Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1676-81. 275

Demands, he forewarns Masters of Vessells to make any Entry
with my Collector untill they have paid their Duty (as he termes
it to himself nor will he permit any Master to bring their
Certificates of Bond given in England to my Officer or indeed
to me, notwithstanding the Acts for Navigation Trade and
other Acts which do absolutely comand all Masters to present
themselves to the Governor of the place where they come and
that to be done within 24 Houres after their arrivall in any
Government and are also by those Acts to give in to the Gov-
ernor an Account of their Ship or Vessell with the number of
their Seamen of what nation they are and a true and perfect in-
voyce of their Lading And if the Governor (who by these Acts is
commanded under heavy penaltys to require this from every
Master of ship or Vessell) should neglect his Duty comanded
by those Acts he forfeits a Thousand pounds and is rendered
incapable for ever after of any office and Employment. So that
My Lord I being proprietor here and may therefore be looked
upon as Governor whilst I am in person here am in danger to
be brought into Trouble by the unwarrantable proceedings of
this insolent and Knavish Collector here who presumes dayly
to Nose me and my Government with powers which he
pretends to have from his Masters the Commisioners wherein
he abuses them as he has greatly injured severall Masters that
have traded here, and is become so insolent in his Carriage to
me and my Government that I am forced to be an humble
suitor to your Lo^ps to move the King and Councill that this
Disturber of the Trade and peace of my province may be
speedily removed or I must certainly expect that many Dealers
and Traders to my province will leave this Government not
only to my great Detriment but to the apparent Diminution of
his Ma^ties Revenue for if Masters of Ships and Vessells are
thus discouraged by the insolence and Knavery of a Collector,
much Tobacco will be left in my province, and may also cause
the inhabitants to mutiny when they see ships and supplys go
from hence to another Government by reason of an idle officer
whose dayly expression is, that he matters not what prejudice
he brings to his Majestie or his Subjects here so he but
advances his Fortune by it he has been so insolent as to send
me Answers to this effect, when I have ordered my officers to
call him to an account for his exacting fees for entering and
cleering ships and vessells which are only due to my Officers
and setled by the Laws of my province My Lord Besides the
Knavery he dayly practices amongst the Shipping he is become
the most lewd debaucht swearing arrd most prophane Fellow in
the whole Government and indeed not fit to be admitted into
Civill society a Rogue in his heart and expressions towards his
Majestie and is impudent to publish his hatred to Kingly

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.