Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85. 347

Letter from Lord Baltemore & Council to the Governor of
New York.

S^t Maries City in Maryland
March 4^th 1681.
Hon^ble Sir,
The northern Indians with whom (some time since) this
Province by Colonel Henry Coursey their Agent at Fort
Albany entered into a league of peace and amity having lately
violated their articles with us, not only by plundering the houses
and destroying the stocks but also murdering the persons of
some of the inhabitants of our frontier plantations, hath given
us cause of suspicion that they have either forgotten, or are
resolved noe longer to preserve their league with us, which
called for & hath occasioned our most serious & deliberate
consultations in such case to prevent (as much as in us lay) the
effusion of more Christian blood, and to contrive, (if possible)
the future peace and tranquility, as well as the lifes & safe
guards of His Majesties Subjects here. And amongst other
expedients, calling to our minds the effectual care by your
Government taken for the preservation, & security of the
inhabitants of Delaware (otherwise equally obnoxious to the
assaults & attempts of those Indians with the people of this
Government) by affording to those Indians a free trade (without
which they can hardly subsist) only upon those very tearmes of
keeping peace and amity with them; we from thence took
encouragement and found ourselves obliged to request the like
favourable aid and assistance from you, for and in behalf of
the inhabitants of this Province, alike subjects to His Majesty
the king of England with those of Delaware and New Yorke,
that you will now prohibit any further correspondency with
those Indians in a way of Traffick and supplies, unless they
will also desist from any acts of hostility against us, and pro-
ceed to maintain and keep that league of peace and amity with
us made, which we desire & are willing to preserve towards
them. Sir with this our so reasonable request, (which the lives
and properties of His Majestie's subjects calls for at our hands)
wee have entrusted the bearer Captain Richard Hill (to whom
you may give all faith and credence) and hope that you will
vouchsafe to expedite him again to us, with such a satisfactory
answer hereunto as may not occasion our further addresses to
the king and Council, and his Royal Highness for the Preserva-
tion of His Majestie's Subjects here from the insolencys,
outrages and attempts of those northern Indians, which other-
wise in duty and conscience we shall be obliged to doe; But
we in no wise doubt of your sufficient power, and consequently
your free and ready concurrence hereunto, in confidence that (if

P. R.O.

Colonial
Papers.