290 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85.

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.
B. B.

his Lo^ps Officers, as is pretended. But doe confesse as to
ships or vessells comeing from other plantations or that came
without certificates; I always advised his Lo^pps Officers not to

give Permissions to such to Trade, before they had either
entered into Bond w^th security according to Law to bring their
Tobacco to some other of his Ma^ties Plantations or to England,
Wales or Barwick and noe other place, or else had complyed
w^th the payment of a Penny p pound. But I deny that I ever
had the insolence to call this or any thing else. Their Duty
to my selfe, as in the Letter is suggested.
4. I alsoe deny the hindring of Masters of ships or vessels
from carrying their certificates to his Lo^ps Officers; otherwise
than as I have fully sett forth in my said answere in this point
to his Lo^ps letter to yo^r Hon^rs to w^ch I humbly referre myselfe.
5. And whereas his Lo^p saith I presume to nose him and
his Governm^t w^th powers w^ch I ptend to have from the Comm^rs
my Masters I utterly deny that I ever pretended to have other
powers than what I really had from yo^r Hon^rs by Comission &
Instrucons or that I ever went about to wrest or streyne them
beyond their true & naturall sense, or any ways thereby to
thwart and oppose or as his Lo^p tearmes it, to nose him or his
Governm^t But I confesse I have ever had an awfull Regard
to the instruccons received from time to time from yo^r Hon^rs
and thought it my duty as farre as possibly I could to pursue
the same always looking upon them as sufficient warrant to
mee to act according to their tenour and purport. Though
phaps my Lord Baltemore has accompted it the due execucon
thereof a Disservice to his Gov^mt
6. I utterly deny that ever I used any such expression that
I mattered not w^t prejudice I brought to his Ma^tie or his subjects
soe I could advance my owne Fortune. And I humbly con-
ceive none but a madman or a foole can be imagined to speak
such idle words. And I deny that ever his Lo^ps Officers or
any of them came to call me to any account as is suggested, or
that his Lo^pp ever spoak to mee or acquainted mee before my
comeing out of his province, with the matter whereof hee now
soe pasionately accuses mee.
7. As to his Lo^ps generall charge ag^t me of Debauchery,
Lewdness and all maner of villany. It is a way of writing
made easy to his Lo^p by his practise in all his Letters of com-
plaint as well against M^r Nicholas Badcock deceased late
survey^r and comptroller there, as against myselfe thereby to
render us too infamous to be capable of our employments.
Though his Lo^p have no cause or ground for the same but
hopes that casting much Dirt some might stick to work his
ends against us.
8. As to his saying I am a Rogue in my heart and am
impudent to publish on board ships my hatred to Kingly Gov-