Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85. 357

Letter from Lord Baltemore to the right hon^ble Sir Lionel
Jenkins.
Maryland 18^th May 1682.

Most Honoured Sir,
I was alarumed about three days since by a letter which I
then received from Captain William Diggs one of the Council
here in which I was advized of some tumultuary Proceedings
in Virginia which had occasioned a Proclamation there of the
3^d instant under Sir Henry Chicheleys hand a Copy of which
as also Diggs his letter I presumed about two days since to
send to the Earl of Anglesey and having had my uncle M^r
Philip Calvert Chancellor of this Province yesterday at my
house there was brought to him in great haste the inclosed
letters from M^r William Steevens another of the Council here
who on Saturday last being the 13^th instant and the day I con-
cluded the Sessions of the last Assembly begun here the 25^th
of the last month, went over to Cherry point in Virginia about
some business and there came to understand the evill practises
of some ungoverned people tending very much to the same
design of that of the late rebell there Bacon—I do presume
to send you herewith Steeven's letters knowing it my duty to
give you timely advice hereof that if His Majestie have not
had from Virginia any notice hereof, you will be pleased to ac-
quaint him therewith for I have such apprehensions, at this
time, as that I am now sending out orders to all my Officers
on Potomack side to be in a readiness with foot and horse to
prevent the landing of any of that rabble, that are said to be
gott together in Virginia, and have also sent over to M^r Secre-
tary Spencer that he will please to let me speedily understand
whether there are four or five hundred upp in armes in Vir-
ginia destroying mens tobaccos, as these late letters have in-
formed me, that, if soe I may make preparations here accord-
ingly, and to assure him if .my service may be accepted of by
the Government of Virginia, I may possibly be able to furnish
Sir Henry Chicheley with some men from hence, in case mat-
ters be soe bad, as we dayly heare they are. They had an
Assembly the last month in Virginia but as we are assured
little was don, whereas it was hoped there would have been a
cessation from planting, and the people missing of their expec-
tations therein, began immediately to mutiny, and for aught I
can learn there has been nothing but tumults ever since—In
November last I received a letter from Sir Henry Chicheley
signifieing the great desires of the inhabitants there of a cessa-
tion, to which I gave answer, that I found the same inclinations
in several of the chief inhabitants of Maryland, but durst
not joyn with him in anything of that nature, untill I was
assured from under his owne, and M^r Secret^y Spencer's hand

P.R.O.

Colonial
Papers.