Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 297

    but most of Them had sent the reason of their not coming, Lib. H. D.

    and desired to know if we had anything further to Offer; to

    which we return'd answer, that we were to give his Exncy and

    that Honoble Board an Accot of a late Murther committed in

    Maryland by Indians wch we did by reading the Letters of

    Collo Addison & some others giving an accot of the Circum

    stances thereof, and then we read our severall proposalls laid

    in Writing before his Exncy and upon reading every article

    explained the same by words and enlarged thereon by laying

    before his Exncy and that Honoble Board the Inductive reasons

    of the Government of Maryland; desiring the same and the

    reasonableness & Justness thereof; and particularly that article

    desiring the Indians to be sent for & hear proposalls from

    some Gentlemen appointed of Maryland.

      We gave a particular account of what proposalls we had to

    make to them; and so having passed through every Article of

    ours in Writing; We concluded tht the same was thought

    necessary for his Majtes service and the peace & safety of

    Maryland and therefore concluded wth an humble prayer to

    grant them and give Ordrs accordingly. To wch his Exncy re- p. 599

    turned answer that as they had so they would have all due

    reguard not only to our Message but our persons and being

    asked if we had any further to say, we replyed we had not;

    but to desire that as our proposalls had been laid down in

    Writing so the answers to them might be that we might not

    Err in returning them, and so we Retired. About 3 or four

    hours after we were called in and his Exncy then acquainted us

    that the Gentlemen had weighed & duly considered the severall

    matters laid before them, and that it was their desires as well

    as his Exncys not to be wanting in anything of a suitable

    returne; and thereupon his Exncy was pleased to give us a

    verball answer to every Article; saying first that it was con

    ceived that the Relation we had given of the Murther was in

    Ordr to usher in the other proposalls To wch we made

    answer that we came not to argue with his Exncy and that

    Honoble Board, but to propose & desire as we had done in

    Writing and declared our selves at large thereon and humbly

    prayed that we might have his Exncy & Councills result or

    answer in Writing; it was returned us that we should have it

    in Writing as soon as it could be transcribed. We then

    returned our thanks to his EXnCY for his Courtesies and favours

    to us, and in giving us so ready a dispatch; and to the

    Honoble the Gentlemen of the Councill for their trouble

    occasioned thereby, assuring them we used our utmost

    endeavor to have reacht Iames Town before the Assembly

    ended but could not; and so we retired to our Lodgings and

    some Gentlemen of the Councill went Wth us & treated us

    with a glass of Liquors &Ca