Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1692-1694. 503

By his Excellency the Gov^r & Councill
Maryland ss
Whereas it is credibly informed that Coll Peter Sayer of
Talbot County hath lately uttered & divulged divers false
scandalous mutinous & seditious speeches and reports of and
concerning this their Majestys Government and hath & doth
also combine conspire & confederate with other their Majestys
Enemies in this Province to the betraying of the Government
thereof, here by their Royal Authority lawfully established the
Bespattering Reviling abusing arlronting & scandalously
Reflecting upon the same endeavouring thereby to divert &
alienate others their Majestys good and loyal Subjects from
their due and natural Love & Affection faith & allegiance to
their s^d Majestys and this their Government contrary to the
Peace & the Laws in such case made & Provided and whereas
also one Thomas Smith a Romish Preist of the same wicked
& evil mind & Principles coming from Cannida under the
Dominion of the French King into this Province in the nature
of a Spy and for such other trayterous and treasonable designs
intents and purposes as is & may be reasonably suspected
from him or any other Person un^dr his circumstances is and
hath been for some considerable time privately Lodged har-
boured & entertained by the said Sayer in his house
These are therefore in their Majestys names to will &
require as also to strictly Charge and Command you Captain
Iohn Davis William Asquith and William Bladon Gent or any
or either of you forthwith to apprehend seize & take into

Liber K.

your care & charge the Bodys of the said Peter Sayer & Tho^s
Smith or either of them wheresoever to be found, and him
or them in your Custody safe keep so as to have them
before his Excellency the Governor at the City of S^t Marys
with all possible & convenient speed and you, or any or
either of you as aforesaid are hereby also authorised and
empowred willed & required to search for in the private
closet or any part of the said House of the said Sayer all
mutinous seditious trayterous or treasonable papers writings
or pamphletts any ways tending or Relating to the Betraying
of their Majestys Service & Interest, or otherwise Contriving
Conspiring or Confederating with any their Enemies in oppo-
sition thereunto or of this their Governm^t also to unlock and
break open and search all Chests trunks Cabinets tables doors
or other private & Suspected places (where the keys shall be
denyed or refused you) for all such papers &c^a as aforesaid
& the same when & wheresoever found forthwith to seize &
take into your Custody and them safely and securely keep &
put into a Bag by you to be fast and close sealed up &
Brought forthwith to his said Excellency with the Persons

p. 186