Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1684-89. 441

that his Lordships Officers threaten the Masters of Vessels that
in case they pay not the penny per pound duty to them, they
shall be sued and their Vessels seized, and yet notwithstanding
this complaint, His Lordship is ready to make it appear that
the said Blackiston had received several thousand pounds of
Tobacco, even afore he had writt that letter, and the same had
paid away to his creditors, who never had any hopes of being
satisfyed by him until he had obtain^d His Majesty's Commis-
sion. This will be proved if required, so that M^r Blackiston
had no other way this year to make up his accounts with the
Commissioners of His Majestys Customs but by pretending
great obstructions from his Lordships Officers.
What M^r Blackiston has mentioned concerning Major Sewal
is as untrue as the rest of his Letter, for when the said Sewall
had given him notice of several Irish Vessels he intended to
seize the said Blackiston, neglected to assist him in it and so
the said Sewall was forced to proceed without him and after
that those Vessels were seized, the said Blackiston persuades
Captain Allin to send Boats and men to secure them, who
finding his Lordshipps Officers on board were disappointed
which gave great trouble to them both and is the cause of his
writing that he was prevented in the discharge of his office,
some of the said Vessels were condemned at a special Court
and the rest more likely to receive the same condemnation as
his Lords^p has been informed and a faithful Account will be
given suddenly by his Lords^ps Officers to the Commissioners
of His Majesty's Customs and his Lordship is assured they wili
be also ready and able to clear themselves in all particulars
when they shall know and understand what M^r Blackiston has
charged them with, for his Lordship doth not doubt but it will
in the end appear some prejudice and ill will the said Blackiston
has been guilty of in his Office and of which his L^dps has given
notice to the Commissioners of his Majesties Customs.
Therefore his Lordship humbly beggs that the said Blackiston
may be required to prosecute his great Charge contained in
his said Letter That in case Coll. Diggs and the rest of the
Officers in Maryland be found guilty they may suffer, but if
innocent as his Lordship hopes and believes they are, that then
they may be cleared.
C. Baltemore.

The Lord Baltemore's Answer to
M^r Blackiston's Letter.

Presentment 29^th of April 1685

The Comm^rs humbly mind his Lordshipp of the Papers re-
maining in the hands of M^r Guy (being presented to the late

P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.