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

           Lib. x. Upon advice that there has been plentiful Crops of Corn

                  made this last Year in New England & that the honble Collo

                  Iohn Gibson hath Effectually reduced & resettled New Found-

                  land and forasmuch as a general peace is now God be thanked

                  Established in Europe—

                  Ordered that all former Orders of this Board any way

                 Encouraging persons to Carry Provisions to those places be

                 wholly disanulled & set aside whereof the several Collectors

                 & Naval Officers are to take due Notice & Conform them

                 selves accordingly

                          March the 24th 1697/8

                  A petition of peter Iennings Esqr Collector of Puttuxent

                 District—was presented to this Board & read—the said

                 Petition being taken into Consideration it is the Opinion of

                 this Board that the Instruction Cannot possibly be Complied

                 with as the Constitution of this province now Stands until

              p. 14    Certain ports be assigned in the province Where all Ships

                 and Vessels Coming in shall be Obliged to Come & Ride

                 & that the Officers be Obliged Actually to come and reside

                 in these ports & see the Unlivery of all goods the said Mr

                 Jennings being left to discharge his Duty in the Interim after

                 the best manner he can It being Supposed that the giving a

                 Certificate for all Goods Carried away in Sloops for other

                 parts & Expressing the particulars & that the legal Coquets

                 have been produced for the same may be the best means

                  The said Peter Jennings Esqr presented an Accot of the

                  p hhd the which he made Oath to & gave his Excllcy a Note

                 on Mr Plater for the said Money

                  Upon further Consideration had of the said Mr Jennings

                 Petition it is humbly represented by this Board with Sub

                 mission to their Excellencys the Lords Justices Instructions

                 that the Article directing that no Goods shall be Landed but

                 by warrant of an Officer &ca is so difficult to be performed

                 as the present Constitution of this Country now stands that

                 it will Cost his Majesty Several hundred pounds Sterling in

                 keeping Officers to look after & Manage the said Concerns

                 therefore it is proposed that so many particular ports be

                 appointed in the Governmt whither all Ships & Vessels shall

                 be Obliged to Come and Unlevir their Goods & that the

                 Officers or their Lawful Deputys be Obliged also to live in

                 those parts for dispatch & discharge of their dutys

                  A petition of Captain William Cooper Commander of the

                  Ship Jeoffreys of London praying a register of his Ship was

                  read & Granted according to petition—

                  Upon representation of the honble James Frisby Esqr how