164 Records Illustrating the History of Maryland

P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.

that was soe inhumanly murdered in the above execution of
his Office had onely four men with him in his owne little boat,
and came on board the said yacht without any violence
expressed or offered to any of the said murderers while he
was discoursing with them as above with his hand on the
tafferell of the said yacht he was shott dead, the rest in the
boat had much adoe to escape with their lives, being persued
to the very shore, where they saved themselves by the shoale-
ing of water, and some defence they made in their flight by
some Firelocks they had in the boat. There are hues and
crys and a proclamation for the for the said murderers gone
thro' this Province and into the neighbour Governm^ts to the
Northward, but since wee hear they have made their escape
and are fled back again into the Collony of Virginia under
your Goverm^t I am informed that the said Sewall and
Butler were then on shoare when the Fact was comitted and
beheld the Action, but gave particular orders (especially
Sewall) for what was done, and to justifie himself owned be-
fore divers witnesses (but I hope with the greatest injustice &
untruth) that he had a permitt from your Honours for this last
attempt of coming into this Province. This may it please your
Hono^rs you maybe assured is the naked truth of the matter
of Fact and circumstances. I am therefore again willed to
desire that the persons mentioned in my former Letter may
be returned hither under a strict guard, especially Sewall,
Butler, Mason, Ayleworth and Freeman, whom together with
the rest of the Company in the said Yacht when the aforesaid
Fact was committed (to us unknown) wee do accuse of the
said murder. There is likewise one Gulick a Jesuit likewise
fled for treasonable words against their Maj^tys (as I am
informed) into your Collony, which desire may be appre-
hended likewise and sent back, had it been possible or justifi-
able for us to apprehend or secure them when fled into Vir-
ginia without permission of that Governm^t this unhappy
accident had not happened, and his Maj^ty had not been
deprived of soe loyall a subject and faithful an Officer, for they
could not escape to the Northward, the Governm^ts on that side
being very vigelant and kind to us in that particular, therefore
are' forced to repeat my forementioned request that you use
your utmost diligence, that the aforesaid Criminalls and Yacht
may be returned, wee being still in danger of some private
murderous attempt from thence, and without your assistance
know not how to help it.
S^r His Maj^ty in his Orders by Gillam to this Province com-
mands that the Ships from hence sayle in fleets, wee suppose
the like order is come into your Government, and therefore I
have thought fitt to desire you would be pleased to take that