Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85. 367

ever vouchsafed to have shewne me which he never did nor
have I seen it I can safely sweare this five yeares and better
possibly my capacity might not have reacht to have seen it soe
cleare as M^r Badcock did by the help of that Order of Coun-
cill which I beleeve he had by him or by some instructions from
the Comm^rs neither of which I had seen, and I presume that could
every ordinary capacity have reacht to M^r Badcocks knowledge
in this matter without the help of that order of the 16^th of
February 1680. that order would not I presume with all due
submission to thinke have been past. Not but that if I seen
the act of the 25^th of His Majestie's reign when I had that dis-
pute with Badcock. I should probably have found my error
but with much more ease should I have seene it upon the sight
of the said Order. Captain Sheppard cleered the 26^th of July
and had noe more than one hundred and ninety five hogsheads
of the Growth of Maryland I say he cleered upon oath for noe
more with Captain Diggs my Collector and to make up his
loading he carried out forty five thousand Pipe staves all which
with the Shipp belonged to M^r John Bawdon Merchant in
London of whome the truth may be knowne as to that shipp

and I hope it will be found that His Majesie's dutyes of those

one hundred and ninety five hogsheads were paid at some of
the Custome Houses in England of this Captain Diggs cannot
certainly informe me as yet. As for Dennet & Tarleton the first
cleered the 5^th of July and was bound for Menis with lumber
(viz ) Pipe staves squar'd timber, Planks &c. of this Province
he carried noe Tobaccoe out of the Province to which he made
oath afore he cleered & at Anguilla he lost his shipp in a
hurricane at which and the other Islands were cast away about
twenty saile more. The said Dennet after the loss of his
Vessel came a Passenger from Monnserat in a Plymouth Vessel
and is at this time in the Province and is ready to make the
same oath he did afore Tarleton cleer'd the 2 2^d July and
made oath to fifty nine hogsheads of Tobacco of this Province
and noe more as will appeare by the Booke of Entries and for
noe more did he pay any imposition money to me soe that it
will easily be made appeare that rousby & Badcock were mis-
taken when they presumed to informe and complaine against
me that His Majestie had been damnified in his customes two
thousand five hundred pounds by the three Vessells above
mentioned, this being the true state of that business betwixt
Badcock and me and to which I will make oath when thereunto
commanded by His Majestie I hope I shall not be thought to
be soe much wanting in my loyalty and duty to my gracious
King nor soe void of sense nor soe careless in my owne
preservation as to doe act or soe much as to thinke that might
offend in any kind or nature my dread soveraigne for whose

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.