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

Liber K.

high Sheriff of this County to appear on thursday April 7^th
before your Excellency & this honble Board to answer here
at this time to severall high crimes & misdemeanors with
which in that Citation I am said to stand Charged as Com-
mitted & done by me in Contempt of their Majestys Royal
Authority and of the present Government together with what
else should be Objected against me on their Majestys Behalf,
and whereas by the said Summons I am dishonoured and
disgraced by being at present dismist & Suspended from
being a Member of their Majestys Councill & from being a
Iustice either in their Provincial Court or in any other Part of
this Province, before I am heard or know any thing of my
Accusers or Accusation (except in the matter relating to my
Office of Publick Notary the Execution of which is thereby
forbidden me which tho I humbly desired to be informed of
by my address to your Excellency on Wednesday March 29^th
as also that your Excellency would then please to grant me
certain other reasonable requests in Order to my present
defence yet have I received no answer to any of them, I do
therefore again humbly desire of your Excellency and of this
honble Board a full Copy of my Charge in Writing as also of
all the Affidavits & Depositions of my Accusers and in order

p. 179

to my defence I desire again that the Councill Books hitherto
always denyed me may be laid before me and that a Copy of
all your Excellencys Instructions relating to me especially
those which appoint me to be a member of the Councill & a
Iustice of the Provincial Court may be delivered me, & lastly
that an order of Summons may be given me to Cite such Per-
sons to appear at a reasonable time to be allowed me to put
in my defence which I humbly request may be made in
Writing that in a matter of so great moment wherein the
dignity of their Majestys Commission my own reputation &
Innocency are concerned all sudden or Inconsiderate Speech
may be avoided by me that no misconstruction or Forgetful-
ness of my Extempore words or answers may hereafter be
Objected against me and that if at last it shall be thought
necessary that the whole Proceedings be laid before their
Majestys my Accusation and my undeniable replys in my
Vindication may go together
Thomas Lawrence

The Citation mentioned in the foregoing Letter or Petition
is as follows

By his Excellency the Gov^r &c^a
Maryland ss
Whereas Sir Thomas Lawrence Baronet one of the Iustices
of the Provincial Court & of their Majestys honble Councill