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

Liber K.

Maryland Dec^r 21^st 1692
May it Please your Lordships
Since our last to your Lordships of the 14^th of October last
we have had fresh and repeated occasions of representing to
your Ldshps the irregular and undue proceedings of S^r Thomas
Lawrence their Majestys Secretary of this province daily pur-
suing and putting in Practice his former wonted inclinations
and endeavours topromote & advance his own private Interest
above their Majestys Service, continually & only associating
himself with Papists and other Male Contents their Majestys
open and known Enemies, countenancing none but them, and
endeavouring to raise and foment differences and their private
annimosities against the Government and not only so but (as
we are credibly advised) hath used his Skill to asperse and
scandalize the same to their Majestys and your Lordships by
his most notorious false informations and suggestions from
whence we hold our selves obliged with submission to vindi-
cate and defend our selves before your Lordships and the
whole world and to assure your Lordships that as our zeal for
their Majestys Service shall lead us principally to the Pro-
moting of their Interest so our own naturall inclinations shall
never sway with us to do him or any Particular Person whatso-
ever willingly any wrong
One thing we observe has particularly disturbed him and
humbly Conceive he may have not fairly and candidly repre-
sented as one of his Grievance (viz^t) that he is abridged of a
Certain Fee or fine assessed upon the Innholders or Ordinary

p. 118

Keepers of this Province yearly for their Lycense which the
Lord Baltimore did formerly of his own free will bestow on
the Secrys his own Creatures and relations in liew of some
other fee of greater Value taken from them, which he might
also take from them at his Pleasure so that they never had or
cou'd claim any right or Property therein but meerly his Lord-
ships Bounty he likewise conceives himself Injured in being
debarred of a Certain other Fee of fourty Shillings Sterl by
Act of Assembly of this Province now setled upon the Gov-
ernor for Entring and Clearing of every Ship or Vessel trading
here in liew and full of a Fee formerly termed Secretarys fees
but taking by his Lordship under colour of an old Law long
since abrogated by his Lordships own Consent and for which
now the Governor doth employ and maintain convenient
Officers to Perform that Duty in the respective entring Ports
of this Province, so that we humbly offer it to your Lordships
more judicious Consideration whether Malice Avarice & Self
Interest rather then any just cause or the publick good have
not induced him to such illegall methods of proceedings and
consequently been the only ground of his supposed Grievance