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

P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.

pired, and that the said Badcock did confess the Act of Navi-
gation was againe in force, and the Certificates of Dennet,
Tarleton and Sheppard, did make mention of Ireland, my uncle
did conclude I was in the right; which was only his advice, and
noe order of Councill in relation to it. After this I demanded
of M^r Badcock what made him soe confident in his opinion, for
he began to be very high, and told me he would complain to
the Comissioners, I demanded of him whether he had any in-
structions for what he stood upon, that if he had, or any late
order, I knew not of at that time, he would doe well not to keep
me in the darke: but, in the presence of Almighty God I here
declare it, that he never made mention of any instructions nor
of His Majestie's Order in Councill of the 16^th February
1680. which I find since he had by him, but would produce
neither to me, for had he but given me the least hint of his
instructions or of the said Order of His Majesty in Councill,
I had been the most impudent of men to have withstood my
Sovereigns commands therein: but as I have already assured,
I doe againe, Sir, here solemnly protest in the presence of God,
that as I never was permitted either by Rousby the Collector, or
Badcock the Comptroler and Surveyor, to have a sight of the
instructions from the Comissioners of His Majestie's Customes
to them, soe I doe alsoe in like manner affirm, that until
some months after Badcock's death, I never saw His Majes-
tie's Order in Councill of the 16^th of February 1680; which
in December last, I received from the Comissioners with their
letter of the 19^th of September last; and did in my letter
of the 26^th of January last (which was my answer to that
letter of theirs) acknowledge my receipt of the said order; and
afore that letter of theirs I never had any notice of the said
order. To the truth of all this I am and will be ready upon the
least notice from your selfe that His Majesty comands it, to goe
over to M^r Secretary Spencers in Virginia and there make oath
afore him not only to every particular of what I now write; but
alsoe of what I writ to you by Cap^t Christopher Evelin, by
whom I presumed to send you a large pacquett in February
last; the which I hope may have ere this arrived at your hands.
As to this complaint and information of M^r Nicholas Badcock,
had I, not been held in ignorance (by his means & the Sur-
veyor) of their Instructions from the Com^rs of his Majestie's
Customes, and of His Majestie's Order in Council already
mentioned, I should never have writt so confidently to the
Comm^rs as I did by my letter of the 7^th of June last, as alsoe to
the Earle of Anglesey in my letter to his Ldp of the same date,
and therefore I presume to hope His Majesty will be gratiously
pleased to believe, that my transgression has been thro' ignor-
ance, and for want of those directions, which I am now certaine