122 Records Illustrating the History of Maryland

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.

Richard Hill to the Lord Baltemore

Maryland Sept^r 20^th 1689.
My Lord,
My education and employment hath left me unfurnished
with language sutable to adresse myselfe to your Lordship
soe that I humbly begg pardon for offering this trouble, but
as I have been long happier under my Lords^ps just Govern-
ment soe cannot but be sensible of the late fatall mischiefs
befallen us here by which myselfe and thousands more are
deprived of such happiness; and as myselfe and all others
living under your Lordships' protection for these many years
past haveing always enjoyed our free libertie in the exercise of
our religion together with the benefit of the laws of our native
Countrey England and all other rights & properties that a
free Englishman could desire or wish to enjoy for my Lord we
cannot but lament and condole our late losse of all those priv-
iledges of which we are now utterly deprived and that by the
malice, pride and ambition of some restless spirits here; as by
a late confederacie have endeavoured by whome we are brought
under the apprehension of nothing lesse than the inevitable
ruine and destruction not only of us and ours but alsoe of your
Lordships peaceable Governm^t and as much as in them lyes
of your Lordships just prerogative and interest here haveing
by force of armes deposed your Lordship's deputies and Gov-
ernors and divested them of the legall power and authority
they exercised under your Lordship making voyd all your
Lordship's Comissions both civill and millitarie by which they
have broken disolved and extinguished all lawes; disjointed
and unsettled the whole frame and order of this your Lord-
ship's Government under such pretences as plainly apeares
they have neither power nor authority to maintain (otherwise
plausible) but soe contrary are their practises and proceedings
that they are not only contrary but in dehance ot ail laws both
humane & divine; some few people here, out of each County
only, sideing and making part with them soe that they might
with ease have been subdued; but that for a handful of people
to take armes one against another & other reasons which
induces us rather to suffer that with patience which could not
be prevented but by making the case worse; for as hitherto
noe blood hath been spilt altho' we are in great fear and terror
that it will not end without; except some speedy meanes from
your Lordship to prevent the same; your Lordship's pres-
ence here would doe the work for which wee dayly pray;
my Lord I am heartily sorrie that such distractions should
befall us over which is all except the obligations of my duty
and fidellity to your Lordship whose I am in all dutifull
respects to my power. Rich^d Hill.