190 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98.

          Lib. H. D.     knock him on the head, anothr English man coming in the

                Intervall took him off; but the Indian & his mate carried away

                the meat by fforce the like Insolencies they have Comitted

                in Severall other places entring peoples Houses & taking

                their provisions by violence the reason of such their Carriage

                & behaviour as Can be gather'd from the most antient House

                keepers and those best acquainted with their disposicons

                being out of noe other design then to provoke the English to

                doe them Some injury whereupon they might ground a

                Q uarrell.

                 The last Complaint I shall trouble yor Exncy with is that of

                one Charles Hewit an Elderly man seated upon the head of

                Gunpowder about flour miles without any Inhabitants who

                being not only acquainted with the proceedings of the Indians

                in our parts but having liv'd in Virga formerly in the trouble

                some times with the Indians I sent for him in & last night he

                Came to me whereupon I told him that I understood he had

                Complained of Some Injuries lately recd: from the Indians &

                being intended to make yor Exncy acquainted therewith

                required his Deposicon and accordingly gave him his Oath,

                the forme of Deposicons I have left out for the avoiding pro-.

                lixity having already I fear been too tedious the heads are as

                followeth Vizt

                 The Indians for these three months last past he has

                observed to be more Insolent then in all the ffour years time

                he has been Seated before; whilst he and his wife have been

                out at work or else where about their Occasions they have

                Open'd his doors Enter'd his House opened his Chest taken

                away powder lead Shot and other things; forceably in his

             p. 123 absence before his wives face taken what ready provisions

                they could ffin'd; Comes on the Back of his Plantation gathers

                his Green Corn cutts up his Corn stalks & gathers his herb-

                age planted for the use of his ffamily without leave; comes

                into his house in Companies all Arm'd & unusally painted all

                over taking down his Arms from the Racks where they are

                hung & viewing them with other Jestures & postures unac

                custom'd; About a ffortnight since ten of them all Arm'd and

                painted past by his plantation under pretence of going to

                Potomock to Trade every one having a Rumlett containing

                about 3: or 4 Gallons Some full of Rum & others powder

                with some match coats

                 Inferrences upon further Examination of the Deponent of

                Some Roguish design in hand.

                 ffirst the Depont Saith tht for ffour years last past he has

                been Seated in their walks they usually take when they move

                to their hunting Quarters; the Indians usually passing that

                way to hunt being not above a dozen or ffourteen men besides

                women & Children.