Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1667-75. 17

& trade of Tobacco is not so low & contemptible as those of
Virginia who were partyes to that peticon pretended.
3^o The restraining of the poor people from planting Tobacco
(their only meanes of livelyhood and substinance) would very
probably much endanger the Peace of the Province. To
which reasons then offered he craves leave now to add these
following, aryseing from late and fresh experience.
i^o There are more Ships this year bound for those Colonies
than have gone thither in any one year since they were first
planted, which would not be if Tobacco (their onely Cofnodity)
were of no esteem, or that it were a drugg w^th which all
Markets are glutted.
2^o Though the quantity were lessened, and the price thereby
inhanced in these parts, yet the poorer sort of Planters (who
are the most in number, and of whom the Lord Baltemore
must have as tender a care as of the rich) would have no
advantage of it, ffor these wanting clothes, and necessaries
w^th w^ch they were unable to stock themselves beforehand for
so long a time as a whole year (in which no supplies will
come) will be inforced to sell their Comodity either to the
Merchant, or the richer Planters at the buyers price, so that
which is desired may probably have the effect to make the
merchants here or the more substantiall Planters these (who
have stocks to engrosse the Comodity) more rich, but it would
wholly ruine the poor who are the generality of both Provinces.
This answer being delivered in, after severall debates, the
whole matter was by your Ma^ty referred to the Lords Com-
mittees of this Board for PlantacOns to consider and report
their opinions to your Ma^ty whereupon the said Lords Com-
mittees upon a full hearing of all partyes November the 19^th
1664 (at which your Ma^ties foresaid Instructions to S^r William
Berkeley were urged by the Virginia Agents) and after having
consulted with the farmers of the Customes thought fitt
(amongst other things) to report to your Ma^ty That the pro-
posall touching a CessacOn, stint or limitation of Planting
Tobacco in the said Plantacons is inconvenient both to the
Planters and your Majesties Customes.
Upon which report your Majesty present in Councell was
pleased the 25^th of Novem: 1664 to order expressely that there
should be no Cessacon, stint or limitation imposed on the
planting of Tobacco in those plantacons a copy of w^ch order is
hereunto annexed, which he humbly prayes may be read
although they take no notice of it at all in their Representation.
And this was the end of that troublesome business for that
time, and the Lord Baltimore did hope that such a positive
Order made by your Ma^tie in Councell would have put an end
to it for ever.

P. R. O.

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