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

Liber K.

be & hope by the next to give your Lordships ample Satis-
faction in that point having laid wait to take hold of him and
bring him to strict examination he is sufficiently Conscious of
his own Guilt & out of pure Malice & Spleen to this Govern-
ment not offering to be seen in this Province nor appear in
the Execution of his Office but watches all Opportunitys of
Suprizing & taking Ships or Vessels coming into or going
out of this Province & carrying them into Virginia & these
make his advantage to the great Damage & Injury of this
Government & we have good cause to Beleive as little to
their Majestys Service & Interest
We crave leave only further barely to hint to your Lord-
ships the irregular & unseemly behaviour of one M^r Fitzhugh
an Officer also of their Majestys Customs in Virginia Deputy
Collector of Pottomock who upon the Tryall of a Ship here
legally Seized as a foul Trader appeared at Court as an
Advocate or Attorney for the Defendant against their Mai-

p. 212

estys & being admitted (as not then Considering his Capacity
upon Condition of taking the Oaths appointed by Act of Par-
liament to be taken by all persons in Office or Place of trust
& profit, refused to take the same, & thereupon rendered
himself delinquent & incapable to plead notwithstanding did
privately & underhand advise Council & abett the said De-
fendant against their Majestys & Offered with a Certain Sum
of Money to Corrupt their Majestys Collector here to desist
his prosecution or make composition for the same all which
we hold it our Duty to represent to your Lordships for no
pticular prejudice we bear to the Persons or any other
malicious or sinister end whatsoever their Majestys Service
& Interest & Setting forth the truth being the only end &
design therein of
May it please your Lordships
To the right Your Ldshps most humble Serv^ts
Honble the Lords L: C
of their Majestys N B: I A:
Treasury at Whitehall N G: I C:
London D B: T B:
humbly present

Memd: amongst other papers was also Inclosed & sent in
the aforegoing Letter this following Letter of M^r Cha Carrols
to Coll^o Blakiston (viz^t) a copy thereof as follows

Ianuary the 15^th 1692
Hon^d Sir
Having been Concerned as Council for M^r Luke in this con-
cern of the Ship & finding him fully resolved upon an Appeal