124 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1694 97.

      Lib. H. D. the importation of it hither for the Colledges Account and

             sending back the produce thereof, Wee are

                      Gentl Yor affectionate ffriends & Servants

             Custom house Londo           Jo: Werden

             24th Aprill 1694             Robert Southwell

             Directed thus                C Godolphin

             ffor the Rector & Governor of     Robert Clayton

             the Colledge of William & Mary    P Ward

                  Virginia.

               Read two other Letters from the said Commissionrs both

             directed to his Exncie Governor Nicholson, the one of the 23th

             of flebry 1692 and the other of the 16th of March 1693, both

             Ordered to be Entered and are as follows, Vizt

               Sr

                      Wee have before Us the Case of Thomas Meech

             sionrs of the touching his late transgression by trading between

             Custom Virginia & Scotland with forged and counterfieted

                    Certificates which by your great care & Zeal for the

             his Exncy publick Service were timely discovered and trans

             touching mitted to Vs, But because the said Meech has not

             Capt Meech only made a free and open confession of his fault but

             given you some Information of frauds Acted & done by others

             in Virginia, which at your safe Arrivail there (wherein our

             good Wishes attend you) Wee are assured will by your prudent

             Managemt be improved for their Mats advantage, and is now

             personally Engaged in discovering and bringing to punishmt

             here in England some Notorious Offenders as well ships &

             Vessells as their Imployers which is partly known to you;

             Wee have thought fit to make a Tryall of him in this Affair

             for some time and do desire you to Respit the prosecution of

             the Bonds against him & his Sureties in Virginia vntill you

             shall heare farther from Vs concerning him. And as for any

             other Bonds taken in pursuance of the Act of Navigation Wee

             desire you to have a particular Reguard therevnto, causing a

          p. 47  Vigorous prosecution of them which are become forfieted;

             And that no Bond be delivered vp to be Cancelled, but by

             very good Certificates from England vnder our hands that the

             Condition thereof has been really fulfilled.

               Whereas Mr Nehemiah Blakiston one of the Collectors in

             Maryland is indebted to their Mats vpon his Account in a very

             considerable Sume and is otherwise suspected to be guilty of

             indirect practices in his Office Wee are obliged for their Mats

             Service to give you a farther trouble desiring you at your first

             going to Maryland to Call the said Blakiston to Account, And