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

          Lib. H. D. did not (during his having the Administration) make it his

                 business to get the debts in. Who sayes that he never had

                 anything of the said Estate to sue for, but the Mortgages;

                 and that he is ready to deliver up what Books & papers he

                 has relateing to that Estate unto Mr Comissry or the present

                 Admr whensoever they shall require the same.

                   His EXnCY is pleased to acquaint the Comissry that the Office

                 he now has in the New State house where his Records lye is

                 appointed & Settled by Act of Assembly. Therefore does in

                 his Majestes name direct & Order him to accept of no Bookes,

                 Records or papers whatsoever belonging to his Office, but

                 what are actually deliver'd up in his Office aforementioned.

                   His Exncy is likewise pleased to observe to the sd Mr Cran

                 ford, what devastation & waste he has brought upon the sd

                 Estate, first by intangling of it in Law and Secondly by keep

                 ing the Bookes, Debts & papers all this while in his hands

                 that the same could not be gott in, whereby severall of the

                 Debtors by this time (its probable) are either dead or become

                 insolvent, and the Plantations all ruin'd by his Sinister &

                 selfe interested practises, who at first was only intended as

                 Admr in trust for another, wch to his eternall Shame he had

                 basely converted to his own ends, insomuch that the same is

                 become a publick talke among the Merchants upon the

                 Exchange of London to the Scandall of the whole Countrey

                 and Government; but withall signifyed to him that he must

                 not think to Scape clear of the matter so, but must expect to

                 be called to a strict and severe account about all these

                 matters, and that his Exncy was but just now a beginning with

                 him.

                         October the 21st 1697.

                The Councill again sate and were present.

             His Exncy ffrans Nicholson Esqr Capt Genll &ca

                     Coll: Henry Jowles  Collo Charles Hutchins

                     Coll: George Robotham    Collo John Addison

                    Thoms Tench Esqr     Thomas Brookes Esqr

                                         Iames ffrisbey Esqr

                   It being thought convenient     that the Honoble Coll John

                 Addison should repair to his County in Order to putting in

                 Execution the severall Orders passed for strengthening the

                 Garrison & ifrontiers in those parts. Copy of the sd Orders

                 were delivered to him at the Board, who thereupon tooke

                 leave and went.

                   It being represented that there were three Causes depend

                 ing before his Exncy and Councill (constituted as a Court for

                 hearing appeals and Writts of Error &Ca) wherein the Honoble