Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 453

     Countrey, he will send an order for them to Come up & if Lib. X.

     that he or Good or any others want any Copies of Proceed

     ings from the Council Books or any other Copies of Records

     his Excellency does now hereby order the Several Clerks to

     let them have them Gratis

       A Copy of Mr Slys Petition being read where in the preamble

     it is said; the humble Petition of Gerrard Slye Gent & others

     fraders & Inhabitants of Maryland the said Mr Sly is asked

     who are them Traders & Inhabitants Sly Says he is not

     obliged to name them

       His Excellency is pleased to say that if any Inhabitants or

     Traders have any Charge to prove against him that the better

     enable them so to do he does make them the same Offer as to

     Mr Sly & Mr Cood

       Mr Sly is asked if he owns the Petition & says it is his

       Read a Copy of Mr Coods Petition to his Majesty which p.

     Mr Sly does say he own to be a true Copy of that which was

     preferred the same being endorsed with Slys hand Sly says

     he thinks it a very unreasonable thing that the Government

     should be removed to Annapolis thereby to put the Country

     to Charge

       Read to Mr Sly an Abstract of a Letter of his to the Lord

     Godolphin wherein is thus set forth; those Countrys I've ever

     been acquainted with &ca the said Mr Sly will not [own] any

     thing of his writing thereof

       Read a Letter of the said Slys dated at Kiquotan Swan

     May the 4th 1697

       One to Mr William Taylard dated at Iames Town in Vir

     ginia St Georges day

       One to Mr Rogers of Plimouth dated Plymo the 26th of Iune

     1697

       One to Mr Samuel Watkins dated at Plymouth 7ber the 4th

     1697

       One to Mr Watkins dated at Bushwood April the 4th 1698

       One to the Lord Baltemore dated Decr 26th 1697

      The said Letters Containing many Scurrilous Reflections

     upon his Excellency Collo Nicholson & the said Sly being

     asked whether they were his Letters Refused to own them

       Read a Letter from the said Sly to Captain Nicholas Smith

     which the said Sly owns to be his writing

       Read to W Sly a Deposition of Captain Nicholas Smith

     about a wager Sly laid with him which Sly owns & Saith he

     has won it in preferring the Articles

       There having been a Rumour spread abroad that Mr Sly p. 75

     had got a Protection, his Excellency Commands him in his

     Majestys Name that if he has any such thing from his most

     Sacred Majesty or my Lord chief Justice Holt as he has given