viii                                             Preface.

Nicholson's successor, Nathaniel Blakiston, was the descendant of an
old Northumbrian family. His grandfather, John, was Mayor of New-
castle in 1645, and one of the judges who pronounced sentence of death
on Charles I. John's fourth son, Nehemiah, came to Maryland about
1668, where he married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Gerard. He
was commissioned Clerk of the Royal Customs for Wiccocomico and
Potomac, and was active in the Revolution of 1689. In 1690 he was
appointed President of the Committee for the temporary government of
the Province, was Speaker of the Lower House of Assembly in 1691
and Justice of the Provincial Court, and a little later in the same year
a member of the Council. He died in 1693.

Nathaniel, the Governor, was the second son of John, an elder brother
of Nehemiah, and Phoebe, daughter of William Johnston. In 1698 he
was admitted to the Merchant Adventurers' Company of London, and
was appointed Governor of Maryland, to succeed Nicholson. He was
an amiable man, and his relations with the Delegates were characterized
by unusual cordiality. Unfortunately, ill health compelled him to
resign his office in 1701, and he shortly after returned to England,
where he was living, as letters show, in 1714.*

In the preface to Vol. XXI of these Archives it was stated that the
victory at Monmouth, June 27, 1778, "cost the life of the gallant Ram-
say." This was an error. Though pierced with many wounds, and
left for dead, he was not killed, but was taken prisoner by the British,
and afterwards exchanged. He represented Maryland in Congress in
1786, 1787, was later Marshal of the District of Columbia, and in 1794
was Naval Officer for the district of Baltimore.

*The editor is indebted for these particulars concerning the Blakistons to Dr. Christopher
Johnston, of the Maryland Historical Society.