Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 213

     being sent hither, being willing at any Charge to pay for Lib. H. D.

     bringing them back I am

 Bredah at Anchor of Point         Honrble Sr

         Comfort 18th of August Yor most Obliged humble Servt

         1697 Virginia.            1: Dilkes

                  Baltemore County Court Septem. 8th 1697

     ieturn of the  May it please yor Exncy

     Corn mis

     sioners of Bai   1 his day the Rt honrble Sr Thomas Laurence

     Co: Court in   Baront Honrd this Court with his Presence who

     Answr to Mr

     Boothbys Lre   after he had produced a letter Sent by Mr Edward

     abt Indians    Boothby to yor Exncy as also the Ordr from yor

     EXnCY and Councill to some of the Military Officers in this

     County (which were publick!y Read) his Honr was pleased to

     make inquiry into the Matters relating to the Indians upon

     Complaint of Severall the Inhabitants who had formerly given

     their Information to Mr Edward Boothby; the Chief Com-

     plaint with Severall of the ffield Officers, as also the Captain

     of the Rangers being then prsent, who did declare, that since

     the last complaints, yor ExncY had an Accot of from Mr Edward

     Boothby, they have not seen nor heard of any misdemeanrs or

     Incivilityes comitted by the Indians to any the Inhabitants of

     this County, this with our thankfullness to your Exncy for yor

     great Care of our preservation is what at prsent Offers from

                                      Yor Exncys

                             Obliged & Obedient Servts

                         Geo: Ashman

                             Coll: John Thomas

                                Tho:    Richardson

                                 James Phillips

                                 John Hall

                         John Oldton

             To his Exncy ffrancis Nicholson Esq &ca   P. 129

     Answr of the In all humble manner Wee John Thomas,

     ffield Officers

     of Hal. Co: abt Thomas Richardson and James Maxwell in Obedi

     Indians ence to yor Exncys Ordr p the Honrble Sr Thomas

     Laurence, do in Answer thereto Say, That we the fore

     mencon'd have raised some fforces in Arms and with them

     according to our respective places ranged in Ordr to the dili

     gent Search after the Indians, but do not neither can find that

     any Insolencies of late hath been by any of that Sort comitted

     agt any his Mats Liege Subjects. We doe also Certifye that

     we are ready for the ffuture to follow yor Exncys Ordr in Rang

     ing as p yor Ordr preScril)ed untill further Ordr and if any