Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85. 391

the poor inhabitants at excessive Rates, and by the dishonesty
of some dealers many denies such Rights have been twice
sworne to and sold to the great abuse of the said condicons of
Plantation for the ease therefore of the said Inhabitants, as also
to prevent the like abuses for the future I thought good to alter
my Fathers Conditions of Plantation and instead of a Right
due upon the transportation of a servant, for w^ch the poor
Planter often payd to the Deputy Surveyors and the several
Collectors four hundred weight of tobacco and some times
more I declared I would accept of one hundred weight of
tobacco for every fifty acres hereafter should be taken up w^th
w^ch the Inhabitants not only the small ones but also the great
ones are much better satisfyed; and whereas on the sea board
side on the back of Somerset and Dorchester Counties and
also at the whore Kills there was many years ago but half
Rent sett upon such Lands as should be taken up there so
there is but fifty weight of tobacco for every fifty acres that
shall be taken up in those parts. This it seems is taken in ill
part by M^r Penn, and for this he accuseth mee of breach of
faith, a violater of the amicable treaty, and what else he pleaseth
to term mee; when the foregoing Proclamations was only
intended to publish the alteration I had made in the Conditions
of Plantation and the same Proclamations were drawn from
Presidents that heretofore went forth in my fathers Life time
who twice had altered his Conditions &c: Now why this should
bee such a crime as immediately for my Neighbor Penn to tax
mee with a breach of faith and to call mee a disturber of the
Peace &c: Neither I nor my Councill can understand the same
that now has been done was likewise done in govern^r Richard
Nicholls Coll Francis Lawelas and S^r Edmund Andros their
times whilst those same parts on Delaware were in the Pos-
session of His Royall Highness the Duke of York besides the
whore Hill was taken by mee from the Dutch some years ago
and never since in their possession w^ch will sufficiently be
made out: so that I have been ill used by my Neighbor (I
conceive) having not by any action of mine deserved to be
termed a faithless pson and one not fit to bee treated with.
Thus much certified by
C Baltemore.

Lord Baltemore to Lord Halifax 8 Feb^y 1682/3

Most Noble Lord.
Tho I have not the honour to be particularly knowne to
your Lordsp give me leave, I beseech you, to offer the enclosed
papers for your Lordps peruseale, when your weighty affaires
will best allow your Lordps some minutes for the same. Tis
the substance of a late Conferrence between M^r Will Penn and

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.