204 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85/6.

Lib. R. R. R.

Lre: to Capt. Brockholls:

Albany July 1:^o 1682
Hon^rd S^r
Haveing farther Confirmacon and Certainety of severall
Troopes gonn downe in to our Country vpon the Indians
liveing amongst us (und^r p^rtence whereof they kill'd the
Christians and Robb'd their houses last fall) and being like-
wise willing to prepare proposicons against the comeing
downe of the severall Sachims to treat w^th wee desired to
know how far wee might depend upon the Countenance and
assistance of the Commissarys of this Towne and to that end
framed these two inclosed proposicons and p^rsented them,
after two dayes wayteing for an answere wee desired to knowe
of M^r Levistone when wee might Expect it, who tould us that
the Comiss^rys did not expect propositions of that import, and
that they had not power to Condescend to them, Wee desired
him to move the Gent: to give us such answere as they thought
good that wee might have time as wee found occasion to
apply ourselves to you; This day they returned us this

p. 38

inclosed answere and gave us notice that M^r Garritson was by
Order of their Court, and wee suppose vpon some misunder-
standing of our proposicons to dispatch in person this next
morning away to you at New Yorke which gives us this
Occasion of troubling your Hon^r w^th another letter sooner
then Wee expected by him, S^r Wee doubt not but you will
readily pceive that the intent of our proposicons are, that
this Governm^t would act or doe something in terro^r to the
Indians breaking their league and peace with us and to
deliver them from comeing downe into our Country To doe
us the like spoiles they did last yeare and soe putt it into such
words as wee conceived most Effectu all to that end the Conse-
quence whereof wee are Confident would be peace and quiett,
which wee conceive is soe farr from being an Evill that it
would certainely be the true interest and Comodity of this
Governm^t as well as ours, and this soe Evident that wee not
add arguments to illustrate notwithstanding that the Gent of
the Court have fashioned a greate many strange mischeifes
that may accrue there by to themselves Wee are very sorry
and almost ashamed to see that the severall Indian nations
cann soe readily Confederate against us, and wee be so cau-
tious and fearfull of but threatening them with a Confedera-
tion amongst our selves, although Our people Subjects of Our
King, and the declareing our selves Enemys to the Kings
Enemies, and that not supporting succouring and Supplying
with Armes, and ammunition those Indians that doe and will
use them against his Majesties subjects are matters of such
dangerous consequence.