Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1684-89. 431

had granted to himself many years before he granted M^r Penn
his patent and that he found he had included all the land on
the westwardmost side of Delaware river unto the latitude of
the fortyeth degree within his Lordshipps said Patent, unto
which Gov^r Markham replied That as his Lordship was pleased
to consult his Lordshipps one patent, and give what construc-
tions upon the said pattent his Lordship thought most proper
for his purpose, he as his most faithful servant not at all being
made known to the contents of his Lordshipps patent had read
and perused the Kings Majestys Letters pattents granted unto
W^m Penn, which he had that time produced to his Lordshipp
under the Great Seale of England, and there found as is here
expressed that his Majesty has been graciously pleased by
Letters pattent bearing date the 4^th of March last past do give
and grant unto W^m P. Esq^re all the Tract of Land in America
called by the name of Pensylvania, as the same is bounded on
the East by Delaware river, from 12 miles distance Northwards
of New Castle Towne, unto the 43^rd degree of northern lattitude,
and dayted on the 2^nd day of Aprill 1682 for these reasons.
George Markham told his Lordship that he could not allow
him to take furthur observations because M^r Penn's pattent
took its beginning 12 miles from New Castle, and for the
reasons his Majesty had to do soe (which was often questioned
by the Lord Baltemore & alledged on his Lordshipps part that
his Majesty had been misinformed) he dares not be so pre-
sumtive to inquire into his Majestys reason he being always
the master and Interpreter of his own reasons unto whom he
referred his Lordship for answer, his Lordship was pleased to
say M^r Penn might go there for answer if he pleased; for his
own part he had no reason nor would go before his Majesty
nor Council Table for any such matter, but would take his own
where he found it. The Lord Baltemore by one of his Artists
or Commis^rs was pleased to object that if we began 12 miles
above New Castle and respected the Town as our center; how
could we fetch our surveys to touch the Meridian line of 40, it
being a matter in his Lordshipps esteem unpracticable unto
which Gov^r Markham replied, that in that they were as far at a
loss as in the foregoing argument, for that as he would show
them, and at that time produced the letters pattent granted by
his Majesty to W^m Penn, his Majesty had not Concluded the
Town of New Castle to be the centre, but that the 40^th degree
was the centre and the circle of the 12 miles to the northward
of New Castle was only to respect the 40^th degree as its centre
unto which they said his Majesty must have long Compasses.
The Governor made answer he hoped they would not limit his
Majesty's Compasses. These and such like arguments being
often disputed and repeated on both sides his Lordshipp desired

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Colonial
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