Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1676-81. 277

make them serve the next year, I finding him bound for Ireland
told him by the Law for the better securing the Plantacon
Trade He must notwithstanding his giving such bond in
England still pay the Plantacon duty he told me he would go
on shore with me and give satisfaction, but goes to my Lord
who presently orders him to set sayle for his Lading Port and
as I hear hath promised to defend him and save him harmless:
I seeing him gonn and then dodge me I went to wayte on my
Lord about it and shewed him that the duty was due and
prayed his ayde and assistance but he seemed teazed and
angry with me that I concerned myselfe with them and refused
all assistance and told me I should not medle with them I wayte
on him three severall times and argued all points of the matter
but nothing would induce him to assist me in it. At last he
ordered me to appeare before the Councill at Saint Maryes
which I accordingly I did where in his Ma^tie name I prayed the
ayde of the Province that I might levy his Ma^ties Duty or make
Seizure of the Goodes for that I was Satisfyed that by that law
then shewn to them it was due, who absolutely refused it and
told me I should not medle with them for that I had nothing to
doe there with, these four ships will carry about 1800 or 2000
hheade of Tobacco at the least and at least 2500^lbs sterling in
the Plantacon duty, And in severall and most of other matters
we are hindred the due Execution of our dutyes in our Office
and perticularly in mine in which I find business enough to be
done and matter enough to go upon if I had full Authority to
act with out Interruption as they do in England although
Severall persones have despised and layd down the Imploy-
ment yet I find that with Authority and well management it
may be made a good Itnployment which main Impediment
hath hitherto been the discountenance of the Government so
that those things and this great affaire now happening hath
greatly daunted me, and the matter w^ch Incouraged me to
come hither was this that I saw by the dying of that Act
which is wholy ruined and cutt off by our Governor so that
I have notthing to do but to wayte on your Hon^r for
remedy here are soe many things out of order that I
cannot express and write them to you I hope your Hon^r
will find me out remedy in this great Loss susteyned by
our Governor for I had spent even all to be at the charge of
Wayting on you and coming over and to be there Overbourne
is most grievous P. S. I understand my Lords three sonnes
in Law and our secretary are the chief acters and have most
of the concernes of these Ships freight and that the Ships
stayed so late on purpose to bring such certificates with them
and that at first they might have it soe pass by way of Ignoramus

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.
B. B.