Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85. 345

well as by the Confession of your own Letters that you have
obstructed our service and discouraged our Officers in the
execution of their Duty. And altho by severall Letters Wee
have already directed you by yourself and your Officers to be
ayding and assisting to the Collector and other Officers of our
Customs in Our Colony of Maryland, in all matters relating to
their respective Offices; and particularly in the due Collection
of the Impositions payable unto us by an Act of Parliament
made in the 25. year of our Reign Intituled an Act for better
securing the Plantation Trade whereby certain Rates are
imposed upon severall Commodities therein named that shall
be shipped or laden on board any ship or vessell that shall not
have first given Bond to bring the same to our Kingdom of
England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed,
and to no other Place amongst which Rates one penny p
pound is imposed on Tobacco: Wee are nevertheless informed
that instead of being ayding and assisting to our said Officers
in the due Collection thereof you have hindred and forbidden
them to recieve the same and particularly Wee have been
given to understand by Nicholas Badcock late Comptroller and
Surveyor of our Customs in our Colony oT Maryland That
upon the arrival of the ship S^t George of London Captain
Shephard Commander; The Freeman of Liverpool Edward
Tarleton Master and the Dolphin of Pool Alexander Dennet
Master our said Surveyor finding by their Certificates that the
Bonds which they had given were for carrying their loading
for England or Ireland, he did demand from the masters of the
said ship the penny p^lb due in such case for all Tobacco which

they should lade on board the said ships, but that he being

refused by them he attended you severall times and desired
your assistance for the Collection thereof but that you refused
to give him any countenance or assistance therein and that our
said surveyor pressing you severall times in this matter and
urging the said Law you ordered him to appear before your
Councill at S^t Mary's which he accordingly did, and there in
our name prayed and required your aid to levy our duties
upon the lading of the said ships or to make seizure of the
goods; But that he was absolutely denyed the same, and told
that he should not meddle with them for that he had nothing
to do therewith. And wee are further informed that by a letter
under your own hand to our Comm^rs of our Customs bearing
date the seaventh of June last you acknowledged to have
denyed him the receiving of our Duties on the said ladings
and to have hindred him from molesting the said Masters by
means whereof the said ships went away with their ladings of
Tobacco without passing any of the said Duties to us whereby
we are damnifyed in our customs to the value of 2500^lb sterl:

P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.