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

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.
B. B.

name, and the two shillings p hogshd is his Lo^ps nor hath his
Ma^tie any offices in Maryland, but those concerning the Duty
of a penny p pound &c: viz^t the Collector & Surveyor or
Comptroller: And to ridd himself of both these, his Lo^pp have
not only complained against mee but alsoe by his Lo^ps letters
of the 7^th and 27^th of June last to your Hon^rs hath exhibited
grevious complaints against the before menconed M^r Nicholas
Badcock deceased then survey^r & comptroller there; wherein
his Lo^p vehemently sollicites to have Badcock turned out, and
another of his Ladys sonnes put in his place. And yet it is
most manifest aswell by his Lo^ps said letters as by M^r Bad-
cocks owne letter to yo^r Hono^rs writt imediately before his
death dated 10^th of July 1681 (to which I humbly referre, that his
Lo^ps said complaint against M^r Badcock was most unjust and
that hee had done nothing but what was his duty in his place
and that his Lo^pp did oppose him therein to the damage of his
Ma^ties Interest at least 2000^lb sterling. By which transaccons it
is clearly evident what most excellent service would be done
for his Ma^tie in that province, without any noyse, if his Lo^ps
could compasse his ende in procureing thoses places for his
Ladys Sonnes, which is his principall Drift & Designe.
All which I humbly submitt to your Hono^rs grace Judgem^t
Being
Yo^r Hono^rs
most faithfull and most
humble servant
Chris: Rousby.

(Endorsed)

M^r Rousby's Answer to Lord Baltemore's Letter of Comp^lt
to Lord Privy Seale.

p.31

To the Right Hono^ble the Comm^rs of his
Ma^ties Customes.

Having by your Hono^rs comand received a Copy of my
Lord Baltemores Letter of the 29^th of Aprill last conteyneying
a complaint against me, and pused the same I cannot but
observe to your Hono^rs that the whole charge is in generall
without any particular circumstance, and therefore I can return
thereunto but a generall answere. Though had his Lord^sp
made me acquainted with the substance of his letter before I
came out of Maryland (which had been but reason) I should
have been better able to vindicate my innocence from those
Refleccons cast upon mee. However for the present I have
this to offer in my owne defence. First his Lord^sp tells your
Hono^rs that he has by two shippings, writt letters to you, but
feares that by some ill fortune or other they are miscarryed,