278 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1694 97.

       Lib. H. D. the Ownrs & Comanders of such Ships trading hire as afd for

              prevention whereof for the future I have (by & with the advice

              of his Mats honoble Councill) thought ffitt to publish and make

              known & I do hereby accordingly Order & Cornand that no

              Merchant ffreightr Planter or other person whatsoever with in

              this Province doe hence forth presume to make or Cause to

              be made any hhd or hhds of tobacco (in Order to being

              Shipped & put on board) exceeding the Gage & size by the

              aforementioned Act of Assembly Directed under pain & pen

              alty of being proceeded against according to the Utmost

              Rigour of the Law, And to the End all diligent and due Care

              may be taken for the discovery of all such Illegall proceedings

              I do hereby further Order and Coffiand his Mats respective

              Collectors their Deputies and the severall Navall Officers &

              their Deputies within this Province to give Notice to all Mas

              ters of Ships at their first coming in & entry made that they

              Circumspectly and wthout ffaile measure or Cause to be

              Measured every hhd of tobacco Shipped & taken on board

              their Respective Vessells to the true performance whereof the

              master, Mate, Boatswine, or other Officer or person intrusted

              to take an Accot of any hhd or hhds of tobacco put on board

              his or their Ship or Ships vessell or Vessells shall upon the

              Clearing of such Ship or Ships Vessell or Vessells make Oath

              before the said Collector or Deputys & Navall Officers or their

              Deputies afd wth whom they Entred, that every the said hhd

              or hhds of Tobacco by them so taken an Accot of were realy

              & bona fide measured and found to be in size according to

              the Directions of the said Act hereby Strictly Enjoyning the

              Collectors their Depties & Navall Officers & their Depties as afd

              to Examine into and tender such an Oath as also that at the

              same time such Mastr Mate, Boat Swain or other Officer or

              person soe as afd intrusted give likewise an Accot Vpon Oath

              of the Number of hhds by them taken an Accot off & that the

              Master in particular Swear that he neither will nor does

              designe by himself or any other procuremt to take in any more

              tobacco that present Voyage either before or after Clearing

              other than what he has given an Accot off vpon Oath as afd.

              But if he should take more tobacco in that then they will give

          P• 197  further Accots of the same upon Oath likewise, And Foras

              much Most Masters and Comanders of Ships doe seem to

              plead Ignorance to such Laws of this Province as doe any

              wayes narrowly touch or Concern them I doe further Order

              that the said Respective Collectors their Deputies and the

              Navall Officers & their Deputies aId doe forthwth gett & pro

              cure Coppies of all such Acts of Assembly any wise relating

              to or Concerning Mastrs of Ships or Trade &ca as are now in

              force & the same keep in their Respective Offices for the