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

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.

that His Majestie would be pleased therewith, for as I remem-
ber there was an order of His Majestie's in Councill of the 5^th
November 1664, wherein it was expressly commanded, that no

cessation, stint or limitation of planting of Tobacco should be
in either of these Colonies, which Order I know not but may
be still in force. Since that answer of mine to Sir Henry
Chicheley I have had noe letter, which I expected I should
have had from him the last month, the Assembly of Virginia
being then met, and the Assembly here sitting about the same
time, these great disturbances makes me heartily wish my Lord
Culpeper were settled in his Government, for until then I ex-
pect not, that ever there will be that certainty of peace, and
quiet there which I could wish. Besides this bad news from
Virginia, which doth greatly perplex and trouble me, I have
yet a greater affliction on me at this time, occasioned upon my
receipt two days since of a letter from His sacred Majesty
bearing date the 8^th day of February last; wherein (to my un-
speakable greefe) I perceive myselfe fallen under His Majes-
tie's most high displeasure, a misfortune that I once hoped
never to lye under, and altho' I am at this present, struck with
that sense, that every loyall subject ought to feel upon any dis-
pleasure of his Sovereign, yet I still hope by my humble peti-
tion to His Most Excellent Majestie, which I will presume to
send by the next ship for London about tenn days hence, to
make it appeare, that notwithstanding I have transgrest and
thereby have most justly deserved His Majestie's anger, it was
not a crime wittingly and knowingly committed by me; but
drawne to the transgression thereof by a wilfull concealment
in the surveyor, and Comptroler here of theire Instructions
from the Comissioners of His Majestie's Customes, as alsoe of
the order of Council of the 16^th of February 1680. which, Sir, I
doe here protest, and declare in the presence of Almighty God
I never had sight of from either of them, and therefore let me
beg that you'ill please to take this following account: Some
time last year after M^r Christopher rousby his Majestie's Col-
lector went for England, there arrived here a vessell from
Poole, one Alexander Dennet master, and another from Liver-
poole the master of which was one Tarleton, both which mas-
ters brought Certificates of bond given in England for trans-
porting their tobaccoes for Ireland, there was alsoe one
Sheppard Cofnander of the S^t George of London with the like
Certificate who arrived a considerable time afore the two
former; M^r Nicholas Badcock, His Majestie's Comptroler, and
Surveyor here, comes to me, and signifies, that he had been
with Dennet and Tarleton to demand the penny per pound duty,
and that they refused to pay him any, unless he would give
them security to beare them harmless to their owners, never