158 Records Illustrating the History of Maryland

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.

M^r Sayer to Lord Baltemore

31. December 1689.
My Lord,
Since my last to your Lordship (which was in Johnson the
verriest rogue that ever crost saltwater) there has not bin a
more tragick comedy of rebellion acted, since the royall
bounty of King James and King Charles of blessed memory
bestowed upon your Ancestors the Charter of this Province
of Maryland; to lay itt downe in all its acts, and scenes would
be too tedious, there being some of the actors (whom God
send safely to arrive) will give your Lordship an orall relation
of all. I shall onely trouble your Lordship with some few par-
ticulars, which they (being forc'd to abscond) may not have
notice of. As soon as the noise came into our County,
that our Masinella Coade had gott at the head of five or six
hundred men, Griff Jones sends a note to Clayland (then
preaching) that he and his auditory must come away presently
to the Court house which they did; where this villanous rascal
persuaded the poor silly mobile that if they did not sign to
that paper (a copy of which your Ldpp hath) they should all
certainly loose their estates: Upon this our County (who were
before as quiet as lambs) gott to such a head, and crying that
all their throats should be cutt by the Papists, that if Coade's
order for disbandeing of everybody then in armes had not come
to Will: Combes, our timorous Magistrates could never have
quietted 'em. With this order came up his declaration, which
was read att our Court house the fourth day following which
was the 15^th of August, all people being warned to come and
hear it by the cleark of our County Nicholas Lowe; Coll:
Coursey being likewise invited for his advice by M^r Robotham
who accordingly came, and advised them to lett no papers be
read that came from any of the rebells, except they would permitt
him, or that M^r Robotham himself would paraphrase, and lett
the people know what damn'd falsities were contained in 'em;
butt M^r Robotham reply'd, that if any body should contradict
anything, in that humor the people were in, they should have
all their braines knockt out; says Coll: Coursey, what did you
send for me for, if you won't take my advice; would you have
me hear a company of lyes tould against My Lord Baltemore,
to whom I have sworn fidelity, and so have you; if your
conscience will, mine won't permitt me to doe itt. After a
great many arguments the Court was call'd, but noe Coll:
would appeare with'em; In short, my Lord, the declaration
was read, with Coad's other orders by Nick Lowe, after which
M^r Robotham (without mentioning the goodness or badness
of the things read) asks them how they would dispose of the