Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1692-1694. 493

To his Excellency the Gov^r & his honble Councill
The humble Petition of William Taylard
humbly sheweth
That your Petitioner had Contracted under hand and Seal
with S^r Thomas Lawrence Secry of this Province wherein he
is obliged to Depute & Commissionate your Petitioner his
Deputy & Clk of the Provincial Court by Vertue whereof
your Pet^r has Officiated & Acted as Clerk which said Con-
tract by consent of both Parties remained in the hands of
M^r Tho^s Grunwin but which since may it please your Excel-
lency your Petitioner fearing himself to be under some mis-

take applied himself to M^r Grunwin for a View thereof who
denyed me alledging that he had delivered it S^r Thomas
Lawrence from whose hands he could not get it, so it may
prove much to his Detrim^t and your Petitioners utter Ruin
unless relieved by your Honours in the Premises and for the
better Confirming your Petitioners proceed^gs and for Satisfac-
tion of the People humbly prays an order of this Honourable
Councill to Compel S^r Thomas Lawrence to produce the same
before your Honours which as in duty bound your Petitioner
prays may be approved of your Petitioner having tendred
Security & still is ready to Comply with every Article of my
aforesaid Contract your Petitioner further sheweth to your
Honours that he has been credibly informed that S^r Tho^s
Lawrence has used his endeavour to procure some other
person to supply your Petitioners office so that your Petitioner
will be wholly frustrate of employ which may tend much to
Prejudice (notwithstanding your Petitioners Contract) there-
fore your Petitioner humbly prays some Commission or
Authority to proceed either by Virtue of my Contract when
approved of, or otherwise as to your Honours shall seem
meet or else that your Petitioner may be fairly discharged
from further Officiating and further may it Please your Excel-
lency in order to his Discharge your Pet^r is ready by order of
this honble Board to deliver such records that is in your
Petitioners Custody offering to your Honours that a Record a
Iournall of the Lower house of Assembly filed in the Office
with your Petitioner was taken from your Petitioner by the
said S^r Thomas & delivered to the honble Coll Nicholson who
Carried the same out of the Province Since which another Iour-
nall has been brought unknown to your Petitioner and delivered

Liber K.
p. 172

to his Clerk Your Petitioner finding himself not Obliged to
receive the same without an Order of this honble Councill
prays consideration of the Premises
All which your Petitioner is ready to averr and prove, and
that for clearing your Petitioner from such danger and hazard
as he may run under by means of the Premises being a grand

p. 173