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

Lib. R. R. R.

many frauds past undetected: My Lord Baltemores Councill
have also assumed a power to themselves to Depute another
to be Collecto^r in Severall Rivers; to leavy and receive all his
Maj^ties rates duties and Impositions payable by the act of the
,25^th yeare of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord the King, And
for my disowneing and not complyeing with those appointed
(and I hope your Hono^rs will not blame me for saying spurri-
ously empowered) Collecto" and for my dissenting from their
proceedings, I have been served with warrants to appeare
before some of them, and then threatned me with bringing me
to the Provinciall Court, and with infliction of severall pun-
ishm^u banishment, and utter ruine of me and my family, one
of them especially by name Coll W^m Digges Domineeres and
tells me I shall not maintaine my Cofnission here, unless by
great gunns, as Cap^t Allen doth, whom he and the rest strive
to calumniate, and ignominiously tearme him a pyrate, and
endeavour to throw all such like base scurrilous aspersions
against him, me, and both our Commissions, but notwithstand-
ing all threatnings and difficulties I shall proceed to the best
of my knowledge and endeavo^rs to execute the Dutyes of my
place and Cofnission, especially in what I see may most con-

p. 302

duce to his Maj^ties Interest and service in the present Circum-
stances and Exigence of affaires here; wherein I hope your
Hono^rs will approve me and make it knowne, that his Maj^ties
Officer shall be owned and supported in that legall and indu-
bitable authority derived from your Hono^rs against all opposers
and adversaries of his Maj^ties Soveraignty, which by those
practices and present methods vsed, is endeavoured to be
excluded this Province; as to w^ch I humbly beg your Hono^rs
mediation for his Maj^ties true informacon that a course may be
taken to repell and remedy those growing and intolerable
insolencyes,and illegall doeings under which his Maj^ties Officers
heretofore have ever been sufferers, and now after them I expect
the same, or as bad useage to compleate the hard measure
I mett with already, unless speedy care be had for the preven-
tion of the dangers and mischiefes that certainely impend me
in prosecution of his Maj^ties Service in this Countrey, I am con-
fident his Maj^tie is prejudiced severall thousand pounds by the
obstruction and confusion that's caused in his Maj^ties affaires
and concernes here, and I doubt his Revenue from the dutyes
of the penny p pound for Tobacco, will proove but small this
yeare by reason many M^rchants and Masters bound for others
of his Maj^ties plantations would have carryed Tobacco, but have
been threatned by the aforesaid Collecto^rs to seize their shipps
and be sued, if they paid any Duties but to themselves, where-
upon they being discouraged and frightened have declined
carrying any Tobacco, I know as yett but of two Entries made