Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85/6. 453

with me or my Deputies, for Tobacco to pay the Duties in the
whole Province, and for those and what else comes in, shall
transmitt bills of Exc^a payable according to the directions
formerly given by your Hono^rs Instructions to M^r Xpher
Rousby, which measures I humbly conceive is most proper for
me to take till further ord^r I heare some of the said Collecto^r

have lately clandestinely cleared & reed: his Maj^ties Duties of
some Tobacco, and as to that I shall make thorough Inspection,
and endeavo^r your Hono^rs speedy Informacon Maj^r Nicholas
Sewall one of the aforesaid Councill and Collecto" at Pottuxen
Entred some Irish and some other ships, which upon my sus-
picon of their being transgresso" of the Lawes of Trade, I told
him of the Irregularity of such pceedings, in giving Entryes

Lib. R. R. R.

and permitts of Trade, without the Knowledge and Assent of
the Chiefe Officer of his Maj^ties customs for the time being,
and demanded the cocquetts& Certificates (if any) brought by
the Mast^rs of those ships, but the s^d Sewall deferred delivery
thereof, and suspecting that either I or Cap^t Allen by my ord^r
would seize on them, immediately sent notice to those masters
of their dangers, and promised them all favour upon their
submitting their shipps to their seizures, which was complyed
with, and accordingly prosecuted, and the shipps brought to
condemnation by a private Court appointed for that purpose
and all this is done as appeares, and cann be fully prooved, to
prevent our proceedings and just Execution of our Comissions
in behalf of his Maj^tie; in like manner there was some pro-
hibited goods putt on shoare neere S^t Maries from on board
of a shipp that fled from me out of Pottuxent River, The said
goods with all speed were seized by the said Majo^r Sewall and
Coll: Darnall, who appointed a tryall for the same, In which
Business they might have had witnesses enough, besides there
was the Depositions of some persons, who are still resident in
the Province, whose proofe could have effected the condemna-
tion of the said goods, notwithstanding all this which they well
knew were cleared and acquitted, and those materiall wit-
nesses never summoned in the business, The ship which
imported these goods and commodityes was soon after the
landing of them mett with, and seized p Cap^t Allin, to whom
I sent directions to that purpose, and when the ship was soe
seized, and a tryall demanded in his Maj^ties behalf, which was
denyed him by one of the principall Ministers and Officers of
this Governm^t Cap^t Allin then carryed the said ship to his
Maj^ties Court in Virginia, where I was forc't to dismiss my
prosecution ag^t her, and tooke the masters bond in his Maj^ties
behalf to answer your Hono^rs in England, and all for the
reasons recited and expressed in the condition of the said
Bond, a coppy whereof I have here inclosed, by all which pro-

p.303