346 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1694 97.

       Lib. H. D.     the sd Act; And their Lordps with the Commons in Parliamt

             Assembled having in an Address Represented to his Maty the

             great advantages thereby Granted to this Company and the

             Obstructions that this Act will unavoidabley bring to the

           p. 9  Generall Trade of this Nation, and particularly that when the

             Scotch shall have Settled themselves in Plantations in America

             Our Comerce in Tobacco Sugar &ca will be Utterly Lost for

             the Reasons therein mentioned; We doe herewith Send you

             Copy of the sd Act, with Copies of our sd Report & of this

             Address with his Mats most gracious Answer to the sd Address,

             as the best means to Awaken and Excite you to a Vigorous

             Execution of the Severall Laws made in England for the

             Security of the Plantation Trade and making this Kingdom

             the Staple both of the Commodities of the Plantations and the

             Commodities of other Countreys and places for the Supply of

             the sd Plantations; And as we hope That the sd Laws and the

             Ordrs & Instructions which from time to time We have Given

             in pursuance thereof to the Severall Officers Imployed under

             Us within your Governmt will be found Sufficient to prevent

             the inconveniencies and Mischeifs which may Arise from this

             Act, So we desire you will please more Especially at this time

             to See that all and every the sd Officers Doe strictly pursue

             their Duty's according to the Laws of England relating to

             the plantations, which they have in Charge from Us, and our

             aforesd Ordrs and Instructions, And give you an Accot of every

             Ship Tradeing in their respective prcincts in the fform and

             method prscribed by Us.

               And It will more especially Concern you to be very Carefull

             that the persons imployed under you as Navll Officers for the

             taking of bonds and the giving out and taking in of Certifi

             cates be persons of known Integrity and that they be under

             Oath and Security for the faithfull Discharge of their Trusts.

               On the other hand that no Officer within Your Governmt

             may pretend Ignorance or be Imposed upon in Receiving or

             Accepting of forged Certificates mentioning Security to be

             taken by the Officers of the Custom's in Some Port of England

             Wales or Berwick for the Return of Ships with their Loadings

             to this Kingdome, or other forged Certificates for Ships Dis

             charging their Loadings from the plantations in Some port in

             England Wales or Berwick, when in reallity no Such Bonds

             have been here given nor loadings here discharged But the

             Ships therein mentioned have gone directly to and from Scot

             land (of which we have many instances now before Us) We

             shall for preventing these ffrauds and abuses hereafter Every

             three months or as often as Conveyance shall Offer, Send you

             an Authentick and Attected Lict of every Ship or Vessel with

             the Masters Name that hath Entered into any Port of Engl