130 Records Illustrating the History of Maryland

P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.

Dread Sovereignes.
We have at this distance to our great comfort and felicity

beheld and admired your Maj^ties like the Sunne in the Firma-
nent not only dispersing all malitious and threatening Clouds
of Popery but also nurrished and cherrished the Church of
England the which we hope will prove a sweete smelling
flower to your Majesties and your posterity for ever.
We humbly beseem yo^r Maj^ties to believe that we have a full
sense of this our present happinesse and esteem this last
blessing of Almighty God not only an an earnest of His mer-
ciful kindness unto us and such as shall succeed us but as of
a royal stamp of heaven upon your Maj^ties dignity and under-
takings.
We take the boldness to assert yo^r Maj'^ies that we will
behave ourselves in all the Circumstances of duty and loyalty
as senseable and worthy of so great a blessing as by me shall
not deface the Character, which (if soe small remote a handfull
can add anything to yo^r Majesties Service) shall be for ever
legable in our Actions and effections.
We esteem this our Interest and Duty and therefore pray
that Almighty God by whom Kings reign and who hath so
signally crowned your Majesties with this favour would add
length to your days and Tranquility. These are and shall be
for ever our apprehensions and wishes which being sincere
and hearty imbouldene us to lay before your most sacred
Majesties our at present most deplorable condition which is
that several persons who call themselves Protestants have
overturned the Lawfull and peacable Government here of
the Lord Baltemore under pretence of doing your Maj^ties Ser-
vice, whereas in truth we have just cause to believe, and doubt
not but your Majesties will find they intended noe other than
to gratifie their own ambitions and mallitious designes this not
being the first tyme that some of the Ringleaders of them
have attempted to make a rupture in the peace and govern-
ment of this Province being persons that little regard either
religion or justice furthur than to carry out their designes but
denying us the benefitts of Lawes and Priviledges due to
Englishmen terming us worse than Papists for that we would
not joyne with them in overturning the said Government of
the said Lord Baltemore whom we were well assured at the
same time was a subject to your Majesties whose Orders to
proclaim you there we dayly wished and hoped for the lives
and conversations of which persons as also of us the subscri-
bers we presume to say that divers merchants in London and
Traders hither are capable to give a satisfactory account of
these, terrifieing us with Troops of armed men and hauling
several of us to prison with martial force and sometimes show-