Proceedings of the council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 489

        I am likewise to beg yor Lordps pardon for not sending P. R. O.

      yor Lordps the journals, publick Papers &c. sooner. But Mr

      Henry Denton dying before he had been able to form the

      journal of Council, and of that in Assembly; I have found a

      great deal of difficulty in compleating them from his Minutes.

      But I hope they are as truly done, as if, please God, he had

      liv'd & finish'd them. Another Reason, is the great scarcity

      of good Clarks; (so that I am alimost forced to make accord

      ing to the proverb Bricks without straw) only Mr Wm Blaiden

      whome I have found the most capable in all Respects, I have

      removed from being Clark of the House of Delegates, to that

      of the Council: and therefore it is, that he now signs all the

      Journals, both of Council, and of the House of Delegates.

      And No 1. is an Account of them, and of the laws made in

      March last.

        I have at last had the good Fortune of receiving yo' Lordps

      Commands in the Duplicat of yor Lordps Letter of the 2nd of

      7ber last, which Col. Robert Quary gave me. And that wch

      yor Lordps sent by his Majestys Advice-Boat the Swift, I hear

      was broken open, and read by some people in North Carolina,

      and afterwards burnt. And I suppose his Excy Sr Edmund

      Andross hath given yor Lordps a full Account of that Affair.

      And No 2 is a Copy of Capts N. Bostock Commander of the

      sd. vessel his Letter about her.

        With humble submission to yor Lordps I think it absolutely

      necessary for his Majestys Service, that an other be sent with

      all Expedicon. For besides looking after illegal Trade, Priva

      teers, & Pyrates here, and in Pensylvania; such a Force will

      be an awe upon any who design an Insurrection or Disturb

      ance; and will allso be one way to prevent seamen from running

      away, and being refractory and mutinous aboard their ships;

      by changing or punishing of them (For I have had several

      Complaints about these things. And No 3 is a Copy of a

      Peticön signed by several Comanders of ships and vessels; as

      allso of my Proclamacon thereupon. But so long as they are

      countenanced and harbored in Pensylvania, tis impossible

      wholy to remedy these two Evils; because the seamen can so

      easily get thither, both from Virginy and this Province.) As

      allso to assist any ship or vessel that shall spring a leak, or

      whose Seamen may be sick of a seagoing: both which have

      this year happened to some.

        When it pleaseth God that any of these four Accidents

      happens to a ship or vessel; one is in danger of having her

      voyage overthrown: or at best, very much retarded.

        I have observed that if a Ship or Vessel can but (please

      God) get clear of Capes, they will venture with a few hands.

      And others, thô they be sickly of the seasoning, will venture