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

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.

ship having long since ordered that they should apply them-
selves to the King's Collector as well as to his own and such
was the practise whilst M^r Christopher Rousby was living and
the truth of this may be easily known from several Masters of
Ships and others now in Town, after M^r Christopher Rousby
was so unfortunately Killed by George Talbot the Deputies of
Maryland did presume to appoint Coll. W^m Diggs and Major
Nicholas Sewall (both of them persons of good repute and
Estates) to officiate as Collectors for His Majesties Dues, until
another person could be appointed by the Commissioners of
His Majesty's Customs, and this they thought their Duty to
take care to doe, that His Majesties Officers might receive the
less prejudice by that wicked Act of the said Talbot and his
Lordship doubts not, but the said Persons so appointed will
give a just account of their proceedings to the Commissioners
of His Majesty's Customs.
His Lordship cannot believe that M^r Blackiston has been
served (as he alledges in his said Letter) with any Warrant or
has been threatened in that manner as he has writt and there-
fore humbly beggs that enquiry may be made of such Persons
as are lately come from those parts of whom the truth of all
this may be easily known, though it may very possibly be that
he has been arrested at the suits of his many Creditors, it being
known to many he is much in debt and has been so for many
years.
Coll. W^m Diggs one of his Lordships Collectors is known
by several Eminent merchants here to be a person of so much

loyally as that he would not be guilty of those foul things laid

to his charge in the said Letter, and it were to be wished that
M^r Blackiston had at all times expressed his loyalty to the
King as amply as the said Diggs has always done both in
Virginia and Maryland.
T'is not possible for any Person that understands the Trade
of Maryland to believe his Majesty should be prejudiced several
thousand Pounds, if his Lordships Officers should be as mali-
cious and as wicked as the said Blackiston doth endeavour by
his Letter to represent them for whilst M^r Chr: Rousby lived
who understood the office well and knew as much as any
Person how to make the most of it there never was much
above one hundred pounds in One year received by him, for
so he often declared to his Lordship, t'is strange therefore to
his Lordship as also to all dealers and Traders thither that M^r
Blackiston should find out that it is possible for his Lordships
Officers by any obstruction which he says is given by them to
prejudice his Majesty in so high a measure, were they so un-
dutiful and impudent as to do it in any matter whatsoever.
But M^r Blackiston takes care to signify that he doubts he
shall receive little Tobacco this year, and gives this as a reason