, (amongst other things)
these reasons against the lessening of the Quantity of Tobacco
vizt:
1^o That if the quantity were notably lessened it would not
answer the desired end, and if it were notably lessened it
would notably lessen your Majesties Customes & Excise.
2^o That the industrious Planters in Virginia and Maryland
live in much greater plenty, and gaine estates much sooner
than those of their quality in England consequently the value