Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1667-75. 9

wee are all well assured that the Lord Baltemore will send
directions to those who are trusted by him & if any thing shall
be insisted on by them contrary to reason & prejudicial to our
Colony of Virg^a upon representacOn thereof to us, wee shall
give such determinacOn therein as shall be just. To w^ch Royal
Iustice wee doe in all humility appeale, both for a vindicacOn
of ourselves from any disobedience to yo^r Ma^ties Commands &
our actions from any opinion of Levity & inconstancy in matters
of so neare & important concernm^t And for a redresse of our
present injuries and a security from those mischiefes & incon-
veniences w^ch either are or are likely to fall upon this yo^r Ma^ties
Colony, at present reduced to that strange extremity as to,
remaine the poorer, the harder they labour for so little doth a
great quantity of Tobacco yield that they have not time to
improve any other commodities to their advantage. And doe
therefore most humbly pray th^t as God has blessed us w^th a
most gracious & indulgent Prince, served by most hon^ble &
prudent councell^rs That yo^r Majesty by yo^r absolute power &
Your Princely favour will be graciously pleased to protect this
yo^r Ma^ties Loyall & most ancientest Collony from the violent &
ruinous attempte of our Neighbours arm'd (as they pretend)
w^th absolute authority, & that yo^r Ma^tie & the L^ds of yo^r most
Hon^ble Privy Councell will be pleased upon consideracOn of
our whole complaints herein represented to yo^r Ma^tie to put
such a determinacOn to it as shall seeme most juste, & th^t you
will be pleased to apply such a remedy as may be proporcOn-
able to our distresse, Wherein if yo^r Ma^tie & yo^r most Hon^ble
Councell^rs shall yet incline for the connrmacon of a Cessation
for the future (that wee may not appeare so ingratefull for
such a blessing) wee are well contented th^t such impositions
may bee putt upon our Cofnodity as may fully repaire any
deminution in yo^r Ma^ties Revenue occasion'd by the sd CessacOn
& shall for ever pray that God will blesse yo^r Ma^tie w^th Victories
and Tryumphs over all your Enemies and long continue you
the greatest blessing upon earth, as to all other yo^r subjects so
to this Colony & particularly to yo^r Ma^ties most Humble Loyall
and obedient Servants, subjects & Creatures.
William Berkeley
Thomas Swann Thomas Ludwell Sec.
George Reade Robert Smith
Edward Carter Richard Bennett
Theodorick Bland
Robert Wynne Speaker Thomas Stegge
Nathaniell Bacon
Henry Corbin
Milles Cary
Francis Willis
Vera Copia test.
Tho^s Ludwell Sec.

P. R. O.

Colonial Pa-
pers, Vol. 21,
No. 65.