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

Liber K.

and made so evidently to appear to the Iustices of the said
County Court, that they approved of and ordered your Peti-
tioners Conveyance from the said Nathaniel to be also recorded
and the former granted to the said Hopkins did seeme to be
Unjust fraudulent and Surreptitiously obtained.

p. 57

Now may it Please your Honours the better to corrobate
and Confirm your Petitioners just and equitable right and title
to the Premises in regard the said Hopkins hath anticipated
your Petitioner in recording his conveyance aforesaid your Peti-
tioner humbly prays an order from this Honourable Board
may issue to the Iustices of the said County Court to vacate
annull and make void by an order of their Court the Convey-
ance and record thereof to the said Hopkins as surreptitiously
and fraudulently obtained and confirm that of your Petitioners
as his just and equitable right and title
And shall pray &c^a

which Petition was thus answered and endorsed (viz^t)

By the Gov^r & Councill Oct^r 6^th 1692
The tenor of the Petition containing matter of Law this
Board cannot take cognizance thereof, but refer the same to
be decided by the Law: howbeit it seemeth to this Board that
the Petitioner hath the most just and equitable right to the
Land within mentioned
Sign'd p Order
J LLewellin Cl Councill

P. R. O.

Maryland
B. I. Vol. 8,
p. 50

Additional Instructions for our Trusty and Wel-
beloved Lyonell Copley Esq" our Captain Generall
and Governor in Chief in and over our Province and
Territory of Maryland in America and in his absence
to the Governor in Chief of our said Province for the
time being

Whereas we have taken notice of the great losses susteined
by our Subjects trading to our Plantations in America by
the falling of their ships into the hands of the French in their
return to England and to the End that all possible means
may be used for the security of Merchants ships in their voy-
age home. Our Will and Pleasure is and we do hereby strictly
charge and require you to take care that during this time of
Warr no ships be permitted to come from Maryland but in
Fleets or under the Convoy or Protection of some of our ships
of Warr or at such time as you shall receive notice from hence
for their meeting such convoys as may be appointed for the
bringing of them safe to some of our Ports in this Kingdome