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P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.
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and income of his said Lordshipp are severely imposed and
executed especially one that is against all sense, equity, reason
and law punishes all speeches, practices and attempts relating
to his Lordship and Government that shall be thought mutin-
ous and seditious by the Judge of the provincial Court, with
either whipping, branding, boreing through the Tongue, fines,
imprisonments, banishment or death, all or either of the said
punishments at the discretion of the said Judges, who have
given a very recent and remarkable proof of their authority in
each particular punishment aforesaid, upon several the good
people of this Province, while the rest are in the same danger
to have their words and aeons lyable to the construction &
punishment of the said Judges, and their lives and fortunes to
the mercy of their arbitary fancies, opinions and sentences.
To these Grievances are added
Excessive Officers Fees, and that too under Execucon
directly against the Law made & provided to redress the
same, wherein there is no probability of a legall remedy, the
Officers themselves that are partys and culpable being Judges.
The like Fee being imposed upon and extorted from Masters
and Owners of Vessels trading into this Province, without any
Law to Justine the same, and directly against the plaine words
of the said Charter that say there shall be no imposition or
assessment without the consent of the Freemen in the As-
sembly to the great obstruccon of trade and prejudice of the
Inhabitants.
The like excessive Fees imposed upon and extorted from
the owners of Vessels that are built here or do really belong
to the Inhabitants contrary to an Act of Assembly made and
provided for the same, wherein moderate and reasonable Fees
are ascertained for the promoting and incouragement of
Shipping and navigation amongst ourselves.
The frequent pressing of men, horses, boats, provisions and
other necessarys in time of peace and often to gratifie private
designs and occations, to the great burthen and regrett of the
Inhabitants contrary to Law and several Acts of Assembly in
that case made and provided.
The seirvice and apprehending of Protestants in their
houses with armed force consisting of Papsts and that in time
of peace, thence hurrying them away to Prisons without War-
rant or cause of comittment these kept and confined with
popish guards a long time without tryall.
Not only private but publick outrages, & murthers com-
mitted and done by papists upon Protestants without redress,
but rather conived at and tolerated by the cheif in authority,
and indeed it were in vain to desire or expect any help or
other measures from them being papists and guided by the
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