326 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1692-1694.

Liber K.

the Governor and Council of New York having been recom-
mended to the Consideration of the house of Assembly and
their Opinion thereon endorsed and returned again to his
Excellency (viz^t)

May it please your Excellency
This comes to congratulate your safe Arrival and happy
Accession to the Government of Maryland, We are heartily
glad of so good a Neighbour as You are characterized to be
by all the Gentlemen of your Acquaintance in this Province,
We pray You to be so kind as to maintain a frequent Corres-

p. 16

pondence with Us by all Occasions, You may be sufficiently
informed by the President M^r Blakiston, and the several books
and Papers sent from this Place, what Proposals have been
made to your Colony and the rest of Our Neighbours towards
the Defence of Albany which is the frontier Garrison of all the
English Plantations on the main of America, which if lost, We
must lose Our Indians, the ill Consequence whereof will be
equally shared amongst Us all, and do making thinking Men
to dread, the loose State and Condition of Government
amongst our Neighbours hath retarded their motion towards
Our Aid to reinforce that Post, so that the whole Burthen hath
lain upon this poor Province which indeed is intolerable,
Our Indians have been very unsteady, and now We are forced
to a great Charge of Presents to preserve them in Amity;
Our Neighbours in Virginia did send Us Bills for about
One hundred pounds to be given to the Indians, to tye the
Knott of Friendship on their behalf, and this is all that ever
yet We have received from any of Our Neighbours of any
Sort of Assistance, tho this Government since Governor
Slaughters Arrival are at above 700^L Charge in Presents,
besides the Great Expence in maintaining that Garrison,
We have had 300 Fusileers all this Winter at Albany in pay
who are to be discharged in May next, by the Blessing of God
it is still preserved, but in such a fainting and languishing
Condition that all the Inhabitants are ready to retire to the
Sea side, Trade being extinguished, and daily Alarms from
the Enemy, We have been forced to make an Order & Proc-
lamation to prohibit any Manner of Persons able to bear Arms
to withdraw from thence without a pass, which the Enemy
would rejoyce to hear of, the City of Albany and Plantations
next the River have been lately much damnifyed by a flood of
Rain, so that now We are obliged to supply them with Bread,
We have already and now again are resolved in all humility
to represent our Condition to their sacred Majesties also with
Relation to Our Neighbours on behalf of that Garrison, and
beg your Endeavours in like manner: We have received