Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 299

      It being thought necessary by his Exncy the Governr & Lib. H. D.

    Councill &ca of his Majtes Province of Maryland, for his Majtes

    service & the Peace & safety of that Province to Command

    us the Subcribers to attend upon your Exncy and lay before

    you some things relating to the Indians and a late Murther

    committed by Indians unknown &ca In obedience whereunto

    we attend yor Exncy & humbly Offer.

       That we are ready to acquaint yor Exncy the Circum

    stances of the sd late Murther.

      2ndly That forasmuch as the sd late Murther has been com

    mitted by Indians unknown to the Governmt of Maryland

    therefore his Exncy the Governr and Councill &ca of Maryland

    desire your Exncy to cause inquiry to be made after the sd

    Murtherers within your Government as hath been lately done

    in Maryland by his Exncy the Governr for the seizing and

    apprehending an Indian called Esqr Tom that fled to that

    Province from the hands of Iustice in Virginia.

      3 That whereas it is reported in Maryland that the Indians

    are possessed with ill notions that for any misdemeanors

    committed there they are not to be punished for the same

    in Virginia; therefore it is also desired that your Exncy will

    be pleased to make them sensible of the contrary.

      4thly Your Exncy is also desired to prohibit the Inhabitants

    under your Government from selling to those Indians lately

    come out of Maryland, any Powder or Ball, and the like will

    be done in Maryland by his Exncy the Governr &ca The said

    Indians having carried away with them out of that Govern

    ment & purchased since a considerable quantity of both by

    their own saying That by Information the said Indians have

    not purchased or used a thousand weight of Powder a year.

      5th Your Exncy is likewise desired to appoint & send some

    Gentlemen to meet in Stafford County or else where and

    call the sd Indians before them in Order to discourse them in

    presence of some persons to be sent out of Maryland, as well

    to inform the Indians the resolutions of this Government not

    to protect them; as also for the Gentlemen of Maryland to

    make proposalls to them.

      6 Your Exncy is likewise desired to send persons up to

    the ffort of the said Indians in this Government to see if

    they have any strange Indians among them and what number

    there may be of them; and whether they have dispersed them

    selves about a hunting according to their usual custome; it

    being apprehended that the said Indians, living so remote p. 601

    from the inhabitants, may have ffrench Iesuits or Priests and

    other French men among them.

      7thly Your Exncy is likewise desired to cause yor Rangers

    appointed for the ffrontiers of Potomock to settle somewhere