Assembly Proceed-ings, May 10-June 9, 1692. 321

home, that he the said Watkins was not Sufficiently informed
of the Matter, neither can the Papers relating thereto be pro-
cured, wherefore he prays a Reference till next Sessions of
Assembly for hearing the said Errors, Time given till Saturday
next the 5th of June for both parties to provide themselves,
and then Peremptorily to come to hearing and Arguing the
Errors aforesaid.

To his Excellency Lyonell Copley Cap^t Gen^l & Governor of
Maryland
The Humble Petition of Henry Darnall
Sheweth
That your Petitioner by an Order of the Assembly now
sitting was Summoned to appear before the Same, and there
to produce the Books of Entrys of Ships supposed to be in his
Custody he having been Navall Officer in this Province before
the late Revolution, That in Obedience thereunto he appeared
and told the Gentl of the said Assembly that he did not know
(as in reality he does not) whether the said Books be in his
Custody or not and further said that if they were he did not
think it safe for him to deliver the same or Copys thereof as
much as he is but a Servant to the right Honourable the Lord
Baltimore unto whom (as your Petitioner Conceives) the said
Books do belong and who as your Petitioner believes would
look upon it as a Breach of his trust in your petitioner to part
with the same without his order that the Gentlemen of the
Assembly lookt upon this modest Answer of your petitioner to
be a Contempt and thereupon Ordered that he should be taken
into Custody to the Great detriment of both his Masters and his
own Affairs and as (Your petitioner humbly Conceives) Con-
trary to the Tenor of his Majestys Protection to your petitioner
Granted, in Order to the Management of his Masters Con-
cerns in the said Province Wherefore Your petitioner humbly
prays that your Excellency will please to take such means with
the said Gentlemen of the Assembly as to your Excellency
shall seem most Convenient and proper to procure your
Petitioners Enlargement that thereby he may enjoy the Benefit
of his Majestys Protection and mind the Concerns of his
Master in whose favour the said protection was Granted
And your Petitioner will pray.

U. H. J.

The answer of this Board subscribed as follows Viz^t

By his Excellency the Governor & Council
May 30th 1692.
The petitioner being a prisoner Committed by the House
of Assembly upon their own Authority and for Reasons best

p. 649