Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1667-75. 83

would be then and there exhibited against the said Ship for
the breach of the said Acts and whereas Complaint hath been
made by the said Edward Maynard to the Board here that
Several Persons that are indebted to him several quantities of
Tob^o within this Province since the seizure of his said Ship
hath (when he hath demanded his debt of them) pretended
that if the said Ship should be forfeited their Tobacco may be
so too and that they Cannot safely pay it to him but that it
may if the Ship be forfeited be demanded again of them to
the great damage of the said Edward Maynard and of his
Employers the Board taking the Premises into serious Consid-
eration have thought fit to declare unto all Persons whatsoever
whom it shall or may Concern that although the said Ship
should be forfeited as Prize the said Edward Maynard hath
good right to ask demand and Receive all such Tobacco as
shall belong to him or his Imployers in this Province and that
for the Breach of the said Respective Acts (if it should be
proved against him the forfeiture lyes only upon the Ship and
what is in her

Liber A. M.

Maryland ss^t
William Talbot Esq^r Principal Secretary of the Province of
Maryland to all Persons to whom these Presents shall Come
sendeth Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting Know Ye that
Whereas the right honble Cecilius Absolute Lord and Pro-
prietary of the Provinces of Maryland and Avalon Lord Baron
of Baltimore &c^a hath by his Commission under his hand and
Greater Seal at Arms deputed Constituted and appointed me
his Principal Secretary in the said Prov^s together with all
Regards Profits Advantages and Perquisites to the said Office
belonging and appertaining and whereas by the Inhabitants of
the County of Somerset I am informd that several open
Sloops and Boats do come from the Colony of Virginia into
the said County and do trade with several Inhabitants of the
same for Tobacco and other Commodities of the Growth and
production of the same County and the same do export out of

p. 56

this Province without ever any Entry by them made of such
Sloop (without a deck) or Boat that so trades in the said
County Contrary to the Act of Parliam^t in that Case made and
Provided and whereas I am further Informed by several of the
Inhabitants of the said County that Several such open Sloops
and Boats that come to trade with them as aforesaid rather
then be put to the trouble of Coming to enter them said Sloops
or Boats at my Office for entring of Vessels at Patuxent and
the City of Saint Maries would discontinue their said trade
with the said County which would be to their very Prejudice
and I willing to do what in me lieth for the ease and Advantage

p. 57