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

P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.

borrow one, which was not yet come, nor had it, had not I gone
myself & engaged for its security, On the 26^th of May, seeing
a necessity for my going to New York, as aforesaid, sent an

Express to my L^d Baltemore supposing it might be with him
before his setting out, with orders at home, that if they heard
of my Lord's coming, to send an express to me at New York.
My Lord here takes notice of the receipt of mine of the 26^th
of May, and that in it I mention the 10^th June, but not the
occasion which was to desire it might be put off till I came
from New York but t'is his Lordshipp's way of showing his
polliticks. and now S^r I beg leave that I might not follow his
Lordshipps immethodical method, to leave his letter of the
11^th of July a while, and come to some others of his, & agents,
that I might the more easily Keep the path I began in, here
ought to be read his letter of the I^st June 82, by which he
excuses his not coming himself as he had promised, but that he
had sent his Commiss^rs and hoped they would meet with per-
sons the like qualified, this very letter was brought by the
Com miss" themselves, and the first time I ever heard he had
an intent to send Commis^r and therefore no wonder they were
disappointed of meeting any the like qualified, with this letter I
received one from his Commiss^rs dat. from Augustine Harmany,
the 10^th June 82, they were both brought into New York by
George Go forth, in this letter they desired I would dispatch
persons with Instruments to joyne with them, in order to this I
shipp off an Instrument at New York on board of Cregory
Sloop, and took my journey by land to meet them. When the
Sloop arrived at New Castle, my Lord Baltemore's Comm^rs
were there, and understanding the Instrument I had borrowed
was on board, did by the means of the Dutch Inhabitants of
that Towne, procure the Master (he being a Dutch man) to
bring it on shore, and there they used it as you may see by my
Lord's letter of 11^th July (a Confidence I never met the like to
dare to touch an Instrument that was to be used by the con-
trary partie and so privately that no friend of ours was by) now
how honest this will appear before all sober men. as his Lord-
shipp is pleased to say of my actions, I know not, but in my
opinion they that don't take it for Knavery will be mistaken.
I beg pardon for this digression. The day after they had used
the Instrument I came down to New Castle, believing the Com-
missioners had been there, but they were gone the night before.
The next morning I sent M^r Haig to Augustine Harmans in
hopes to have found them there, but they were gone before he
came there, but on the same day what reason these Gentlemen
had to go back when they saw the Instrument, and was told I
was near home, I can't imagine. July 7^th 82 I sent to my Lord
to give him an account, that I made all possible speed to meet