448 Proceedings of the Councilof Maryland, 1696/7-98.

            Lib. x Mr Hugh Ellis Mr Tho Hatton Ioseph Jessip Willm Howell

             p. 65 John Iackson Dr Francis Greenfield George Cusack & Thomas

                Hudson being brought before his Excellency the Governor,

                are told that forasmuch as he Understood they had been

                knowing and would discover some what of the Undue &

                illegal Practices of Mr Gerrard Sly Mr John Cood Senr Mr Rob

                ert Mason & Mr Philip Clark & others their Associates, they

                are now required to give their Depositions to the truth the

                whole truth & nothing but the Truth of what they knew or

                have heard of or from the said Mr Sly Mr Cood Mr Mason &

                Mr Clark in relation to this his Majestys Government or his

                Excellency the Govr thereof

                  His Excellency is pleased to ask Dr Francis Greenfield if a

                lay Brother or one so reputed did not come into the Country

                in the Ship Gerard along with Mr Gerrard Sly who says that

                a Person so reputed did Come in the said Ship

                  George Cusack being asked the same question saith one

                W Doyne a Lay Brother whom the Ships Crew did Mistrust

                so to be, did come in, in that Ship

                  The said Persons were Ordered to withdraw & to write

                down their Several Depositions what they had to say in this

                matter

                  Major Iohn Hammond & Captain Richard Hill being sent

                for came as likewise W Robert Gouldsborough to his Maj

                estys Councill at Law

                  Then came Mr William Taylard & Mr William Harpam of

                St Marys County before his Excellency the Governor

             p. 66    Mr William Taylard being asked to give Accot what he

                knows Concerning the ill Designs & Practices of Mr Gerrard

                Sly Mr John Cood Senr Mr Philip Clark & Mr Robert Mason

                & others their Associates & Abettors Saith that he hath been

                often in their Company and that they had Contrived Several

                Villanous & Scandalous Articles against his Excellency Francis

                Nicholson Esqr his Majestys present Governor of this Province

                in which they had alledged that his Excellency had Caused

                Mr Denton late Clerk of the Council Deceased to be putt out

                of the way for that the said Mr Denton was a Material Evi

                dence for his Majesty against him that his Excellency had

                promised Twenty pounds towards building a popish Chaple

                in the Port of Annapolis that his Excellency when he was in

                New England Emptied a Bottle of wine into * * * * &

                drank it of & several other Scurrillous Reflections then used

                & that upon their Going to Make an Article of the Clause last

                mentioned some of the Company said that was too bold &

                did not think fit to have it Incerted

                  Mr Taylard Says that he hath Seen Father Hunter & several

                of the Rornanists very frequent at Mr Slys house as also one